Washington Spirit waive Katie Stengel and Cameron Castleberry

The Washington Spirit waived Katie Stengel and Cameron Castleberry, the club announced this afternoon. With the signings of forwards Estefania Banini and Yanara Aedo, the Spirit needed to clear two roster spots. Both Stengel and Castleberry were earning limited time this season.

Stengel joined the Spirit last year and played in 19 games. Stengel mainly functioned as a back-to-goal forward, holding up play and setting up her teammates. This year, the Spirit are more focused on having their forwards make runs in behind the defense with speed. Stengel’s style of play is not something the Spirit can replace within their current roster, and neither Banini nor Aedo is a back-to-goal player either. However Stengel was earning fewer minutes as the season progressed as Francisca Ordega started playing more. She played in five of the Spirit’s ten games so far this season and started in three.

Castleberry was drafted by the Spirit this year in the fourth round of the college draft. She mainly played as a winger for UNC, but with the Spirit she started to play outside back, a role now filled by Caprice Dydasco’s return from ACL surgery. She played in two games this season for a total of 26 minutes.