Spirit’s Croix Bethune suffers season-ending knee injury

Washington Spirit rookie midfielder Croix Bethune will miss the rest of the NWSL season after apparently suffering a knee injury while throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a Washington Nationals game last week.

The Spirit said Wednesday that Bethune, who was part of the United States Olympic team that won the gold medal in Paris last month, suffered a torn meniscus “away from training” and won’t play again in 2024 while she rehabs the injury.

very cool moment 🥇@CroixBethune threw out the first pitch at the @Nationals‘ game tonight! pic.twitter.com/C4MIWzsLLW

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) August 29, 2024

The 23-year-old Bethune did not travel with the team for Sunday’s 1-1 draw at the San Diego Wave.

“She had a problem making the first pitch in the baseball game,” Spirit coach Jonatan Giráldez said after the match. “She is not going to be available this season. It is part of life. You have to keep going.”

Bethune, the third overall pick in the NWSL draft, has five goals and 10 assists in 17 games.

She was honored alongside Spirit teammates and fellow Olympians Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger and Hal Hershfelt before the Nationals hosted the New York Yankees on Aug. 28. She appeared to grimace slightly while walking off the mound after making the pitch.