Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Mock Expansion Draft

Published

10 years ago

November 1, 2015

Last week there were some big announcements in Orlando as the newly minted NWSL side the Orlando Pride announced its first three signings in club history, led by probably the most marketable Women’s Soccer player in the world, Alex Morgan. With the talented U.S. International forward, coach Tom Sermanni also brought in Canadian International midfielder Kaylyn Kyle and accomplished forward Sarah Hagen.

The Mane Land covered these signings and talked in depth on how they would impact the Expansion Draft, but before we get to the picks, we must understand the shape of how bringing in these players will impact the Expansion Draft.

The Hagen trade involved Orlando giving up a second round pick in 2017 NWSL College Draft and receiving KC's second round pick in 2016 NWSL College Draft. This deal suggests Orlando will not select certain KC players in the Expansion Draft. Rumors also have USWNT goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris joining the Pride, leaving the team with eight remaining selections. (The team's first selection presumably being Megan Klingenberg, who would be sent to Portland from the Morgan deal.)

Tom Sermanni generally does a nice job scouting players who are left unprotected, so fans should be excited that he will be able to find talent on other rosters. With his past, and considering that Orlando will be looking to build upon the potent attack started by its first three signings, do not be surprised if big name players are playing for the Pride this season.

A few rules that should be understand before we move into a round by round selection scenario:

Each team may protect up to two U.S. allocated players. Any additional U.S. allocated players on a team’s roster must be left unprotected. The Pride will be allowed to select no more than two U.S. allocated players.
In addition, Orlando will only be able to select up to two players from any one club, except if they select a U.S. allocated player in which case they may not take any additional players from that club.
In the event Orlando selects a player who is not an U.S. allocated player that club may then designate an additional player to be added their protected player list.

Round One: Megan Klingenberg – Defender – Seattle Reign

The rights to this pick were traded to Portland in the Alex Morgan deal and many see this pick being Megan Klingenberg who then will head to Portland to complete the Alex Morgan and Kaylyn Kyle deal. If Klingenberg is selected, Seattle would be able to protect the rest of their roster as they would have lost a U.S. allocated player and Orlando would only have one more U.S. allocation selection left. SEA protected from further picks.

Round Two: Ashlyn Harris – Goalkeeper – Washington Spirit

Again, this pick seems to be a formality as Orlando is believed to be picking Ashlyn Harris, the U.S. goalkeeper who is from Satellite Beach, Florida who even said that she could be seen again here in Orlando. This would mean both U.S. allocation selections would be used by Orlando and both Washington and Seattle would be protected from any picks moving forward.

Round Three: Katrina Gorry – Midfielder – FC Kansas City

This is where Tom Sermanni’s history with the Australian program will come into play. So far, Orlando still has two international slots available to them for the 2016 season, as they traded one away in the Morgan deal for the next two years, and using one here for a player like Katrina Gorry who can feed the ball to our goal scorers would be a smart move. Gorry is the current AFC Women Player of the Year and got her first cap for Australia under Sermanni in 2012. This move gives Orlando a strong attack and will allow Tom to concentrate on defense and depth moving forward. Do not expect The Pride to use both international slots in the expansion as there could be a Brazillian on her way. KC protects Amy LePeilbet.

Round Four: Rachel Quon – Defender – Chicago Red Stars

Sermanni cannot overlook Rachel Quon, a Canadian International who plays in the defense who Tom should know well after his stint as an assistant coach with them this past World Cup Cycle. Also a possibility here would be Taryn Hemmings, another defender from Chicago who could be a stalwart on the back line. CHI protects either Rachel Quon or Taryn Hemmings.

Round Five: Amy Barczuk – Defender – Boston Breakers

This pick could go a lot of different ways, Orlando has some good established forwards, but so far has not selected a central defender and this is where you could see that happen. Amy is the type of player who would fit well and could provide the cover in defense that Orlando will need as an expansion team. She currently plays for the Boston Breakers, and last year starting at central defender the 5'10" 25 year old played over 1600 minutes. BOS protects Maddy Evans.

