By Jeff Vorva
Correspondent
The Chicago Red Stars continued to fill out their roster on both offense and defense last week, this time adding veteran talent with championship pedigrees.
A latest additions in a busy offseason were free-agent signings Shea Groom and Natalia Kuikka.
Groom, a midfielder, was inked to two-year deal. She is coming off an MCL injury that limited her to one match in 2023.
Groom spent the last four years with the Houston Dash, for whom she played 61 matches (50 starts) while scoring nine goals with seven assists across all competitions. In the inaugural NWSL Challenge Cup, her standout performance earned her a spot in the competition’s Best XI.
She capped her Challenge Cup performance by scoring a goal in the championship match, helping Houston to a 2-0 win over the Red Stars and earning MVP honors.
“I’m so excited to join the Red Stars and represent the city of Chicago,” Groom stated in a press release. “I’m a Midwest girl at heart and I know this club is destined to do great things.”
Groom, a Missouri native who played at Texas A&M, started her career in the NWSL being drafted 12th overall by Kansas City in 2015. In Week 13 of the 2015 season, Groom was named player of the week after assisting on two goals and scoring the game-winning goal.
Kansas City ended that season as NWSL champs.
The midfielder followed up that campaign with a sophomore season that included scoring eight goals, including two braces and three match-winning goals, and earning a spot in the league’s Best XI second team.
“I could not be happier to welcome Shea to the Red Stars,” Red Stars president Karen Leetzow stated in a press release. “She is a proven player, and her experience will help us succeed on the pitch and help us develop our younger players. They will be competing with her every day at training and learning what it takes to be a top player in this league.”
Kuikka comes to the Red Stars on a three-year deal. She had been with Portland since 2020.
Kuikka is a decorated player that was part of the Thorn’s 2022 NWSL championship team, and helped the team win the 2021 Challenge Cup and the 2021 NWSL Shield.
Over her three seasons in Portland, Kuikka played in 78 matches (65 starts) and scored two goals (one against the Red Stars in 2023) with six assists (including one against the Red Stars in 2023) across all competitions.
“What drew me to Chicago is their focus on rebuilding trust with the fans and the culture across the organization,” she stated in a press release. “[New owner] Laura Ricketts’ passion and vision for the club and her commitment to women’s soccer is inspiring, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this new era.
“Everyone has made me feel so valued and welcomed, which has made the transition to Chicago a lot easier. It’s also an honor to learn, grow, and contribute under the leadership of [new coach] Lorne Donaldson. I’m ready to get to work with the rest of my teammates.”
On the international level, Kuikka plays for the Finnish Women’s National Team, for which she has scored two goals and has 84 appearances. She has served as team captain and is a three-time National Player of the Year (2017, 2020, 2021).