The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that defender Carrie Lawrence has announced her retirement. The defender joined the Pride in 2019, but a major injury derailed a promising professional career.

“Carrie means so much to this club but also means so much to the city of Orlando. To be a native of Orlando, play at UCF, and represent the Pride badge the way she has speaks volumes to the type of person she is,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her perseverance to battle back from injuries and constant positive energy epitomize the kind of players we want to represent this club. We are so thankful for everything Carrie has done for us and can’t wait to continue to support her in any way she needs during this transition. We are proud to have Carrie a part of our Pride family and are so excited to see what she does in the next chapter of her life.”

The 27-year-old originally joined the Pride as a training player in 2019 and signed a short-term contract on Sept. 8, 2020 for the Fall Series. She impressed enough to earn a one-year deal on Jan. 5, 2021 with an option for an additional season. The team kept the young defender on its books following the 2022 season, signing her to a new two-year deal that expired following the 2024 season.

Unfortunately, Lawrence’s bright future soon turned sour. The defender tore her ACL during the team’s 2023 preseason camp, causing her to miss the entire season. By the time she returned for this year, the team had built a stronger defensive unit, leaving Lawrence on the sidelines. She got some playing time this year, but her most impactful performance was getting sent off against the Kansas City Current in July.

Lawrence’s professional debut came on Sept. 19, 2020 in a 0-0 draw with the North Carolina Courage. She played 90 minutes that day and had a goal-line clearance, helping the Pride’s defensive unit to a clean sheet. Her final appearance was a start on Oct. 11, 2024, a 2-0 loss to the Portland Thorns. She played 65 minutes in that game before being replaced by regular starter Emily Sams.

The Orlando native made 33 appearances with 23 starts in all competitions, recording 2,041 minutes and two assists. This year, the defender made 11 appearances in all competitions with five starts, recording 465 minutes and an assist.

“After giving my whole life to this sport, I am extremely blessed and grateful to announce my retirement,” Lawrence said in the club’s press release. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be than Orlando. It’s been my home from the start of my professional career, and it gave me everything in return. Winning the shield and the championship this year is more than I could have dreamed. Most importantly this group of people made it that much sweeter. Orlando will forever be home!” 

Prior to joining the Pride as a training player, Lawrence played three seasons for the UCF Knights, making 49 appearances between 2016 and 2018. She scored four goals, added 11 assists, and was named second team All-American Athletic Conference during her senior year.

What It Means for Orlando

Lawrence was a key contributor to the Pride defense before her injury prior to the 2023 season. However, she soon found herself with a much lesser role as the team built up its back line, signing Brazilian international Rafaelle during the 2023 campaign and slotting in Kerry Abello in a new role at left back. Kylie Strom moved from left back to center back this year, making it even more difficult for Lawrence to find a spot on the field.

In all likelihood, the Pride weren’t going to re-sign Lawrence after this season, forcing her to find a new home. However, she’s currently engaged to Pride captain Marta, who has indicated her intention to play one or two more years — likely remaining in Orlando if she does so. This decision likely had a significant impact on Lawrence’s decision to retire from the game.

At one time, it looked like Lawrence would be a key piece of the Pride lineup moving forward, but the team has largely moved on without her, causing her to see limited minutes. As a result, this decision won’t have a tremendous impact on the Pride moving forward aside from opening a roster spot.

McKinley Crone’s previous contract expired at the end of the 2023 season. There were questions about what her future might be in Orlando when the club signed Finnish top flight goalkeeper Sofia Manner on December 1, 2023. However, the Pride signed Crone through the 2024 season on March 11, and the then-25-year-old (now 26) showed enough to earn a new multi-year contract through the 2026 season on Sept. 6.

While most expected Manner to challenge Anna Moorhouse for the starting spot and Crone to be the depth option primarily for training purposes, the Maitland native and University of Alabama product passed Manner on the depth chart as the usual bench keeper behind NWSL ironwoman Moorhouse and finally seeing her first professional minutes.

Let’s take a look at how Crone performed this season.

Statistical Breakdown

Crone did not play in the regular season. As mentioned above, Moorhouse played every minute of the season (and postseason) for the Pride in goal. However, Crone was given her first professional start in the Summer Cup on July 20 at North Carolina, playing all 90 minutes in the match and becoming the goalkeeper of record in the club’s first-ever penalty shootout, in which she stopped two of the Courage’s seven shooters — the first one she faced, Riley Jackson, and former Orlando midfielder Dani Weatherholt. Unfortunately, the Pride had two penalties saved and missed the net once to lose the shootout.

