ORLANDO, Fla. (April 10, 2019) - Entering its fourth National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season, Orlando Pride has announced its roster ahead of Sunday’s 2019 season opener against Portland Thorns FC. The Pride will begin the season with 21 players, as well as four additional supplemental players.
The Pride begin their fourth season in the NWSL on April 14, hosting Portland Thorns FC at 5 p.m. ET at Orlando City Stadium. Single-game, season and group tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at orlando-pride.com/tickets or by calling (855) ORL-CITY.
The Pride return with 17 players from the 2018 season, while signing four new players to the roster in 2019 NWSL College Draft picks Erin Greening and Marisa Viggiano, and midfielders Abby Elinsky and Bridget Callahan. In addition, midfielder Joanna Boyles, forward Caitlin Farrell and goalkeeper Lainey Burdett have been signed as Supplemental Players. Forward Sydney Leroux, who will be missing the opening of the season due to pregnancy, has also been added to the Pride’s supplemental roster. Supplemental players do not count against the active senior roster limit.
Greening, a defender, was selected in the third round (No. 25 overall) of the 2019 Draft. A product of Colorado University, she appeared in 74 games with two goals and four assists. Viggiano was taken in the fourth round (No. 30 overall) from Northwestern University. The midfielder finished her career with 20 career assists, tied for second most in school history, as well as an 83-game appearance record, which ranks as the team’s third longest span all-time.
Elinsky and Callahan both receive contracts after appearing for the Club as National Team Replacement Players in 2018. A product of the University of North Carolina, Elinsky played in 62 games, starting in 38, with three goals and five assists. She made two appearances for the Pride last year. Callahan, a graduate from the University of Central Florida, appeared in one game for Orlando last year. During her collegiate career, the Hollywood, Fla. native totaled nine goals and two assists in 75 matches played and led the Knights to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2017.
Boyles, a former National Team Replacement Player for the Chicago Red Stars, played with the U.S. U17 Team at the 2012 World Cup in Azerbaijan and was a member of the squad that won the 2012 CONCACAF U17 Championship in Guatemala. A former UNC midfielder, Boyles ended her career at UNC with 14 goals and 17 assists.
Burdett will join the Pride as their third goalkeeper. A native of Las Vegas, Burdett played four years at the University of Arizona where she logged the most minutes played (1,965 minutes) among all goalkeepers in the Pac-12 and started in the second most games (21) in the conference.
Former Georgetown University forward, Farrell appeared in 92 games, with 75 starts during her career for the Hoyas, scoring a total of 30 goals and 19 assists. During her collegiate career, Farrell was named the Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist.
Forward Camila has received her green card and will no longer occupy an international roster spot. The Pride currently hold two open international roster spots.
2019 Orlando Pride Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Lainey Burdett (SUP), Ashlyn Harris (FED-USA), Haley Kopmeyer
DEFENDERS (7): Erin Greening, Alanna Kennedy (INTL-AUS), Ali Krieger, Carson Pickett, Toni Pressley, Morgan Reid, Shelina Zadorsky (FED-CAN)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Joanna Boyles (SUP), Bridget Callahan, Kristen Edmonds, Abby Elinsky, Emily van Egmond (INTL-AUS), Marisa Viggiano, Dani Weatherholt
FORWARDS (8): Danica Evans, Caitlin Farrell (SUP), Rachel Hill, Sydney Leroux (SUP), Camila Martins Pereira, Alex Morgan (FED-USA), Chioma Ubogagu, Marta Vieira da Silva (INTL-BRA)
Key:
FED: Federation Player
SUP: Supplemental Player
INTL: International Player