Round Six: Maya Hayes – Forward – Sky Blue FC

With two forwards, two midfielders, and two defenders on the roster, and the spine of the team looking strong, this is where Sermanni may take a chance and shoot for some upside. Maya Hayes could be that; she was the sixth pick in last year's College Draft and has all the tools to succeed. Her potential has yet to be reached as seen when she led the US U-20 team to the World Cup in 2012 as the top goal scorer. SKY protect Kim DeCesare.

Round Seven: Sabrina D'Angelo – Goalkeeper – Western New York Flash

Considering Ashlyn Harris will likely be gone during the Olympics, it would be smart for Orlando to try and get a capable back-up for her here. Sabrina D'Angelo from the Western New York Flash is young, capable, and would be a player who could not only fill in aptly but has upside as Harris becomes even more involved with the USWNT. WNYF protect Elizabeth Eddy.

Round Eight: Jenna Richmond – Midfielder – FC Kansas City

This is where we could see the Pride go back to the same well again, as they could target Jenna Richmond the midfielder who won the NCAA Division One Championship with the UCLA Bruins in 2013. She has been a regular with the U.S. U-20 and U-23 sides and would play well in a midfield with other outstanding internationals. KC now protected from all selections.

Round Nine: Amanda Frisbee – Defender – Western New York Flash

Going back to Orlando needing players with upside, here the Pride will select Amanda Frisbie–a defender who, in 2013, was a Hermann Trophy finalist and was named the 2013 WCC Defender of the Year after transitioning from forward to center defense. WNYF now protected from all selections.

Round Ten: Toni Pressely – Defender – Houston Dash

With the last pick in the expansion draft after taking two goalkeepers, two midfielders, three defenders and a forward, the Pride would most likely shoot for another midfielder here. However, something is telling me that Orlando could go for another hometown kid in Toni Pressley who went to high school in Melbourne and played at Florida State. The reason being is that I can see Flavio Augusto da Silva wanting to use one of the international slots on a Brazilian midfielder, and with how much we know rules change in North American soccer maybe even two of them.

So there you go, this is our shot in the dark at the Expansion Draft. What do you think, are we right on what could happen or are we just totally bonkers?

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Sign Jamaican International Forward Solai Washington

The Pride add attacking depth by signing former Florida State forward Solai Washington.

Published

3 days ago

January 19, 2026

Michael Citro

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed Jamaican international forward Solai Washington. The former Florida State Seminole through the 2027 season with a mutual option for the 2028 season.

“Solai is a player we’ve had an eye on for a while during her two years in college,” Orlando Pride head coach Seb Hines said in a club press release. “Her composure on the ball, her ability to break lines, and the maturity she showed at Florida State make her a fantastic fit for what we’re building here. She brings energy, versatility, and a real competitive edge, which is what we look for in players. We’re excited to have her here in Orlando and to see the impact she can make in our environment both on and off the field.”

The 20-year-old attacker from Atlanta made 35 appearances in her two years in Tallahassee, scoring eight goals and adding four assists while helping the Seminoles win the 2025 NCAA national championship and the 2024 ACC tournament. Washington was a member of the 2024 ACC All-Freshmen Team, the 2024 All-ACC Academic Team, and was named to TopDrawerSoccer’s postseason Top 100 Freshman list (at No. 42).

On the international stage, Washington has already represented Jamaica at the senior level on the biggest stage, making three appearances with the Reggae Girlz at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, debuting in a scoreless draw with France.

What It Means for Orlando

The Pride’s need for depth in the attacking positions is well documented, and Washington is a young player with a ton of upside in an area of need. From that perspective alone, this is a signing that makes sense. While it would be nice for the club to sign some proven NWSL-level scorers to provide depth for Barbra Banda, Marta, and Jacquie Ovalle, it’s always good to develop young talent. Since the abolition of the NWSL Draft, teams must work harder to secure the services of players like Washington.

It will require some time to know whether Orlando’s faith in Washington will be rewarded, and she wasn’t the most prolific scorer at FSU, but it says something about a player that they can get minutes at age 17 in a World Cup. It will be up to Hines and his staff to develop Washington, who will have no shortage of great mentors as teammates.

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Announce 2026 NWSL Schedule

We now know who, when, and where the Pride will play during the 2026 NWSL regular season.

