The 2019 Orlando Pride season was Orlando Pride's fourth season in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. The team played its home games at Exploria Stadium, renamed from Orlando City Stadium on June 4, 2019. Following the departure of Tom Sermanni at the end of the 2018 season, Marc Skinner was announced as his replacement in January.
Notable events Seven players signed with Australian W-League teams to play with during the 2018–19 NWSL offseason: Chioma Ubogagu and Carson Pickett joined Brisbane Roar, Dani Weatherholt and Christine Nairn joined Melbourne Victory, Rachel Hill joined Perth Glory, Alanna Kennedy joined Sydney FC and Emily van Egmond joined Newcastle Jets. Alanna Kennedy, Rachel Hill and Christine Nairn were named to the W-League Team of the Season. Weatherholt and Nairn won the regular season Premiership title with Melbourne Victory and Kennedy won the 2019 W-League grand final with Sydney FC.
The team's opening day roster was announced on April 10 and included 17 returning squad members. Sydney Leroux was notably placed on the supplemental roster instead of being deactivated on maternity leave in the hope she returned before the end of the season. She returned on September 29, making an 86th minute substitute appearance against Sky Blue FC, just three months after giving birth.
On May 23, after losing Shelina Zadorsky, Emily van Egmond, Camila, Marta, Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Alanna Kennedy and Ashlyn Harris to the World Cup, the Pride temporarily signed three National Team Replacement players.
On August 7, the club announced that Toni Pressley underwent surgery and was beginning treatment for breast cancer. She was placed on the 45-day disabled list. The final game of the season was designated as a Breast Cancer Awareness match with the team wearing limited edition pink pre-match warm-up tops to be auctioned off later. All nine NWSL teams also donated autographed items for the online fundraising auction. Pressley made her first appearance since the surgery during the game, coming on as a substitute with Harris handing her the captain's armband.
On August 15, the club announced that Emily van Egmond would undergo season-ending ankle surgery in Australia. She was placed on the season ending injury list.
On September 16, the club announced that Alex Morgan would be placed on the season ending injury list following a knee injury picked up on international duty.
Roster
NationalityNamePosition(s)Date of birth (age)Previous clubNotesGoalkeepers18Lainey BurdettGK Arizona WildcatsSUP24Ashlyn HarrisGK Washington SpiritFED28Haley KopmeyerGK Seattle Reign FC–Defenders3Toni PressleyDF Houston Dash–4Shelina ZadorskyDF Washington SpiritFED11Ali KriegerDF Washington Spirit–14Alanna KennedyDF Western New York FlashINT16Carson PickettDF Seattle Reign FC–19Erin GreeningDF Colorado Buffaloes–21Julie KingDF North Carolina Courage–27Morgan ReidDF North Carolina Courage–29Alika KeeneDF Harvard CrimsonNTR32Hana KernerDF Virginia CavaliersNTRMidfielders5Emily van EgmondMF Newcastle JetsINT D459CamilaMF Ferroviária–12Kristen EdmondsMF Western New York Flash–17Dani WeatherholtMF Santa Clara Broncos–20Abby ElinskyMF ASPTT Albi–22Bridget CallahanMF UCF Knights–23Marisa ViggianoMF Northwestern Wildcats–25Joanna BoylesMF Chicago Red StarsSUPForwards2Sydney LerouxFW FC Kansas CitySUP7Claire EmslieFW Manchester CityINT8Danica EvansFW Colorado Buffaloes–10MartaFW FC RosengårdINT13Alex MorganFW Portland Thorns FCFED D4515Rachel HillFW UConn Huskies–26Caitlin FarrellFW Georgetown HoyasSUP
Staff
ExecutiveCoaching staff
Transfers and loans
2019 NWSL College Draft
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2019 college draft was held on January 10, 2019. Orlando had two selections. RoundPickPlayerCollegeStatus325 Erin Greening DF University of ColoradoSigned430 Marisa Viggiano MF Northwestern University Signed
Transfers in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesRef.April 4, 2019 Morgan ReidDF North Carolina CourageTraded in exchange for Orlando's natural fourth round pick in the 2020 draft April 10, 2019 Abby ElinskyMF ASPTT AlbiFree agent signingApril 10, 2019 Bridget CallahanMF UCF KnightsFree agent signingApril 10, 2019 Joanna BoylesMF Chicago Red StarsFree agent signing; signed to supplemental rosterApril 10, 2019 Lainey BurdettGK Arizona WildcatsFree agent signing; signed to supplemental rosterApril 10, 2019 Caitlin FarrellFW Georgetown HoyasFree agent signing; signed to supplemental rosterMay 23, 2019 Alika KeeneDF Harvard CrimsonNational Team Replacement signing (short-term)May 23, 2019 Taylor PorterMF NC State WolfpackNational Team Replacement signing (short-term)May 23, 2019 Hana KernerDF Virginia CavaliersNational Team Replacement signing (short-term)May 30, 2019 Claire EmslieFW Manchester CityFree agent signingAugust 8, 2019 Julie KingDF North Carolina CourageFree agent signing (via Discovery)
Transfers out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesRef.January 25, 2019 PolianaDF São JoséWaivedFebruary 18, 2019 MônicaDF CorinthiansContract expiredFebruary 26, 2019 Christine NairnMF Houston DashTraded in exchange for a 2019 international roster spot and Houston's natural third and fourth round 2020 draft picksJuly 5, 2019 Taylor PorterMF Spartak SuboticaReleased from National Team Replacement contract August 29, 2019 Chioma UbogaguFW CD TacónWaived
Preseason trialists Orlando Pride began preseason training on March 4, 2019. The squad included eight non-roster invitees on trial with the team during preseason. A total of five were eventually signed by the team with another later added as a temporary national team replacement player.
