ORLANDO, Fla. (May 23, 2019) - Orlando Pride has signed three players ahead of Saturday’s match against Utah Royals FC. Defenders Alika Keene and Hana Kerner, and midfielder Taylor Porter will join the Pride as National Team Replacement Players.
National Team Replacement Players do not count against the team’s roster limit and can be signed when a National Team Player is away on international duty. The Pride currently have eight players on international duty preparing for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Keene, a Mount Dora native, spent time with the Pride in the preseason as a non-roster invitee. A graduate of Harvard University, Keene played for the Crimson from 2012-15. Her resume includes 65 appearances with five assists in her collegiate career. Internationally, Keene has represented Jamaica at the youth level.
A native of New Jersey, Kerner graduated from the University of Virginia. The defender was a member of the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team and was nominated for the 2014-15 Gatorade New Jersey State Player of the Year. At Virginia, Kerner made an appearance in 78 matches, scoring one goal and registering eight assists.
Porter is a recent graduate from North Carolina State University. The midfielder appeared in the starting lineup for the Wolfpack 85 times over the course of her college career, registering six goals and five assists. Porter helped lead NC State to three-consecutive Top-25 finishes and a program-best RPI in 2018.
Orlando returns to action on Saturday, traveling to face Utah Royals FC at 8 p.m. ET at Rio Tinto Stadium. The match will be streamed on Yahoo! Sports or available internationally at NWSLsoccer.com.
Alika Keene (uh-LEE-kuh)
Position: Defender
Number: 29
Height: 5-7
Born: January 15, 1994
Hometown: Mount Dora, Fla.
College: Harvard University
Citizenship: USA, Jamaica
Hana Kerner (hannah Ker-ner)
Position: Defender
Number: 32
Height: 5-6
Born: March 17, 1997
Hometown: Upper Saddle River, N.J.
College: University of Virginia
Citizenship: USA
Taylor Porter
Position: Midfielder
Number: 31
Height: 5-8
Born: October 29, 1997
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
College: North Carolina State
Citizenship: USA
