SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Wave has signed 18-year-old goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo through the 2028 season, the team announced today. Agudelo previously starred for Deportivo Cali Femenino in the Colombian Women's Football League.
“This feels like the right environment to continue growing while competing for championships,” Agudelo said. “I’m proud to be here and ready to give everything for this team.”
The Colombian keeper made 38 regular-season appearances with Deportivo Cali, helping secure the club’s first back-to-back Colombian Liga Femenina championships in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, Agudelo racked up nine clean sheets and an 86.9 percent save percentage. The young goalkeeper also made international starts at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, the senior Colombian national team, and even received a call-up for the 2025 Copa América Femenina.
Agudelo is expected to add a jolt and bolster a goalkeeping room recently devoid of its central component, Kailden Sheridan. The Canadian national served as an inaugural member of the young club and started in 84 regular-season matches over the Wave’s four-year history.
The 18-year-old will join a slightly revamped goalkeeping group, including sophomore Leah Freeman, acquired from Bay FC, and NWSL veteran DiDi Haračić, re-signed until the 2026 season.
"[Agudelo] brings poise, technical quality, and international experience well beyond her years,” said Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton. “We believe her profile and mentality align strongly with how we want to build this roster, both now and for the future."
This move comes just a day after it re-signed 23-year-old midfielder Gia Corley, making Agudelo the seventh signing under the age of 24 for the Wave this offseason — and the youngest of the bunch. The trend points to a younger core for a Wave squad that struggled with longevity in its 2025 campaign.
The Wave, who are set to celebrate their fifth NWSL season this year, began its NWSL tenure with a strong, albeit necessary, backbone of established players. Superstar U.S. forward Alex Morgan anchored the new squad alongside the likes of Sheridan and U.S. teammate Abby Dahlkemper.
San Diego’s design last season combined similarly established talent with youth energy. However, recent offseason drop-offs of the former (namely, star French midfielder Delphine Cascarino) shed new light. With the simultaneous influx of younger talent, it seems as though the 2025 season may have been one of transition more than experimentation.
In any case, San Diego’s roadmap will now be navigated by young talent like Agudelo. Alongside her will be new college signings (midfielder Lia Godfrey and defender Mimi Van Zanten) and a host of returners (Melanie Barcenas, Jordan Fusco, and Nya Harrison).
