How Utah Royals' Alex Loera leaned on faith through back-to-back ACL injuries

SANDY — Alex Loera was on the right path for Utah Royals FC eight days after her club debut following recovery from a torn ACL when she felt the same "pop" in the same knee during a training session.

Just like that, the Utah Royals midfielder who came on as a late substitute last May against Angel City knew what it was: the same knee, the same torn ACL — and the same season's end.

But through the ups and downs, surgery and rehab, and return-to-play protocol under Utah's medical staff, Loera learned a few things about herself. Not necessarily about soccer, but maybe something even more important for the 26-year-old native of Thornton, Colorado.

"I think with something as important as my career and not being able to do that, my faith is really the only thing that has gotten me through," said Loera, who is Christian and attends The Well nondenominational church in Sandy regularly. "Trusting in God's plan, and learning his character and who he is, it's been amazing. It's not because I want him to heal my knee or that I want anything from him; I just want to know who he is. And it's been honestly a game changer in my faith."

Loera is once again on track to return to play for Utah, though she'll start the season on the season-ending injury list while finishing her recovery. She's had a friend in rehab — a fellow member of the ACL club, she says — in teammate Tatum Milazzo, who tore her ACL in training last spring and had surgery March 21.

She'll be available for selection by head coach Jimmy Coenraets when the Royals open the 2026 NWSL season Saturday at the Kansas City Current (2 p.m. MT, Ion TV), along with a roster of familiar faces and a few new ones hoping to launch Utah to its next step: the playoffs.

Team captain Paige (Monaghan) Cronin is back, though she'll have a different name on the back of her jersey after getting married in the offseason. So, too, will Cece Delzer, who combined her maiden name Kizer with her partner's surname Delsanter after the two were wed.

Kate Del Fava returns to anchor the back line in front of goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn, though rookie Kameron Simmonds has impressed in preseason and will likely see minutes a year after winning an NCAA College Cup championship with Florida State.

Sandy native and former BYU standout Brecken Mozingo is back for the third year of her rookie contract with her hometown club, joined in familiar environment by teenage Herriman native KK Ream.

They won't be the only native Utahns on the roster after Courtney Brown returned to her home state after two yers with the Washington Spirit. When Brown played at America First Field last year against the Royals, she had more than 100 Spirit-clad friends and family packing the stands to support her.

They'll be making that trip more often, at least through the 2026 season.

The West Haven native who starred at Fremont High and the University of Utah before the Spirit selected her with the No. 49 overall pick in the now-defunct NWSL college draft in 2024 is eager to join an attack featuring returning Japanese international Mina Tanaka and new addition Kiana Palacios.

The 29-year-old Mexican international from Orange, California, signed with the club in March from Liga MX Femenil side Club América, where she rose to become of the more prolific attacking players in the league with 90 goals in 174 league appearances.

Palacios arrived in Utah on Sunday night from international duty with El Tri, and immediately joined the club in training before flying out to Kansas City.

"She's a very experienced player, so she didn't need a lot of adjustment beyond just coming in and being on the pitch with us," Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets said. "She's been great, she knows what her role is, she understands what we want to do and how we do things. I think that's the first good step."

Eventually Loera, too, will be joining her teammates on the active roster. She'll be a different person, with an even stronger faith, too.

"For me, knowing that God has a plan for my life and I just get to walk it out as he's walking it with me," she said, "I'd much rather put my trust in that versus going each day not knowing what the next day, next month or next year looks like."

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