Orlando Pride
2017 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Chioma Ubogagu

Tom Sermanni needed scoring help to start the season, knowing Alex Morgan would be starting the NWSL season in France. To help an offense that struggled at times in 2016, he added former Arsenal Ladies forward Chioma Ubogagu from the Houston Dash in exchange for the club’s third round pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft in a late January trade.
Just 24 years old at the time, Ubogagu was coming off a down year in Houston, where she had scored just one goal in 15 appearances. But the potential for goals was waiting there to be unlocked, as Chi — the Gatorade Texas Player of the Year in 2010 — had scored seven goals in 21 appearances with Arsenal and netted 27 times while at Stanford.
Statistical Breakdown
Ubogagu appeared in 19 games with Orlando, including 16 starts. Nine of those starts came on the forward line, six were in the midfield and one was on defense — a position she also switched to a few times during games depending on substitution patterns. This provided a lot of versatility and options for Sermanni throughout the year when players were injured.
Chi scored four goals with three assists in her 1,345 minutes during the regular season. She fired 39 shots in 2017, getting 13 of them on frame and finishing fourth on the team in shot attempts. Her passing rate of 70% could have been a bit better but was OK and she was offside nine times — second only to Morgan’s 14. Defensively, she finished with 14 clearances and won 79% of her tackles. She both gave and received 11 fouls on the year and earned one yellow card.
She also started and played 73 minutes in the Pride’s playoff match against the Thorns, attempting two shots — neither on target — and completing 62% of her passes and winning three tackles.
Best Game
Chi’s best game of the year came on a rainy night in early September when the Pride hosted the Boston Breakers. Orlando, largely due to Ubogagu’s work that evening, broke open a close game and won 4-2 on Sept. 2 — the club’s fifth consecutive win. Rachel Hill had staked the Pride to a 2-0 lead at the break but Rosie White helped Boston claw back into it with a goal just after the restart. Ubogagu then helped turn the tide back in Orlando’s favor. First, she sent a perfect first-touch pass behind the defense to a streaking Marta, who made it 3-1 in the 67th minute.
67' – Marta scores her 12th goal of the season with assist by @ChiAlreadyKnow to give @ORLPride a 3-1 advantage. #ORLvBOS pic.twitter.com/OsXJriNvFg
— NWSL (@NWSL) September 3, 2017
Just 10 minutes later, Chi put the game away by scoring one of her own on a great individual effort. Taking the ball away in the attacking half, Ubogagu streaked down the left side of the penalty area and slotted inside the back post to make it 4-1 on the way to the eventual 4-2 win.
77' – @ChiAlreadyKnow slots it home inside the far post for her 4th of the season to give @ORLPride a 4-1 lead. #ORLvBOS pic.twitter.com/x53JtOdSTt
— NWSL (@NWSL) September 3, 2017
It was an outstanding night for Ubogagu, who played 84 minutes, fired two shots (one on target), passed at a rate of 74% and both committed and drew one foul.
2017 Final Grade
The Mane Land staff gave Chi a composite season grade of 6.5. While she definitely helped nearly every position group over the course of the season, there are still too many shots missing the target from good positions. She also still needs to read the game a bit better, as she had several opportunities throughout the year to play Marta or Morgan in cleanly but opted instead to shoot or pull the ball back. These chipped away at her overall grade a bit, but she still had a good season overall.
2018 Outlook
Following the 2017 season, Sermanni and company offered Ubogagu a new contract. She was one of four players — Dani Weatherholt, Steph Catley and Alanna Kennedy are the others — to garner a new contract offer. Should Ubogagu be re-signed, she’ll likely be used next year a lot like she was in 2017. She provides speed down the wing on the forward line in a 4-3-3, or in the attacking midfield in a 4-2-3-1, so she complements her older but more lethal teammates up front, Morgan and Marta. She can also fill in at fullback, which earned her a call-up to the USWNT camp for the final friendlies even though she didn’t see the field for Jill Ellis’ team.
Previous 2017 Player Season in Review Posts (Date Published)
- Dani Weatherholt (11/17).
- Nickolette Driesse (11/18).
- Ashlyn Harris (11/19).
- Aubrey Bledsoe (11/20).
- Monica (11/21).
- Ali Krieger (11/22).
- Jamia Fields (11/23).
- Toni Pressley (11/24).
- Kristen Edmonds (11/25).
- Jasmyne Spencer (11/26).
- Steph Catley (11/27).
- Danica Evans (11/28).
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Extend Emily Sams’ Contract through 2027
NWSL Defender of the Year Emily Sams has extended her deal with the Orlando Pride on the heels of a stellar 2024 season.

