TAMPA, Fla. – Home opener weekend is here, and as the Tampa Bay Sun FC prepare to finally return to the Bay, we’re taking a look back at the squad that came together throughout the 2026 preseason.
The Sun entered the season with a mix of familiar faces and new additions, bringing together returning players, first-time Sun FC signings and two players joining the club on loan. Each player brought a different background and skill set to Tampa Bay, creating a group built on experience, continuity and new energy.
Keeping the Core Together
A big part of building this year’s team was maintaining continuity from previous seasons.
Four returning players, Brooke Hendrix, Jordyn Listro, Sydny Nasello and Jordan Zade, entered the third year of their respective multi-year contracts with the Sun. Shea Connors entered the second year of her multi-year contract, while Taylor Chism returned on a new multi-year deal.
The club also re-signed Vivianne Bessette and Parker Goins to one-year contracts and exercised the options on Sabrina McNeill and Emory Wegener.
Liz Beardsley also returned to Tampa Bay through a continuation of her loan from the Houston Dash.
Keeping a strong core of returning players allowed the Sun to enter the season with a group that already knew the club, coaching staff and one another, while creating room to bring in new players and continue developing the roster.
Welcoming New Faces
The Sun added a number of new players ahead of the 2026 season, with contract lengths ranging from one-year agreements with option years to a four-year commitment.
Eleanor Dale signed the longest contract among the club’s new additions, agreeing to a four-year deal.
Sam Kroeger, Reagan Raabe, Millie Ravening and Kenna White each signed two-year contracts with an option year. Leah Scarpelli and Alexis Theoret signed two-year contracts.
The club also signed Jazmin Ferguson, Kelsey Hill, Dasia Torbert, Tori Zierenberg and Erika Zschuppe to 1+1 contracts. A 1+1 contract is a one-year agreement with a club option for an additional year.
Most recently, Samar Guidry joined the Sun on a 1+1 contract, becoming the club’s newest addition to the 2026 roster.
Adding Through Loan
Two additional players joined the Sun through loans from other Gainbridge Super League clubs.
Darya Rajaee joined Tampa Bay from Lexington SC on loan through December 31, 2026, while Cristina Roque joined from Racing Louisville FC on loan through the same date.
Rajaee made an immediate impact during her time in Tampa Bay, including recording the assist on Sydny Nasello’s game-winning goal in the Sun’s 2-1 road victory over Carolina Ascent FC.
Rajaee’s loan with Tampa Bay has since ended after Lexington SC recalled her, and she has returned to her parent club.
Roque remains with the Sun on loan from Racing Louisville FC through December 31, 2026.
A Few Changes Along the Way
As is the nature of professional soccer, the roster has continued to evolve since the initial announcement.
Along with Rajaee’s return to Lexington, Tampa Bay Sun FC and Jazmin Ferguson mutually agreed to terminate her contract.
Both players were part of the 2026 group and made contributions during their time in Tampa Bay.
Now, We’re Back in the Bay
With three road matches under our belt to kick off the 2026 fall season, the Sun are finally heading home.
The home opener brings the entire group together in front of the Tampa Bay community for the first time this season, giving fans the chance to see both the familiar faces they know and the new players who have joined the Sun family.
From returning veterans to first-time Sun FC players, this squad has spent the preseason and opening weeks of the season building something together.
Now, it’s time to bring it home.
Home opener weekend is here.
Three Games In
The Sun enter the home opener with three road matches under their belt, posting a 1-1-1 record to kick off the 2026 Fall Season. Across those three matches, Tori Zierenberg, Shea Connors, Jordan Zade and Sydny Nasello have found the back of the net.
Zierenberg opened the season with a memorable club debut, scoring a stoppage-time equalizer against Dallas Trinity FC to secure a point on the road. Connors followed with a goal against Sporting JAX, while Zade added her first professional goal with the Sun in the same match. Most recently, Connors scored from the penalty spot against Carolina Ascent before Nasello delivered the game-winning goal to secure Tampa Bay’s first win of the season.
With the opening three matches in the books, the Sun now return to Tampa looking to carry that momentum into the home opener and give fans their first look at the 2026 squad on home soil.
2026 Tampa Bay Sun FC Contract Breakdown
Returning Players
- Liz Beardsley | Continuation of loan from Houston Dash
- Vivianne Bessette | One-year contract
- Taylor Chism | Multi-year contract
- Shea Connors | Second year of multi-year contract
- Parker Goins | One-year contract
- Brooke Hendrix | Third year of multi-year contract
- Jordyn Listro | Third year of multi-year contract
- Sabrina McNeill | Option exercised
- Sydny Nasello | Third year of multi-year contract
- Emory Wegener | Option exercised
- Jordan Zade | Third year of multi-year contract
New Players
- Eleanor Dale | Four-year contract
- Jazmin Ferguson | 1+1 contract, mutually terminated
- Kelsey Hill | 1+1 contract
- Sam Kroeger | Two-year contract plus option year
- Reagan Raabe | Two-year contract plus option year
- Darya Rajaee | Loan from Lexington SC through Dec. 31, 2026, recalled by Lexington
- Millie Ravening | Two-year contract plus option year
- Cristina Roque | Loan from Racing Louisville FC through Dec. 31, 2026
- Leah Scarpelli | Two-year contract
- Alexis Theoret | Two-year contract
- Dasia Torbert | 1+1 contract
- Kenna White | Two-year contract plus option year
- Tori Zierenberg | 1+1 contract
- Erika Zschuppe | 1+1 contract
- Samar Guidry | 1+1 contract
Contract information reflects the terms of the agreements announced by Tampa Bay Sun FC. Roster and contract status is subject to change.
