DC Power FC begin the spring portion of the 2025-26 season next weekend on the road to Sporting Jacksonville, and while they have endured a 6-week winter break, they have remained busy. DC Power has made several changes to their roster, capped off by four signings that have been finalized in the past couple of weeks.

DC Power made some cuts, agreeing to contract terminations by mutual consent with forward Margie Detrizio and midfielders Charlie Estcourt and Katie Duong. The club also agreed to contract extensions with defenders Susanna Fitch and Claire Constant, midfielder Emily Colton, and forward Gianna Gourley. DC Power then added midfielders Justina Gaynor and Lexi Fraley and forwards Alyssa Walker and Hannah Richardson to boost the team’s production in the second half of the season.

Walker was brought in first from Carolina Ascent, and she is viewed as someone who could complement forward Gianna Gourley on the field. DC Power wants to greatly improve its ability to finish chances, and they feel Walker can provide that on the field. “Obviously, with the snow it’s quite difficult, but [Gianna and I have] had some good chances to be able to play together,” Walker said in press availability on Friday. “And honestly, it takes time to get into a team, but it’s honestly flowing a lot quicker than I anticipated.  And so I’m really excited to be able to continue to build that relationship and be able to fluidly work off of each other. You know, she has a great game and to be able to kind of come in and complement that, like, I’m really excited about it.”

Hannah Richardson and Justina Gaynor were both brought in from Lexington SC, and in a situation where they’re joining a new team midseason, they felt good about the fact that they were undergoing this new change together. “Yeah, we had a great start to the season in Lexington and obviously we were both there playing together, but the opportunity showed up here. We talked to some people in the club and it just seemed like the best move for both of our careers,” Gaynor said. “And so we’re thrilled to be here to play with DC Power for this half of the season and going forward. But yeah, it does feel great to have a friend to be here with and just make the move a little bit easier and the transition easier.”

Alyssa Walker didn’t make a move with a teammate, but she was able to see some familiar faces in her first days with the club. Walker was with Spokane Zephyr last year with Sydney Cummings, who joined DC Power last summer. Despite Walker missing the season due to a torn ACL, Walker and Cummings were roommates. Walker also was familiar with Gourley, as they both played at Iowa and had met each other through Iowa ties, and she played against Susanna Fitch in college. “There’s a lot of little connections there,” Walker said. “So I really don’t feel that new [at DC Power].”

Lexi Fraley, despite being the youngest of the new signees, has the most experience with DC Power. Fraley began the season as a trialist with the club, turning down opportunities abroad to try and make it domestically. She found a home with DC Power, signing a contract to officially join the roster earlier this week.

I mean, the transition’s been really easy,” Fraley said. “This team, this culture here is amazing. Just walking into the locker room, I could tell even just on trial the kind of people they are. They’re great players, but the kind of people [they are] in the locker room are amazing as well and just so welcoming and it’s been great and it’s been very easy.” 

As the team prepares to open up the spring portion of the season next weekend, the cold has not affected the goal: get to the playoffs, where anything can happen. When asked about her personal goals for the season, Walker immediately said her goals align with what the team wants to do, which is to get back on track and make up the points to get into the playoffs.

“[If] you look at the points, we’re not far off. It’s a very tight league, and it was a very tight league last year. Anything can happen,” Walker said. “I’ve always looked at D.C. and how they play and even playing against them, DC [Power] is a really good team. And so the biggest thing that we need is just to convert more and more goals. And that’s why they brought me in. And so I think that we have a really good run for the playoff spot…My personal goal is I want to make a playoff run. I want to make a championship run, and I really think that we can do it with this team.”

The current DC Power roster:

Goalkeepers (2): Morgan Aquino, Makenna Gottschalk
Defenders (5): Paige Almendariz, Claire Constant, Sydney Cummings, Susanna Fitch (c), Madison Murnin
Midfielders (11): Chinyelu Asher, Anna Bagley, Emily Colton, Lexi Fraley, Carleigh Frilles, Justina Gaynor, Ellie Gilbert, Katrina Guillou, Alexis Theoret, Dasia Torbert, Grace Yango  
Forwards (4): Loza Abera, Jaydah Bedoya, Gianna Gourley, Hannah Richardson, Alyssa Walker

DC Power will travel to Florida early next week to get some outdoor practices in with better weather before they open the spring season next Saturday against Sporting Jacksonville.