2019 Orlando Pride trialistsPlayerPositionPrevious team Lainey Burdett GK Arizona Wildcats Alika Keene DF Harvard Crimson Kim ReynoldsDF Orlando Kicks Joanna Boyles MF Chicago Red Stars Bridget Callahan MF UCF Knights Abby Elinsky MF ASPTT Albi Leah MohammadiMF Harvard Crimson Caitlin Farrell FW Georgetown Hoyas
Match results As per league schedule, preseason camp began on March 4 with many of the squad still away on international duty. The Pride played their first ever preseason game against fellow NWSL opposition on March 23, taking part in North Carolina Courage's inaugural Friendship Cup which ended in a 4–0 defeat. On March 30, the Pride hosted the University of South Florida for a closed-door friendly, marking the fourth consecutive preseason meeting between the two teams. Liga PR Femenino champions Sol traveled to Orlando the week before the NWSL season began for the final preseason friendly, a match open to the public with for free. The Pride won both of their final two preseason games.
Preseason
National Women's Soccer League
Results summary
Results by round
Results
League standings
Squad statistics
Appearances
NameNWSLAppsStarts 2 FW Sydney Leroux30 3 DF Toni Pressley109 4 DF Shelina Zadorsky1616 5 MF Emily van Egmond87 6 FW Chioma Ubogagu1715 7 FW Claire Emslie119 8 FW Danica Evans94 9 MF Camila164 10 FW Marta1414 11 DF Ali Krieger1212 12 DF Kristen Edmonds139 13 FW Alex Morgan65 14 DF Alanna Kennedy1515 15 FW Rachel Hill2423 16 DF Carson Pickett2019 17 MF Dani Weatherholt191618GK Lainey Burdett1119DF Erin Greening171620MF Abby Elinsky18521DF Julie King2222MF Bridget Callahan8623MF Marisa Viggiano1915 24 GK Ashlyn Harris131325MF Joanna Boyles191626FW Caitlin Farrell30 27 DF Morgan Reid77 28 GK Haley Kopmeyer101029DF Alika Keene0031MF Hana Kerner0032DF Taylor Porter00
Goalscorers
Name110FW Marta626FW Chioma Ubogagu415FW Rachel Hill443DF Toni Pressley14DF Shelina Zadorsky18FW Danica Evans1 9 MF Camila114DF Alanna Kennedy119DF Erin Greening123MF Marisa Viggiano125MF Joanna Boyles1Own goal2Total24
Shutouts
Name 1 24 Ashlyn Harris 1Total1
Disciplinary record
Name 3 DF Toni Pressley10 4 DF Shelina Zadorsky10 5 MF Emily van Egmond10 6 FW Chioma Ubogagu30 7 FW Claire Emslie40 9 MF Camila20 10 FW Marta41 11 DF Ali Krieger10 12 DF Kristen Edmonds20 13 FW Alex Morgan10 14 DF Alanna Kennedy2115FW Rachel Hill20 16 DF Carson Pickett20 17 MF Dani Weatherholt1019DF Erin Greening3020MF Abby Elinsky3021DF Julie King01 22 MF Bridget Callahan1023MF Marisa Viggiano10 27 DF Morgan Reid10Total353
Honors and awards
NWSL Team of the Season PlayerPositionRef. Ali KriegerDefender
NWSL Team of the Month MonthPlayerPositionRef.July MartaForward
NWSL Weekly Awards
NWSL Player of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.13 Marta
NWSL Goal of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.2 Alanna Kennedy9 Joanna Boyles 12 Marta 13 Marta 14 Marisa Viggiano 19 Marta 22 Rachel Hill 25 Marta
NWSL Save of the Week
WeekResultPlayerRef.1 Ashlyn Harris 2 Ashlyn Harris 5 Haley Kopmeyer 8 Haley Kopmeyer 9 Haley Kopmeyer 10 Haley Kopmeyer 11 Haley Kopmeyer 12 Haley Kopmeyer 13 Haley Kopmeyer 19 Ashlyn Harris 22 Ashlyn Harris 24 Ashlyn Harris 20 Lainey Burdett
References
External links