Published

1 week ago

January 15, 2026

Sean Rollins

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The National Women’s Soccer League schedule was announced this morning, telling us who, where, and when the Orlando Pride will play this year. The 2026 season will once again feature a balanced schedule with all teams playing the other 15 teams once at home and once on the road. The addition of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC will see each team play 30 games, making it the longest regular season in league history.

The Pride will begin the season at home, facing the Seattle Reign on March 15. This season begins with a two-game homestand, ending with the club’s first-ever match against the Summit and the return of Ally Watt. The first road game will occur on March 25 when the Pride face Chicago Stars FC in Evanston, IL.

The Pride’s home schedule will end on Oct. 25 when they face NJ/NY Gotham FC. They’ll then travel west to face Seattle on Decision Day in the return game on Nov. 1, concluding the team’s 11th season in existence.

Orlando’s games this year are well distributed among the league’s various broadcast partners. The Pride will play nine times on Victory+ — the league’s new free streaming partner. Additionally, they’ll play six times on Prime Video, five times on Ion, twice on CBS Sports Network, once on ESPN, and once on ESPN2. The remaining games will be available on NWSL+.

Should the Pride qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, the quarterfinals will take play Nov. 6-8, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 14-15. The championship game will take place on Nov. 21 at a location yet to be determined.

The longest homestand this year is two games and will occur three times. As previously mentioned, the Pride begin with a pair of home games against Seattle and Denver on March 15 and March 20, respectively. They’ll host the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage on May 2 and May 8, respectively; the Kansas City Current and Boston on July 10 and July 15, respectively; and Utah Royals FC and the Houston Dash on Aug. 29 and Sept. 6, respectively.

The longest road trip this year is a three-game swing in May. Orlando will face Boston at Gillette Stadium on May 12, Denver on May 16, and San Diego Wave FC on May 24.

The league will take a month-long break during June as the country hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Pride’s final game before the break is on May 29 at home against Bay FC and they will return to action on July 3 against Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

The busiest months of the season will be May and July, when the Pride will play six times in each month. They’ll play four times in March, August, and September, three times in October, twice in April, and once in November.

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the regular season:

March — 4
April — 2
May — 6
June — 0
July — 6
August — 4
September — 4
October — 3
November — 1

The most common day the Pride will play this year will be Friday (11 times), the same as last year. They’ll play nine games on Sunday, seven on Saturday, two on Wednesday, and one rare Tuesday match.

Here’s the Pride’s breakdown by day for the regular season:

Monday — 0
Tuesday — 1
Wednesday — 2
Thursday — 0
Friday — 11
Saturday — 7
Sunday — 9

For fans that follow Orlando City and the Pride, the teams will play on the same day five times. However, two of the days won’t see the games overlap. On May 2, the Pride hosts the Spirit at 4 p.m. and the Lions face Inter Miami away at 7 p.m. On Sept. 19, the Pride host the Portland Thorns at 4 p.m while City plays at the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m.

The teams’ games will overlap on three occasions, but they never start at the same time. On May 16, Orlando City hosts Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. before the Pride play in Denver at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 15, Orlando City hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride play in Portland at 8:45 p.m. On Aug. 29, the Pride host the Royals at 7 p.m. and Orlando City faces Minnesota United FC away at 8:30 p.m.

