Orlando Pride Sign Two More 2020 Draft Picks

The Orlando Pride announced the signings of two more of the club’s 2020 NWSL College Draft selections today. Joining the Pride are No. 7 overall pick Courtney Petersen and No. 10 overall selection Konya Plummer. Both players were signed to two-year contracts with an option year.

“We’re very happy to have come to terms with both Courtney and Konya,” Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner said in a club press release. “Each of them adds a new dynamic to our Orlando team and provides us with flexibility, contributing both on the back line or even in the midfield. We’re very excited about both of them and cannot wait for them to start their NWSL careers in Orlando.”

Petersen, 22, is a versatile midfielder/fullback out of the University of Virginia. After taking a redshirt season her freshman year, she scored five goals and added 12 assists in 78 appearances (58 starts) the next four seasons. She earned United Soccer Coaches All-Region honors, All-ACC recognition and a Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Second Team selection following both her junior and senior seasons.

Petersen has international experience as well, competing for the United States at the U-14, U-15, U-17, and U-20 levels. She appeared in two matches for the U.S. at the U-20 World Cup in November of 2016.

Plummer, 22, is the first Jamaican-born player in NWSL history to be drafted. She played collegiate soccer here in Orlando at UCF, scoring one goal in 25 appearances. As a senior, she earned AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and was an AAC First Team selection. She began her college soccer career at Southeastern University, where she earned All-Sun Conference honors, recording 38 appearances across two seasons. 

Plummer, 22, competed for Jamaica at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France last summer, captaining the Reggae Girlz in their World Cup debut, and playing every minute of Jamaica’s three matches. She has recorded 22 appearances at the senior level throughout her international career.  

What It Means for Orlando

The Pride add more help at the back with these signings and add more youth as well. Orlando now has three of its seven 2020 draft selections under contract ahead of the NWSL season and all three of its top 10 picks. The team previously signed top selection (No. 3 overall) Taylor Kornieck on Feb. 11.

Still unsigned are defender Phoebe McClernon (No. 14 overall), defender Cheyenne Shorts (No. 21), forward Abi Kim (No. 26), and midfielder Chelsee Washington (No. 30). This is the first time since 2016 that the Pride have signed three draft selections, with the club inking Sam Witteman, Christina Burkenroad, and Dani Weatherholt from that first ever draft class.

With a big group of international players scheduled to leave for a lengthy Olympic break this summer, the club will need the depth that Petersen and Plummer can provide. The fact that both players signed multi-year deals is a good sign for the health of the league but also speaks to how the club views these players.

The Pride hold the rights to a lot of players this off-season, but there will likely still be some roster maneuvering prior to the 2020 season.