In her 90 minutes (plus stoppage time), Crone faced down 20 shot attempts from North Carolina (six on target), allowing just one goal and finishing with five saves on the day for a save percentage of 83.33%. She completed 25 of 35 passes (72%), including six of her 15 long balls (40%). Although it was her only appearance of the year, Crone acquitted herself well, dealing with a lot of pressure as the Courage held 66% of the ball and outshot the Pride by a wide margin. She did well under pressure, saving two penalties, including the first, giving her team a chance to go on and win the shootout.

Best Game

Having played in only one match, this is one of the easiest decisions we’ll make throughout our 2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review series. Crone was a key reason the Pride remained unbeaten in all competitions with the 1-1 draw at North Carolina on July 20. However, even if she’d played a lot more games, this match may have still won the honors as her best. She made some key saves to keep the Pride in it, including this 1-v-1 breakaway chance for Meredith Speck in the 24th minute.

Crone couldn’t do anything about Manaka Matsukubo’s tap-in off a perfect cross through the box in the 44th minute, but Celia’s goal in the 82nd kept the unbeaten streak alive, even if the defender missed the opportunity to win the shootout for Orlando as the last of the team’s five shooters. It was a solid first professional game for Crone.

2024 Final Grade

With only 90 minutes to her credit across all competitions in 2024, Crone didn’t play enough to get a grade for the 2024 season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. However, Crone showed fans why she has been able to stick with the team, and it was no surprise she earned a contract to stay with the club for a while longer.

2025 Outlook

With Moorhouse signed through the 2025 season, Crone will likely serve as the primary backup again next year, unless Manner — also under contract through 2025 with a club option in 2026 — can show the coaching staff enough to surpass the local product as the No. 2. Crone has the confidence of her coaching staff and her teammates, and next season could be an audition to see if she has a future as the club’s primary shot stopper.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Amanda Allen (11/28/24)

The Orlando Pride signed Canadian international forward Amanda Allen on April 3, 2023, to a three-year contract through the 2025 NWSL season. After playing just nine total minutes in three appearances with Orlando in 2024, Allen played a bit more this season, but it was still a limited number of matches.

Back in September, the Pride loaned Allen to USL Super League side Lexington SC for the 2024-2025 season, which runs through May. When you’re behind players like Barbra Banda and Ally Watt on the depth chart, a loan is a good decision.

Let’s take a look at how the young Canadian forward did in her limited minutes for the Pride in 2024.

Statistical Breakdown

Allen took part in eight of the Pride’s 26 NWSL regular season games this season, coming off the bench in all eight and recording 82 minutes. She didn’t score a goal, but she recorded an assist for her first goal contribution. The 19-year-old took one shot that was not on target and completed 22 of her 31 pass attempts (71%), recording one key pass (her assist). Defensively, Allen won four of her six tackle attempts (67%), committed one foul, and was booked once.

Allen appeared in all three of the Pride’s matches in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, coming off the bench in each and recording 111 minutes. She did not attempt a shot or provide an assist. The attacker completed 15 of her 24 passes (69%) with no long balls or key passes. Defensively, Allen won both of her two tackle attempts (100%) and both of her two aerial duels (100%). She committed two fouls and was not booked.

Best Game

Allen’s best game wasn’t the one with the most minutes played, or the one where she had the most touches. It was the game where she provided the assist to Summer Yates to complete the Pride’s comeback draw against Racing Louisville in the first match of the season. She helped start the NWSL-record, 23-match unbeaten run for the club. It was her only goal contribution of the season, but it was a big one.

In the 86th minute, Angelina took a free kick well outside the box. Her delivery found the head of Allen, who nudged it forward to Yates, who then hit it off the outside of her right foot and into the back of the goal. That set the tone for the rest of the season. In addition to her assist, Allen had a total of eight touches in the match, completing five of her six pass attempts (84%).

2024 Final Grade

As she did last year, Allen fell shy of the minimum total minutes across all competitions to get a score for her second season (that mark is 400 minutes across all competitions in 2024), so she receives a grade of incomplete from The Mane Land staff for 2024.

2025 Outlook

Allen, who turns 20 in February, is under contract with the Pride through the 2025 season. As mentioned above, she is on loan with Lexington SC for the 2024-2025 USL Super League season, which concludes at the end of May (plus playoffs). I expect her to be with Lexington through the end of that loan. The Pride have the right to recall her, but with how stacked Orlando’s offense is, I don’t see that happening. Allen is a player the Pride see as having a future at the club. As such, she may get a new contract after 2025 depending on how she performs at Lexington.

This is the first of our Season in Review articles for the Orlando Pride. Check back to see how the other Pride players performed in 2024.