The San Diego Wave have changed owners, general managers and coaches over the last two years. They’ve almost completely overhauled their roster.
But San Diego’s Stanford pipeline rolls on.
The club announced Friday that it has signed veteran midfielder/defender Kiki Pickett to a two-year contract through the 2027 season. She has played in 68 National Women’s Soccer League games in her career, most of them with Bay FC. Before that, she suited up for the Kansas City Current and North Carolina Courage.
“Kiki is a dynamic player we’ve been familiar with for a long time, dating back to her time with Kansas City. We’re excited to bring her into our environment,” said Wave sporting director and general manager Camille Ashton. “She is a competitive, intelligent player who brings experience and composure to the midfield, and we believe she fits well with the way we want to play. Kiki’s signing adds important depth to our group and will make us more competitive in 2026 and beyond.”
Pickett played collegiately at Stanford from 2017 to 2021, leading the Cardinal to a pair of national championships. She was named Pac-12 Defender of the Year during her senior season, continuing the Palo Alto-based powerhouse’s tradition of soccer success.
Bay FC’s KiKi Pickett (23) kicks the ball against Seattle Reign FC in the second half at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, April 26, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Given the Wave’s history, perhaps it was inevitable that Pickett would end up in San Diego.
The Wave made Stanford’s Naomi Girma their first-ever draft pick, taking the defender No. 1 overall in 2022. They took Stanford midfielder Belle Briede in the third round of that year’s draft, and selected another Cardinal midfielder, Sierra Enge, with their top pick in 2023.
The team’s first-round pick in the 2024 draft, defender Kennedy Wesley, was also a Stanford player. When the NWSL did away with the draft starting in 2025, San Diego signed defender Nya Harrison out of Stanford as a free agent.
Of the group, only Wesley and Harrison remain with the club. The Wave have completely remade their roster since hiring Ashton, the former Kansas City GM, some 18 months ago. Before joining the front office, Ashton — then known as Camille Levin — was a standout defender at …. Stanford.
The Wave open their season on March 14 with a home game against the Houston Dash.
Wave re-sign goalie
The Wave have signed goalkeeper DiDi Haračić to a new one-year contract, giving the veteran a chance to compete for longtime starter Kailen Sheridan’s former job.
Haračić has made more than 100 appearances since making her NWSL debut in 2013. The 33-year-old played the 2025 season with the Wave, starting two matches. The club announced in December that while Haračić had not re-signed for ‘26, the two sides remained in “active discussions” regarding a contract.
The club’s need for a goalie increased after Sheridan and the club announced Dec. 29 that they were parting ways. Haračić is one of two goalkeepers on the roster, joining rookie Leah Freeman.