Denver Summit FC’s Abby Smith Earns NWSL Best XI Honors for March

By: J.J. Pavlick | Denver, CO | April 3, 2026 |

Abby Smith didn’t just land in the NWSL Best XI for March — she earned it with the kind of month that changes the trajectory of an expansion club. If you’ve been watching Denver Summit FC closely, you already know this wasn’t a “nice story” nod. This was a goalkeeper putting a brand‑new team on her back and saying, “We’re not here to be cute—we’re here to compete.”

Smith led the league with 20 saves in March, and these weren’t routine catches or stat‑padding moments. These were high‑leverage stops, the kind that flip momentum and keep a young team believing in itself. The back‑to‑back clean sheets against Gotham FC and Washington Spirit weren’t just impressive — they were foundational. Those shutouts told the league that Denver isn’t waiting around for Year Two or Year Three to figure things out. They’re building something right now.

What stands out most is how Smith manages the chaos in front of her. Expansion teams usually look disjointed early—miscommunications, late rotations, panic clearances. But with Smith behind them, Denver’s back line looks composed. She’s constantly talking, constantly adjusting the line, constantly reading danger before it becomes danger. That’s not something you teach in a month. That’s experience, presence, and leadership.

Her 87.0% save percentage — best in the league for March — backs up the eye test. So does the milestone she hit on March 20: her 250th career NWSL save. That’s a number that belongs to goalkeepers who’ve survived the grind of this league, who’ve been counted out, counted on, and everything in between.

This is Smith’s third career Best XI monthly honor, with previous selections in Utah (2018) and Gotham (2023). But this one feels different. This one feels earned in a way only expansion‑team pressure can forge. Denver needed a steady hand, a loud voice, and a goalkeeper who could keep them in games long enough for the rest of the roster to catch up. Smith has been all of that and more.

Ask around the locker room, and you’ll hear the same thing: she sets the tone. Her preparation, her communication, her calm — it spreads. It’s one thing to be a good goalkeeper. It’s another thing to be the anchor of a brand‑new club trying to carve out an identity in a league that doesn’t give you time to breathe.

Denver Summit FC is still writing the early chapters of their story, but if March is any indication, Abby Smith is going to be one of the defining characters. And if she keeps playing at this level, Denver won’t just be “ahead of schedule.” They’ll be a problem for anyone who underestimates them.

Denver didn’t stumble into a franchise goalkeeper—they built around one. And if this is what Month One looks like, the rest of the league better start paying attention.

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Stay loud and sharp, and never accept less than that strong bite.