San Diego Wave midfielder Gia Corley’s name continues to come up in conversations with her general manager, coach and teammates.
The Wave are that excited about Corley entering her second season in San Diego.
“I rate Gia really highly,” coach Jonas Eidevall said ahead of Sunday’s 4 p.m. match at the Utah Royals (0-1-0).
“I think she has some elements in her game, both defending with the intensity she does, which makes her really important for us, but also attacking-wise, to be a positive player that can face forward in the attacking lines of the pitch that really suits our way to play.”
General manager Camille Ashton has called Corley, 23, a player to watch in 2026. It’s one of the reasons why the Wave recently opted to extend her contract through 2027.
“It’s just so nice to hear, to know and to feel that our club wants to plan with you in the future,” Corley said. “So it was just for me, a great sign, and I was so happy because I felt the same way. I didn’t want to leave and so this was perfect.”
As for the praise?
“If you hear that the club or the people around you trust you, think you’re good, believe in you, and this means a lot to me in my game,” Corley said.
A native of Tacoma, Wash., Corley moved to Germany as a girl. She was playing for her adopted country’s TSG Hoffenheim a year ago when the Wave arranged a transfer.
Corley said adjusting from German time to Pacific time proved difficult. Everything else came easily.
“It was so easy with my teammates and the club in general, they made it so easy for me, like from the first day on, I felt so welcomed,” Corley said.
It helped, she said, that half the club was new. So was Eidevall, who arrived in San Diego after coaching for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League.
After more than a year in his system, Corley feels Eidevall’s style suits her perfectly. He has previously described it as a “high-paced possession game.”
“I’m so glad that I’m here and that I play with this kind of system and soccer, because it’s the soccer I want to play,” Corley explained. “So I’m glad that I fit in there, and I’m glad that I have teammates around me and that the club has this type of soccer, too.”
Eidevall is “the perfect mix” as a coach, Corley said.
“He expects a lot of you, but just because he knows you can do it, so it’s a great mix,” she said. “You have to meet the expectations, but still, he wants to make the team better. You better. He believes in you. He trusts you.”
As one of the players in the spotlight, Corley has been ready for the season to begin since the previous one ended.
Corley’s primary goal is to help the Wave (0-1-0) return to the playoffs. Individually, she hopes to earn a call-up to the United States Women’s National Team.
She was called up to the U-23 squad for a training camp in October, and her long-term goal is to participate in the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
If she meets the expectations surrounding her, two things could follow: a successful season for the Wave and a potential national team call-up.
“I get goosebumps,” Corley said. “But right now, I have all the small steps I have to do. Of course, this would mean the world to me.”
San Diego Wave (0-1-0) vs. Utah Royals (0-1-0)
When: 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Sandy, Utah
TV: America First Field, Sandy, Utah