Washington Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt is done for the year. The club announced Thursday that it placed Hershfelt on the season-ending injury list after she tore her ACL during an October 25 road match against the Kansas City Current, a blow that ends her 2026 campaign and threatens to sideline her into next season.
“The Washington Spirit has placed midfielder Hal Hershfelt on the season-ending injury (SEI) list, the club announced today,” the team said in a statement posted to the Washington Spirit website. According to the club, Hershfelt suffered the torn ACL during the team’s away match against Kansas City on October 25, and she is expected to undergo surgery to repair the ligament before beginning rehab with the Spirit’s medical and performance staff.
The injury unfolded quickly. Hershfelt left the Spirit’s 2-1 loss to Kansas City in the 20th minute after receiving medical attention on the field, as reported by ESPN. The outlet specified that she tore the ACL in her right knee and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season as well as the start of the 2027 campaign.
A Breakout Season Cut Short
Before the injury, Hershfelt had emerged as one of the Spirit’s most reliable contributors. The midfielder finished her 2026 campaign with 31 total appearances and more than 2,500 minutes of action across all competitions, per the club’s own figures from the same announcement.
She also delivered in big moments. The Spirit credited Hershfelt with two match-winning goal contributions during the season: a late goal to beat Seattle at Audi Field in May, and an assist on Trinity Rodman’s winner in Chicago last month, according to the team’s statement.
The timeline for her return remains uncertain. The Athletic reported that Hershfelt is likely to be out for the next eight to ten months, though that estimate was offered as a projection rather than a confirmed medical determination.
Part of a Rough Year for ACL Injuries Across the League
Hershfelt’s injury adds her name to a growing list of NWSL players sidelined by torn ACLs this season. The Athletic noted that Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie, Seattle Reign winger Maddie Dahlien and Chicago Stars forward Jordyn Huitema have also suffered the same injury in 2026, underscoring how widespread the problem has become across the league this year.
For Washington, the setback follows a painful pattern. The Spirit lost in the NWSL Championship final for the second year in a row, according to ESPN, falling 1-0 to Gotham FC in 2025 on a goal from Rose Lavelle in the 80th minute. Hershfelt was on the field for that defeat too — she sustained a leg injury late in the match and was substituted after Gotham’s go-ahead goal, per the same ESPN account of that championship.
Her latest injury means she will not get a chance to help the Spirit avenge either of those championship losses this season. As reported by WJLA, Hershfelt now faces a long road back, with surgery and rehabilitation ahead as the Spirit regroup without one of their most productive midfielders from 2026.
