Orlando Pride Sign Julie Doyle to New Two-Year Contract

The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that the club has signed forward Julie Doyle to a new two-year deal, keeping her in Orlando through the 2024 NWSL season. The Pride originally drafted the Santa Clara University product with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.

“Julie has proven to be a vital player in our attack and critical to the hardworking and tenacious culture we’re building,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her ability to challenge a back line and her desire to take on the opposition will create goal-scoring opportunities for us. She fully invested in herself in the off-season and is committed to the future we are creating here. We’re very excited to keep her in Orlando and to continue to help her grow both on the field and off.” 

Doyle had a strong rookie season, participating in 19 games in all competitions with 11 starts and recording 845 minutes. As the 2022 midseason approached, she shared time with veteran Darian Jenkins, usually coming on or off the field around the hour mark. The young attacker scored twice last season in back-to-back games, against the Kansas City Current on July 31 in Kansas and a 64th-minute goal on Aug. 7 against Angel City FC.

Doyle entered this season as a starter, beginning the first two games on the field. After playing 90 minutes in a 4-0 loss to the Portland Thorns, she was injured in the April 2 home opener against Angel City following a collision with Paige Nielsen. As a result, she was placed on the 45-day disabled list.

“I am very happy to continue my journey within a club and a team that will allow me to develop fully. I believe this organization is capable of achieving greatness and I can’t wait to contribute to the team’s success,” Doyle said in the press release “A big thank you to the entire Pride organization, the fans, and the community who show up and support us each day. I’m so excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to be back on the field soon in front of you all.”

Prior to joining the Pride, Doyle was a striker for the Santa Clara Broncos. She made 70 collegiate appearances with 55 starts and recorded 16 goals and 14 assists. The Newport Beach, CA native was a three-time All-WCC selection and was named to the All-West Region team in 2020.

Internationally, Doyle has represented the United States at the U-15, U-18, U-19, and U-20 levels. She was also an alternate for the USWNT 2016 U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia.

What This Means for Orlando

Doyle showed a lot of promise in her time last season for the Pride and it looked like she would be a key contributor for the team this season. Her role increased when Jenkins retired during the off-season to join the NJ/NY Gotham FC front office. Doyle is currently the third-most experienced forward on the roster behind Ally Watt and Adriana.

This deal means that Doyle will have the opportunity to continue developing with this young team. During preseason and into the season, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines experimented with playing Doyle and rookie Messiah Bright together, a departure from last year’s formation. But the players have different skill sets and the partnership showed promise before Doyle’s ankle injury.

Unfortunately, Doyle’s injury could negatively affect her development as she’s out for an extended period. She’s eligible to return in June, but it could be longer as she works herself back into game shape. Regardless, she’ll likely receive extensive playing time down the stretch as the Pride look to build a winner for the future.

The two-year deal only keeps Doyle with the Pride through the 2024 season, so she’ll have a year and a half to prove to the front office that she’s worthy of a longer extension and to be around when or if the team becomes competitive. Judging from her performances so far, she has the ability to earn another extension, but she’ll have to show that coming off of her injury.