Orlando Pride Sign Defenders Tori Hansen and Brianna Martinez

The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that defenders Tori Hansen and Brianna Martinez have been added to the 2023 NWSL squad. Both players signed one-year deals with the team through 2023, with additional one-year options for 2024.

“We are happy to be able to sign both Tori and Brianna to our roster for the season. The pair enables us to shore up our back line with depth and versatility,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said in a press release. “Brianna is attack minded and comfortable on the ball. Tori offers another calming presence and is a true aerial threat on set pieces. Both players progressed tremendously over preseason, and we look forward to seeing their continued development.”

The Pride drafted Hansen with the first pick of the third round (25th overall), a selection acquired by NJ/NY Gotham FC when the Pride traded Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger. The former North Carolina Tar Heel spent four seasons in Chapel Hill, making 65 appearances with 28 starts and scoring nine goals with four assists.

The center back helped the Tar Heels to the 2022 NCAA College Cup, losing 3-2 to UCLA. She was named a second-team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches, first-team All-Atlantic Region, and first-team All-ACC. After playing for the U.S. U-15, U-17, and U-19 teams, Hansen was involved in U-23 camps.

Hansen played in a couple of games this preseason for the Pride. She came off the bench in the last 10 minutes during the team’s open friendly against the Kansas City Current on Feb. 23 and started against UCF on Feb. 28.

Martinez was initially drafted by Racing Louisville FC with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft out of Notre Dame. She later joined the Pride as a non-roster invitee, starting the team’s preseason game against UCF. Captain of her collegiate squad during her final two seasons, Martinez played 1,476 minutes in 2022 for the Fighting Irish, recording two goals and four assists from the right midfield position. She was also selected to the U.S. U-23 National Team for the 2022 Thorns Preseason Tournament.

What It Means for Orlando

As Carter stated, these signings provide much-needed depth to the Pride back line. Due to Carrie Lawrence’s season-ending injury, the Pride were left with only Caitlin Cosme, Emily Madril, and Megan Montefusco as center backs. Hansen provides an additional body, which will be especially useful when the NWSL Challenge Cup begins, forcing the team to play two-game weeks.

While Hansen is a natural center back, playing the position in college, Martinez is making a change to the outside back position. She was primarily a right-sided midfielder for Notre Dame during her entire collegiate career, so she’ll have more defensive responsibilities in her new role.

With the signing of Hansen, the Pride have now signed four of their five picks from the 2023 NWSL Draft. Madril was signed by the league prior to the draft, so she was under contract once the Pride drafted her. They later signed forward Messiah Bright and midfielder Summer Yates, who were drafted in the second and fourth rounds. Only UCF forward Kristen Scott remains unsigned from the Pride’s 2023 draft class.