Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2022 NWSL Season

The Orlando Pride announced their decisions and status of all rostered players following the 2022 NWSL season. The Pride currently have 12 players under contract for the 2023 NWSL season. They exercised options on three players and offered new contracts to five. Three players weren’t offered new contracts, sending them to the waiver wire, and four are eligible for free agency.

The players currently under contract for next season include forwards Haley Bugeja, Darian Jenkins, Leah Pruitt, and Ally Watt; midfielder Mikayla Cluff; defenders Kerry Abello, Caitlin Cosme, Haley Hanson, and Megan Montefusco; and goalkeepers Kaylie Collins, Erin McLeod, and Anna Moorhouse.

The club also exercised options on forward Julie Doyle, midfielder Gunny Jonsdottir, and defender Kylie Strom, keeping the three players in purple next season.

The Pride have offered new contracts to five players who are out of contract following the 2022 season, including midfielders Jordyn Listro and Viviana Villacorta and defenders Celia, Carrie Lawrence, and Courtney Petersen. Midfielders Thais Reiss, Parker Roberts, and Chelsee Washington will enter the waiver wire as the club has decided not to bring them back. While Parker was waived by the club, Reiss and Washington are out of contract and the club didn’t offer them new deals.

The NWSL has recently opened the path to free agency for qualifying veterans and four Pride players will experience it for the first time. Meggie Dougherty Howard, Toni Pressley, Erika Tymrak, and Marta are all free agents and the club is currently in discussions with all four players about returning in 2023.

What It Means for Orlando

There weren’t any big surprises in the club’s postseason roster decisions this year. The Pride recently re-signed Hanson and Watt — the latter just earlier today — to new contracts, ensuring their return next season. Most of the players you’d expect to be back are already under contract.

All of the three players whose options were exercised were also expected to be back. Doyle is a young striker with a lot of promise, Jonsdottir is the club captain, and Head Coach Seb Hines has spoken glowingly multiple times about the play of Strom.

It’s also not a surprise who is not returning. Reiss, Roberts, and Washington played sparingly in 2022, with Roberts and Washington making one appearance each off the bench in the regular season. Reiss made five appearances and two starts but didn’t impress enough that a new contract was warranted.

Despite the Pride having a new front office staff, the rebuilding project will continue in 2023. Former general manager Ian Fleming told The Mane Land that new chairman Mark Wilf was aware of the rebuild project prior to buying the club and was on board with the idea. The team still has some excellent young talent that should improve with more time on the field.

Post-2022 Orlando Pride Roster Status

(Current club players in italics)

Kerry Abello – Under Contract

Haley Bugeja – Under Contract

Mikayla Cluff – Under Contract

Kaylie Collins – Under Contract

Caitlin Cosme – Under Contract

Meggie Dougherty Howard – Out of Contract

Julie Doyle – Option Exercised

Haley Hanson – Under Contract

Darian Jenkins – Under Contract

Celia – New Contract Extended

Gunny Jonsdottir – Option Exercised

Carrie Lawrence – New Contract Extended

Jordyn Listro – New Contract Extended

Erin McLeod – Under Contract

Megan Montefusco – Under Contract

Anna Moorhouse – Under Contract

Courtney Petersen – New Contract Extended

Toni Pressley – Out of Contract

Leah Pruitt – Under Contract

Thais Reiss – Rights Waived

Parker Roberts – Waived

Kylie Strom – Option Exercised

Erika Tymrak – Out of Contract

Marta – Out of Contract

Viviana Villacorta – New Contract Extended

Chelsee Washington – Rights Waived

Ally Watt – Under Contract