Utah Royals add 15-year-old Utah native, youngest signing in club history
The Royals announced Wednesday the signing of forward KK Ream from club side Utah Avalanche, making the 15-year-old forward and Utah native the youngest signing in club history.
One day after Utah Royals FC formally released six players from the 2024 roster, the Beehive State’s NWSL side added a historic first at forward.
It’s the youngest player in club history.
The Royals announced Wednesday the signing of forward KK Ream from club side Utah Avalanche, making the 15-year-old forward and Utah native the youngest signing in club history.
Ream last appeared with the Utah Avalanche Boys ECNL 09 squad and Girls 05/06 squad, and will join the Royals immediately under contract through the 2027 season.
The teenager of 15 years and 157 days bests the former youngest signing in club history by nearly five years, which was rookie Ally Sentnor the day after her 20th birthday.
"We are excited to have KK officially join the squad as the youngest ever Royals player and start her career here in her home state," URFC sporting director Kelly Cousins said in a statement. "At just 15, she has proven that she is ready to be part of the professional environment, and we are looking forward to fostering her development on the field and as a member of the Utah community.”
A former product of the Utah Royals FC AZ Academy from 2019 to 2022, Ream is the twin sister of Linkon Ream, who currently plays for the Real Salt Lake Academy on the U-18 and U-16 squads.
She also has experience internationally with the USYNT U-15 girls’ player pool at the 2024 CONCACAF U-15 championships, when Ream converted the pivotal penalty kick to help the United States win a semifinal over Canada en route to the Baby Yanks’ fourth consecutive regional title.
The decision comes a day after Utah announced it was cutting ties with six players from the 2025 season, perhaps most notably outside back Zoe Burns and forward Cam Tucker. Goalkeeper Carly Nelson, a Utah native like Tucker, also made the decision to not re-sign with the club — her choice, she said on Instagram — after missing the majority of the 2024 season for personal reasons.
Shaelan Murison, Darielle O’Brien and Julia Grosso were also released, while the club remained in negotiations with center forward Hannah Betfort on a new contract.
That leaves the Royals with 23 players on the roster, including just six forwards that includes former BYU and Alta High star Michele Vasconcelos, who has been listed as a forward after also playing attacking midfield last year:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Mandy Haught, Cristina Roque
DEFENDERS (6): Kate Del Fava, Imani Dorsey, Olivia Griffitts, Madison Pogarch, Kaleigh Riehl, Lauren Flynn
MIDFIELDERS (8): Mikayla Cluff, Dana Foederer, Macey Fraser, Emily Gray, Ana Tejada, Agnes Nyberg, Ally Sentnor, Claudia Zornoza
FORWARDS (6): Cloé Lacasse, Paige Monaghan, Brecken Mozingo, Mina Tanaka, Michele Vasconcelos, KK Ream
An NWSL trade window opens Friday before a league-imposed, one-week transaction moratorium begins Friday, December 20.