U.S. Track Star Sha’Keela Saunders Is Taking Her Talents to the Gridiron, WNFC Free Agency Just Got Real

The 2025 WNFC season may be over, but the excitement is just getting started.

This year’s free agency cycle was already heating up with a record number of athletes testing the market. But the game shifted this week when Sha’Keela Saunders, a U.S. National Bronze Medalist and former NCAA Indoor Champion, officially declared her intention to enter the WNFC free agency pool, and change sports in the process.

A professional adidas track & field athlete and one of the most explosive long jumpers in the world, Saunders brings a résumé that spans a 2019 USA Championships bronze, a 2018 NACAC gold, and appearances at the World Athletics Championships and Diamond League circuit. Known for her raw power and elite speed, she was consistently one of the most feared competitors on the runway. Now, she's taking that same energy to the gridiron.

And in the WNFC, she won’t be alone.

From Medal Stand to End Zone

Saunders joins a growing list of world-class athletes looking for a new challenge, and finding it in the Women’s National Football Conference. With a league model designed to attract top-tier talent and elevate the women's game, the WNFC continues to pull top competitors from other sports who want to test themselves at the highest level.

The track-to-football pipeline is real. And the impact is immediate.

This past season alone, rookies and newcomers played pivotal roles in the IX Cup Championship run. The Washington Prodigy leaned on breakout newcomers Shaquanda Gainey and Mackenzie Vest, while the Texas Elite Spartans saw Summer McNeal and Grace Wiley rise from unknowns to championship team heroes.

Even the league’s 2025 MVP, Sarah Teubner, was a first-year player in the league. Her debut campaign at quarterback for the Chicago Winds was one of the most impressive in league history, proof that WNFC newcomers are not only welcomed, they’re defining the future.

Free Agency: Where Futures Shift

So far, 39 athletes have declared for WNFC free agency, a 39% increase from this point last season. Among them are several 2025 All-Pro selections, including:

• Coretta Hopkins (WR, Houston Mambas)

• Alexis Greer (DL, Oregon Ravens)  - League leader in sacs

• Greys Bernal (OL, Chicago Winds) 

• Isis Woods (OL, Houston Mambas) 

• Courtney Williams (OL, Denver Bandits) 

• Lawanda Pearson (S, Chicago Winds) 

In the WNFC, every athlete in good standing becomes a free agent at the end of the regular season. That structure gives players unprecedented control over their careers and makes organizational culture, benefits, professionalism, and experience a competitive advantage.

So far, no players from the Texas Elite Spartans, Washington Prodigy, or San Diego Rebellion, the three division leaders have entered free agency. That stability could be the edge that keeps the best on top. But for teams looking to rebuild or contend, a single All-Pro signing or breakout rookie can change everything.

All Eyes on October

With WNFC National Tryout & Combine Day set for October, and National Signing Day just months away in January, the race is on. Rosters are being reshaped behind the scenes, and GMs are already moving to land key free agents before the winter freeze.

The addition of Saunders throws a spotlight on the league’s evolution. No longer is the WNFC just an emerging space for women’s football, it’s now a magnet for elite athletes seeking a new arena for greatness.

Whether it’s a national medalist, a track phenom, or a former MVP, the message is clear: the best athletes in the world are now seeing the WNFC as a legitimate pro path.

Stay Locked In

This is the offseason where reputations are built, rivalries are born, and champions begin to take shape.

Follow the action at wnfcfootball.com and @WNFCFootball across all platforms for updates on free agent signings, tryout announcements, and exclusive stories from across the league.

Up next: our “Top Free Agents to Watch” feature, highlighting the players with the potential to reshape the 2026 championship picture.

Because in the WNFC, free agency isn’t just business , it’s legacy.