Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2020 NWSL Season

The Orlando Pride announced the roster decisions this afternoon following the 2020 NWSL Fall Series. The announcement includes offering new contracts to eight players, exercising six options, and waiving three players.

The news comes one day after the league and club announced that Abby Elinsky, Julie King, and Morgan Reid had been waived. While the club reiterated those decisions, the Pride also announced the decisions on the remaining players on the club’s roster.

Aside from the three waived players, the entire roster is either under contract, had their options picked up for 2021, or were offered new deals. Those offered new deals include Claire Emslie, Alanna Kennedy, Camila, and Emily van Egmond, who are all experienced internationals but aren’t from Concacaf’s two powers. The club also extended offers to Kristen Edmonds, Sydney Leroux, Toni Pressley, and Marisa Viggiano. Edmonds, Leroux, and Pressley have been with the club for several years and Head Coach Marc Skinner has recently spoken highly of Viggiano.

The club exercised the club options on multiple players. This includes Taylor Kornieck, Erin McLeod, Jade Moore, Carson Pickett, Ali Riley, and Marta. Again, these are of no surprise as the team only played four games in 2020 with many of their stars going out on loan. McLeod, Moore, and Riley have not played a competitive game yet for the club after a COVID outbreak limited the team to four games. Marta and Pickett have both been regular starters in the past.

2020 NWSL College Draft selections Konya Plummer, Courtney Petersen, Chelsee Washington were already under contract for the 2021 season. The other draft pick on the roster from the last draft, Taylor Kornieck, had her option exercised for next season.

The players who were brought in on short-term deals for the NWSL Fall Series are no longer under contract, as their deals have expired. Deneisha Blackwood, Ally Haran, Kate Howarth, Carrie Lawrence, Jordyn Listro, Zandy Soree, and Savanah Uveges were given a look by Skinner after several players were sent abroad on loan.

Players that are a part of the American or Canadian national teams are considered federation players so the club didn’t have to make any decisions on their contract statuses. For the Pride, this includes Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Emily Sonnett, and Shelina Zadorsky.

The biggest surprise of those who will not be returning is undoubtedly Elinsky. King has played in only two games since joining the Pride and Reid has played in seven. But neither player appeared during the 2020 NWSL Fall Series. Elinsky, on the other hand, played in all four games this year, starting three. This came a year after making 18 appearances with four starts during the 2019 NWSL season.

While these are the roster decisions made by the club today, there might still be more changes soon. The NWSL will hold an expansion draft Nov. 12 to help the league’s newest team, Racing Louisville Football Club, build its initial roster. The Pride could lose up to two players in that draft or one U.S. Allocated Player and can protect a total of 11 players and two U.S. Allocated Players.

Player Decisions at a Glance:

Federation Allocated Players (5) — automatically retained

• Ashlyn Harris (USA)
• Ali Krieger (USA)
• Alex Morgan (USA)
• Emily Sonnett (USA)
• Shelina Zadorsky (CAN)

Already Under Contract for 2021 (4)

• Courtney Petersen
• Konya Plummer
• Chelsee Washington
• Brittany Wilson

Options Exercised for 2021 (6)

• Taylor Kornieck
• Marta
• Erin McLeod
• Jade Moore
• Carson Pickett
• Ali Riley

Offered New Contracts for 2021 (8)

• Camila
• Kristen Edmonds
• Claire Emslie
• Alanna Kennedy
• Sydney Leroux
• Toni Pressley
• Emily van Egmond
• Marisa Viggiano

Waived (3)

• Abby Elinsky
• Julie King
• Morgan Reid