The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that the club has extended the contract to 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year Emily Sams. The U.S. international, who was recently named to the 2025 SheBelieves Cup roster, signed a new deal to remain with the Pride through the 2027 NWSL season.
Sams, 25, was previously under contract through 2026. She likely received a bump in pay to commit to an additional year after having a career year in helping lead the Pride to the 2024 NWSL Shield and 2024 NWSL Championship. She also received her first cap with the United States Women’s National Team in 2024.
“Extending Emily’s future with the Pride through 2027 represents an important milestone for our club,” Orlando Pride Vice President and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Emily embodies everything we value in a Pride player — exceptional talent, unwavering commitment, and strong leadership both on and off the field. Her defensive prowess and ability to read the game have been instrumental to our back line, and her presence in the locker room helps drive the culture we’re building here in Orlando. This extension reflects not only our belief in Emily’s abilities but also our commitment to maintaining a core group of players who understand what it means to represent this club and this community.”
Selected third overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Sams appeared in 25 games during the 2024 regular season (24 starts) and logged 2,185 minutes, which was the most playing time among all outfield players and second on the club only to goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse. The only match she didn’t start and play the entire 90 minutes was the road game against the Portland Thorns — the match immediately after the Pride won the NWSL Shield. This came on the heels of playing all but three minutes of her rookie season in 2023.
She scored her first professional goal on two shots — both of which were on target — and provided three assists in the regular season. Sams completed 1,159 of her 1,314 passes (88%). Defensively, she contributed 24 tackles and 26 interceptions, winning 31 headed duels.
In the NWSL playoffs, Sams started in all three games, logging 270 minutes. She did not score or attempt a shot, but she recorded an assist. The defender connected on 144 of her 158 postseason passes (91%). Defensively, Sams contributed four tackles and three interceptions.
Due to her participation as an alternate on the USWNT at the Summer Olympics, Sams did not appear in the Summer Cup matches. She was moved to the active roster for a match during the Olympics but did not feature.
Sams led the Pride to numerous club and league records, including the longest shutout streak in NWSL history (554) and the most shutouts in one season (13). For her efforts, she became the first Orlando player to win NWSL Defender of the Year and made the NWSL Best XI first team. She received a rating of 9 out of 10 from The Mane Land staff following the 2024 campaign for her performance throughout the season.
Along with all the other awards she won, Sams became the first player to win an Olympic Gold Medal and the NWSL Championship in the same year.
What It Means for Orlando
This is great news for Orlando Pride fans. In an off-season that saw multiple U.S. internationals leave the NWSL to play overseas, the NWSL is still a star-studded league, and Sams is one of those stars. To have a player of her caliber commit to Orlando when competing against historic clubs that have UEFA Champions League-winning ambitions for the services of top players is a win for the Pride. That isn’t to say she couldn’t or won’t be sold at some point, but by locking her into a deal for an additional year is important, even if a deal comes along that is too good to pass up (and has the player’s blessing).
Sams is just entering the prime of her career and is already one of the best defenders in women’s soccer, as shown by her Defender of the Year turn in 2024. She will be counted on to anchor the Pride back line for the remainder of her time in Orlando and she likely has more development to come. This is a player the Pride will continue to build around as a cornerstone of the club.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Sign Two Players to Short-Term Contracts
With a couple of active roster slots open, the Pride have signed two of their non-roster invitees to short-term contracts.

The Orlando Pride have signed goalkeeper DeAira Jackson and midfielder Aryssa Mahrt to short-term contracts. Both players were non-roster invitees to the club’s 2025 preseason camp and have obviously made an impression in a short time.
“We’re pleased to welcome both DeAira and Aryssa to Orlando. Both players bring unique qualities that will enhance our roster during this period,” Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “DeAira brings important depth to our goalkeeping unit with her strong shot-stopping ability and commanding presence in the box. Aryssa’s technical ability and vision give us additional options in the final third. These signings reflect our commitment to maintaining a competitive roster while providing opportunities for talented young players to showcase and develop their abilities at the professional level.”
Jackson joins the Pride out of Grand Canyon University, where she was the 2024 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year and a member of the All-WAC first team following her last collegiate season. After playing two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, she transferred to Grand Canyon University and became the school’s all-time shutout leader with 16 in just two seasons. Nine of those came in her senior campaign, which set the school record for most clean sheets in a season. She was also the Outrigger No Ka Oi Tournament MVP and a two-time WAC Player of the Week in 2024. The Fontana, CA native appeared in 43 matches for Grand Canyon across two seasons, compiling a record of 25-11-7, the aforementioned 16 shutouts, a 0.89 goals-against average and a save percentage of .781, facing 415 shots in 3,754 minutes.
