2021 NWSL Draft: Orlando Pride Select USC Goalkeeper Kaylie Collins at No. 34

With the fourth pick of the fourth round (No. 34 overall) the Orlando Pride selected goalkeeper Kaylie Collins from USC.

Collins is a redshirt senior from Clayton, CA. At 5-foot-10, Collins has good size and would be the tallest of Orlando’s goalkeepers. Ashlyn Harris is listed at 5-foot-9, while the other two are both 5-foot-8.

She played in 53 games in three seasons, allowing 41 goals and making 162 saves. Through three seasons she has a save percentage of .798. Across her college career, she compiled a record of 39-8-5, and recorded 23 shutouts.

As a junior Collins finished ranked third in the Pac-12 with 13 goals against, was eighth in the conference with a 1.13 goals-against average, and was ninth with a .755 save percentage. She only started 11 games, as she missed the first half of the season due to injury.

As a sophomore, Collins was named the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year. She led the conference in shutouts through the regular season and had the ninth-best goals-against average (0.51) in the country. This impressive year earned her United Soccer Coaches All-American second-team and Top Drawer Soccer Best XI second-team honors. Collins was also named to the All-Pac-12 first team and All-Region first team.

Collins also did well as a freshman. She was on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team following the 2017 season, after appearing in 19 games and making 53 saves. Her seven shutouts ranked seventh among Pac-12 goalkeepers.

Before attending USC, Collins was a four-year starter at Carondelet High School, where she was named a second-team Top Drawer Soccer High School All-American in 2015.

What it Means for Orlando

Collins is likely a long-term project. Harris is the Pride’s clear first-choice ‘keeper but she is 35 years old. Backup Erin McLeod is even older, at 37. Orlando needs a goalkeeper of the future and it looks like Collins will have the chance to battle Brittany Wilson for that spot.

Both Harris and McLeod could end up going to the Olympics in 2021. If that happens, it will leave the two younger goalkeepers to fight for time.

Here’s a look at what Collins can do.