Orlando Pride Announce Contract Status Updates Following 2018 NWSL Season

The Orlando Pride announced roster status updates today, including which players had their options exercised. The club picked up the options on 10 players and will retain the rights to federation allocated players Ashlyn Harris, Alex Morgan — both of the U.S. — and Shelina Zadorsky (Canada).

Everyone on the team was either an allocated player, had their contract option picked up, or was offered a new contract.

The Pride have picked up the options to the following 10 players:

• Poliana
• Kristen Edmonds
• Alanna Kennedy
• Ali Krieger
• Sydney Leroux
• Carson Pickett
• Chioma Ubogagu
• Emily van Egmond
• Marta
• Dani Weatherholt

The notable players here are Marta, the two Australian internationals — Kennedy and van Egmond — top 2018 goal scorer Sydney Leroux, and defender Ali Krieger. Original Pride players Edmonds and Weatherholt look poised to remain with the club for its fourth season.

In addition to the 13 players above, the Pride offered new contracts to seven players, accounting for the entire 2018 20-player roster:

• Danica Evans
• Monica
• Rachel Hill
• Haley Kopmeyer
• Camila
• Christine Nairn
• Toni Pressley

Like Edmonds and Weatherholt, Monica and Pressley have been with the club for three seasons and should they accept their deals, could continue to be a part of the Pride in 2019.

The league will update federation player status prior to the 2019 season, but it’s unlikely anything would change for Harris, Morgan, or Zadorsky. 

Just because the club picked up options or offered new contracts, it doesn’t mean that changes won’t be made. There is always roster movement in the off-season and it’s likely that some of the 2018 faces won’t be around next year through trades or declining contracts. The Pride will also need to add players to fill up what is expected to be a larger roster next season in a World Cup year.