July 6, 2026
WPSL 2026, Royals AZ (photo by Luis Carreno)
By Nichole Singleton, WPSL Communications
Small details make a significant difference.
That is what set Royals AZ apart from its Desert Division foes en route to back-to-back division titles. This achievement for Royals coach Summer Anderson is incredibly meaningful because she understands that sustaining success is more difficult than attaining it once.
“Every opponent is motivated to beat the defending champion, so it requires consistency, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the team’s standards,” Anderson said. “I also think it speaks to the strength of our club and the reputation we’ve built.”
The combination of returning players and newcomers created a competitive, selfless environment that Anderson credits as being instrumental to Royals’ success this season that saw the Royals open its fourth WPSL season almost exactly how it started 2025, where it went 6-1-1 to win its first division title, downing two-time Desert champions and league veterans SC del Sol to open its 2026 campaign.
University of Colorado freshman Ruby Howard, who accounted for five of the seven goals scored, including the game-winning goal against del Sol, led the early-season charge for Royals AZ, earning her National Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Royals’ offense continued to make strides through its Desert competition on the strength of 16 different goal scorers, averaging 3.1 goals per game. Defensively, Royals were just as successful, allowing just seven goals all season for a 0.70 goals against average.
For Anderson, this defensive heroics extended further than the backline, crediting the forwards for setting the tone with their press and the midfield staying connected to provide support defensively.
“Great defending is never just about the back four or the goalkeeper, it’s a commitment from the entire team,” she said. “
Anderson emphasizes that defending is a mentality built on trust, discipline, and the collective effort and the team’s willingness to defend for one another is what makes her most proud.
“When every player is willing to do the hard work without the ball, it gives you a chance to be consistently successful defensively, and I think our goals-against average reflects that collective commitment,” she said.
The goal for Anderson and the Royals in 2026 wasn’t simply to just defend its title, but to establish a standard the team started when it joined the league in 2023.
“Last year showed what our program was capable of, but this year was about proving that our success is built on culture, not circumstance,” Anderson said.