Mahrt played three seasons at the University of Wisconsin, appearing in 62 games (61 starts) and playing 4,503 minutes. The Milwaukee, WI native scored 21 goals and added 15 assists, putting 78 of her 114 shots on target. Eight of her goals were game winners. Mahrt started all 21 games in her senior season, leading the Badgers in goals (10) and assists (4). She has represented the United States at the youth level with both the U-14 and U-16 sides. Her soccer lineage includes a great grandfather who played for the Malaysian National Team.
What It Means for Orlando
Ultimately, these signings don’t mean much overall, aside from that the club rates these players as optional replacements. Grace Chanda, Simone Charley, and Rafaelle are still technically not part of the active roster, but may be reinstated whenever they are deemed healthy. Because there are available active roster spots available, why not use them? Additionally, Emily Sams and Anna Moorhouse have been called up to their national teams for upcoming competitions.
Orlando’s college scouting has been good, and no doubt the Pride would like to have these players stick around to push players in training and potentially fill in when players are forced out of the lineup by injury or international duty.
Orlando Pride
Seb Hines Has Decisions To Make For Orlando Pride’s Back Line
What will the Pride’s back line look like when everyone is healthy?

As the 2025 NWSL season approaches, the Orlando Pride’s roster is taking shape. While the lineup will mostly remain the same, the departure of Adriana and the addition of Prisca Chilufya will impact changes. Additionally, the team has a key previously injured player returning for next season, something that will force Head Coach Seb Hines to make some tough decisions.
One of the most interesting situations impacting the Pride is the back line. Last season, Rafaelle went down with an injury that forced Emily Sams back to her natural center back position, partnering with Kylie Strom. The duo were terrific down the stretch, lifting their team to 14 shutouts, including in the NWSL Championship.
The move forced rookie Cori Dyke to take a more significant role, starting at right back. It was a tough situation for the 24-year-old, but she handled it brilliantly. Dyke was excellent during the final stretch of the season and especially during the playoffs, helping the team win the league title.
When Rafaelle returns from her injury and is fit to play, Hines will have three center backs, all of which have proven to make strong pairings on the back line. So how will the Pride boss handle the situation? Let’s take a look at some of his options.
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
While Rafaelle is a Brazilian international and a great center back, Sams and Strom were fantastic together for much of last season. Sams began the year at right back, while Rafaelle and Strom were the center back pairing. When Sams was forced to move to her natural position, Dyke took over as the starting right back.
Dyke had a strong rookie campaign, especially after taking over. Taking her out of the starting lineup with how she performed would be difficult for Hines. It would be surprising to see Rafaelle healthy and on the bench, but the back line of Kerry Abello, Strom, Sams, and Dyke was the best in the league last year and Hines might not want to rock the boat.
Go Back To The Start of 2024
Another option is to go back to how the back line looked at the start of 2024. While Sams was a regular at center back in 2023, Hines moved her to right back to begin last season. In a corresponding move, Strom — who had been the starting left back since 2022 — moved to center back alongside Rafaelle.
With everyone healthy, Hines could give that lineup another chance. After all, Strom was more solid at center back than left back and Sams proved she’s more than capable of playing right back. This is probably the most likely option and would ensure the team’s three best defenders are on the field.
Return to 2023
The Pride acquired Rafaelle on July 3, 2023, while the league was in the middle of the FIFA Women’s World Cup break. When the Brazilian joined the team, she started with Sams at center back and Strom was the starting left back. Strom has much more experience at left back than Sams does at right back, so Hines could send her back to her original position.
However, Strom had her best season as a member of the Pride in 2024 while playing center back. It’s hard to believe that Hines would send his vice captain back to left back after playing her in the middle all of last year. Rafaelle and Sams are the team’s only other experienced center backs, so this option is a possibility, even if it is unlikely.
Take Advantage of Versatility
When it comes to acquiring defenders, one of the primary things Hines and Haley Carter consider is versatility. Almost everyone on the back line can play center back and at least one of the outside back positions. This gives Hines an opportunity that few coaches have with their rosters.
Hines could move the players around, pairing all three center backs at times and moving Strom to the left and Sams to the right occasionally. Even Dyke can play center back, as she did in college. Moving players around would give them breaks during the season, keeping them fresh.
This decision could also backfire. Players get comfortable with their positions, so moving them around constantly could impact their quality. It would be a risky choice and is unlikely, but given the versatility of the players, it is an option for Hines. He could also take advantage of their versatility by playing a back line of three center backs, using Strom, Rafaelle, and Sams, while pushing Kerry Abello and Dyke up to wingback.
The Pride won the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024, one of the best seasons for any team in league history. They have most of the team returning, so they’ll be a favorite to repeat in 2025. While most of the lineup will be back, there are still some questions to be answered. One of those is who will start along the back line. We’ll find out soon enough, and it will be interesting to see what Hines decides.
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