Utah Royals secure Tatumn Milazzo to strengthen their backline in the NWSL | OneFootball

The Utah Royals have signed an important piece into their roster with the addition of defender Tatumn Milazzo. The 26-year-old former Chicago Red Stars player joins on a two-year deal that keeps her in Utah through the 2026 season. With a solid track record and stats to prove it, Milazzo is poised to become a key defensive pillar for the Royals in the NWSL.

Her time with the Chicago Red Stars showed her ability to stand out in one of the most demanding positions in the game. She played a total of 1,133 minutes last season alone, recording 47 tackles and 20 interceptions.

It’s no surprise that Kelly Cousins, the Utah Royals’ sporting director, emphasized the significance of her arrival: “Tatumn is an excellent defender who earned several individual accolades for her achievements with Chicago. We’re excited to welcome her to the club and look forward to seeing her impact on and off the field.”

Milazzo has peculiarities that distinguish her: combative, technical, and with the rare ability to lift the level of the defensive unit performance.

Experience as a key factor

For experience, Milazzo's stats rank her as one of the most reliable players in the NWSL, having gathered 70 league appearances between playoff and NWSL Challenge Cup important games. She had managed to amass 171 tackles and 115 interceptions in that period, with four goals to show she could be effective in front of goal if called upon.

She has lived for crucial moments, though. Her first professional goal arrived in 2021 with a real screamer against OL Reign. During the same year, she made three playoff appearances to advance the Chicago Red Stars to the final, in which they lost 2-1 to the Washington Spirit.

Resilience as her hallmark

What makes Milazzo's career even more impressive is her resilience. Before turning professional, she played for the University of South Carolina, where she won three Southeastern Conference titles and helped her team reach the 2017 College Cup semifinals. But a torn ACL cut her senior season short, testing her determination.

After surgery and months of rehabilitation, Milazzo returned to soccer in style. In 2021, she joined the Chicago Red Stars' preseason roster and, two months later, was signed to the supplemental team. Four days later, she made her professional debut in an NWSL Challenge Cup match, coming on in the 87th minute of a 0-0 draw. Since then, her progression has been very sure-footed.