2026 Orlando Pride Schedule (All Times Eastern)

Sunday, March 15 — vs. Seattle Reign FC, 4 p.m. (Victory+)
Friday, March 20 — vs. Denver Summit FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
Wednesday, March 25 — at Chicago Stars FC 8 p.m. (Victory+)
Sunday, March 29 — at NJ/NY Gotham FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
Friday, April 3 — vs. Angel City FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Friday, April 24 — at Racing Louisville FC, 5:30 p.m. (Victory+)
Saturday, May 2 — vs. Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ION)
Friday, May 8 — vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Tuesday, May 12 — at Boston Legacy FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
Saturday, May 16 — at Denver Summit FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
Sunday, May 24 — at San Diego Wave FC, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
Friday, May 29 — vs. Bay FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
Friday, July 3 — at Angel City FC, 10 p.m. (Prime Video)
Friday, July 10 — vs. Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Wednesday, July 15 — vs. Boston Legacy FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
Saturday, July 18 — at Utah Royals FC, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
Friday, July 24 — vs. Chicago Stars FC, 8 p.m. (Victory+)
Friday, July 31 — at North Carolina Courage, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Saturday, Aug. 8 — vs. Racing Louisville FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
Saturday, Aug. 15 — at Portland Thorns, 8:45 p.m. (ION)
Sunday, Aug. 23 — at Washington Spirit, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
Saturday, Aug. 29 — vs. Utah Royals FC, 7 p.m. (NWSL+)
Sunday, Sept. 6 — vs. Houston Dash, 7 p.m. (Victory+)
Friday, Sept. 11 — at Kansas City Current, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Saturday, Sept. 19 — vs. Portland Thorns, 4 p.m. (ION)
Sunday, Sept. 27 — at Bay FC, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Friday, Oct. 2 — vs. San Diego Wave FC, 8 p.m. (Prime Video)
Sunday, Oct. 18 — at Houston Dash, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
Sunday, Oct. 25 — vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC, 3 p.m. (CBSSN)
Sunday, Nov. 1 — at Seattle Reign FC, 5 p.m. (TBD)

Orlando Pride

How the Orlando Pride Can Return to the Mountaintop

What needs to happen for the Pride to win hardware in 2026?

Published

1 week ago

January 15, 2026

David Rohe

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

A fall-off after winning the double in 2024 was probably inevitable, yet the Orlando Pride still managed to come within minutes of playing in a second straight NWSL championship match. Many of the pieces are still there, and there are resources to get more. However, there have been some big changes in personnel on and off the pitch.

What needs to happen for the Pride to challenge for another double in 2026?

Reinvigorate the Attack

The return of Barbra Banda is the balm to soothe the worries of Orlando Pride fans. Even when the Pride struggled before she was injured, Banda scored plenty of goals. The biggest problem is she was left on an island as the team tried lobbing the ball up the field to her, hoping she’d do it all herself. Jacquie Ovalle didn’t take the NWSL by storm as we hoped, but it sometimes takes time for a player to adjust to a new league and club. If they had been able to work together, it’s likely the Orlando attack wouldn’t have faltered. Ovalle’s ability to deliver the ball into the box, combined with Banda’s ability to put the ball in the net, is a dangerous combo.

Of course, the Pride will need more than the two of them if the club is to win some trophies in 2026. I made this point several times last season, but Marta needs to find her form from 2024. With Banda and Ovalle in the attack, it should allow Marta the freedom she needs to be creative without having to carry the offense. Additionally, the Pride need other attackers to also find their 2024 form. I’m looking at Julie Doyle and Summer Yates in particular.

Fill the Roster

Haley Carter didn’t leave the cupboard bare when she departed for the wicked Washington Spirit. As such, Seb Hines and new Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci don’t have too much to do. But, the transfer of Emily Sams did create a need at center back. Fortunately, the Orlando Pride received $650,000 in intraleague transfer funds for Sams. That kind of cash can go a long way to filling the gaps in the roster.

With Kylie Nadaner on maternity leave and Rafaelle seemingly always on the verge of injury, finding a replacement for Sams is a priority. Some might point to Zara Chavoshi, but unless she levels up quickly, Carducci will need to look elsewhere. Offensively, as important as Banda is, adding another striker is necessary for quality depth. The departures of Ally Watt and Prisca Chilufya mean there’s a spot for an even better backup striker. I’m also not opposed to a quality left back.

Find the Grit

In 2024, the entire Pride team was personally offended if the opposition scored a goal. The level of defending up and down the pitch was a big factor in breaking records and winning hardware. The players need to pick up the chip and put it back on their metaphorical shoulders. I somewhat addressed this with the need to replace Sams, but there’s more to it than that. The Pride wore teams down over the course of a match, meaning it wasn’t necessary to score tons of goals. Of course, it’s not just the back line that needs to be better, but the entire team. Fortunately, Hines knows a thing or two about defenses. The Pride still have Marta to motivate them, and that — while not everything — is not a small advantage.

Those are the things I will be looking for in 2026. Let me know your thoughts or ideas in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!