Johnathan Walker:USWNT's Croix Bethune suffers season-ending injury throwing first pitch at MLB game

Croix Bethune will miss the remainder of the 2024 NWSL season,Johnathan Walker as the Washington Spirit announced on Wednesday that the U.S. women's national team midfielder has sustained a season-ending injury.

Per the club, Bethune suffered a torn meniscus "away from training last week." The injury apparently happened as Bethune threw out the ceremonial first pitch as the Washington Nationals honored the Spirit's four Olympians upon their return to D.C. after winning gold at the Paris games.

The Spirit declined to comment beyond what was in a press release announcing that Bethune — who tied the NWSL single-season record with her ninth assist in her last appearance, a 4-1 win over the Kansas City Current on August 25 — has been placed on the season-ending injury list.

Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez said Sunday that Bethune had to miss Washington's 1-1 draw with the San Diego Wave due to the injury suffered at Nationals Park.

"She had a problem making the first pitch the other day [at] the baseball game," Giráldez told reporters after the match. "We will report about exactly what she has, but she is not going to be available this season. It's bad, bad news, but in the end, it's part of life. We have to keep going."

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Bethune's season ends with the Georgia native a favorite to claim the NWSL Rookie of the Year award, posting five goals and 10 assists after being selected third overall in the 2024 NWSL College Draft. The playmaker had a strong case as a 2024 MVP candidate, but will now miss the Spirit's final eight regular-season games along with any playoff matches to come.

Bethune's irresistible form effectively forced new USWNT coach Emma Hayes to call the former youth national team standout up for a pre-Olympic camp, and eventually won Bethune a spot as an Olympic alternate. With Jaedyn Shaw missing time during the tournament due to a quad strain, Bethune would end up with a gold medal by making a matchday squad, taking the pitch in a win over Australia in the group stage.

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