The Orlando Pride selected Cori Dyke with the 22nd overall pick — their second pick — of the 2024 NWSL Draft. She was initially signed to a one-year deal, though the club saw enough early on to sign her to a new contract in July good through 2025. The Littleton, CO, native then earned the starting spot at right back halfway through the season and never looked back. Dyke went up against some of the best attackers in the NWSL and held her own time and again.

Let’s look back at her impressive, if a little surprising, first year with the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Dyke made 21 appearances in the Pride’s 26 NWSL regular-season games this season, starting 11 matches, coming off the bench in the other 10 matches, and recording 1,095 minutes. She didn’t score a goal, but she recorded an assist for her first goal contribution. The 24-year-old took one shot that was not on target and completed 425 of her 542 pass attempts (78%), recording one key pass (her assist), and two crosses. Defensively, Dyke made 20 tackles, 11 interceptions, and 23 headed duels. She also suffered four fouls, committed three fouls, and was booked once.

Dyke appeared in two of the Pride’s three matches in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, starting in each and recording 180 minutes. She attempted one shot that was not on target and did not provide an assist. The attacker completed 81 of her 96 passes (85%) with two long balls and no key passes. Defensively, Dyke won one of her two tackle attempts (50%), committed one foul, and was not booked.

Dyke started all three of the Pride’s NWSL playoff matches this postseason, recording 254 minutes. She didn’t score a goal or provide an assist, nor did she take a shot. Dyke completed 79 of her 98 pass attempts (81%). Defensively, Dyke made four tackles, committed two fouls, and was booked once.

Best Game

I considered giving her performance in the 3-1 victory over the Houston Dash in September as her best match, since it included her only assist on the season. In case you don’t remember, it was a beauty of a service to Carson Pickett for the goal.

Ultimately, I think her best game was actually the 0-0 draw against the Kansas City Current two weeks before the Dash game. Dyke had the difficult task of defending both Temwa Chawinga and Debinha during this match. That is no easy thing for any defender, let alone a rookie.

In that match she completed 39 of 44 passes (89%), made one tackle, had one interception, and impressively did not earn a foul. Additionally, she earned Player of the Match from both myself and Michael Citro on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for her performance. It wasn’t a great match by the Pride, but it did keep the undefeated streak alive, and Dyke was a big part of getting the result.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Dyke a composite grade of 6.5 out of 10 for the 2024 season — a solid grade for a first-year pro. It took her half of the season to become a consistent starter, but once she did, she helped anchor the best defense in the NWSL. That’s not to say she was perfect, but given this was her rookie season, to do the job she did — especially down the stretch — was impressive. Dyke was a big part of the success of the Pride in 2024.

2025 Outlook

After Dyke won the starting right back position, she didn’t give it up. The new contract speaks volumes about what the club thinks of her current and potential level of play. She is the type of versatile player that Seb Hines loves. She held her own against some of the best attackers in the league and I expect she’ll be the starting right back unless Emily Sams is moved outside. Even then, she’ll still get plenty of playing time along the back line or in the midfield. She may get some competition from Brianna Martinez, who held the right back spot until a midseason injury took her out of action for several weeks. But the Pride are fortunate to have great depth at the position — a spot where Haley McCutcheon can also contribute.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Amanda Allen (11/28/24)
• McKinley Crone (11/29/24)
• Sofia Manner (11/30/24)
• Mariana Larroquette (12/1/24)
• Viviana Villacorta (12/2/24)
• Luana (12/3/24)
• Evelina Duljan (12/4/24)

The Orlando Pride signed Swedish youth international Evelina Juljan from Juventus on a one-year deal on Jan. 2. A professional player since the age of 14, Duljan was a tantalizing prospect at attacking midfielder with her technical ability and skills in tight spaces. Bringing in a player so young — she was just 20 at the time of her signing but has since turned 21 — on just a one-year contract was an interesting move by the Pride at the time. It seemed to be a compromise of sorts, with Orlando not locking down the player in hopes of developing her over time, while not making a longterm investment from the club’s side if she things didn’t work out.

Duljan didn’t crack Head Coach Seb Hines’ regular rotation in 2024, but she did show flashes of a potential emerging talent during her Summer Cup appearances and sparing use in league play. Let’s look back at her first (only?) season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

The Kristianstad, Sweden native appeared in eight matches in the regular season, starting one, and played 174 minutes. Duljan didn’t have a goal contribution in NWSL play, attempting just one shot that wasn’t on target. She passed at a 75% success rate on 84 attempts, with no key passes and one successful long ball. A strong challenger on the ball, Duljan won nine of 12 tackles (75%), tallied two interceptions, and won four headed duels. She committed eight fouls, suffering six, and was not booked.

The Summer Cup is when Duljan really got an opportunity to shine. She played in all three of the Pride’s matches, starting two, and played a total of 191 minutes She scored her first goal with the Pride on Aug. 1 against Racing Louisville for her lone goal contribution of the season. In the tournament, Duljan attempted four shots, putting three on target and completed 81.25% of her 64 passes. Defensively, Duljan contributed six tackles and an interception. She did not commit or suffer a foul and was not booked in the competition.

Duljan did not appear in the NWSL playoffs.

Best Game

The Swedish-Nigerian attacker’s best match came in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup on Aug. 1 in Orlando’s 1-1 draw against Racing Louisville at Inter&Co Stadium. Duljan started the match and played 85 minutes, attempting two shots — tied for her season high — with one on target. She made that shot count in the 38th minute, getting across her defender and putting her head to a cross from Kerry Abello, putting it in the net to give the Pride the lead.

In addition to her goal, Duljan passed at a 71% rate and played with some bite to her game, winning five tackles to tie a season high, recording an interception, and committing three fouls (also tying a season high).

Unfortunately, the Pride couldn’t hold the lead, conceding an equalizer in the second half. Duljan had been subbed off, so she did not participate in the postgame penalty shootout, which the Pride lost, 4-3.

That game, and her performance overall in the Summer Cup, must have caught Hines’ eye, as all of her regular-season minutes came after the competition, including 30 in the second half against the Kansas City Current and a start at Portland.

2024 Final Grade

As with the previous Season in Review subjects we’ve done so far this postseason, The Mane Land staff cannot give Duljan an official grade due to not meeting the minimum number of minutes played (400), so she will receive an incomplete for the 2024 season.

2025 Outlook

Duljan’s deal was through 2024, so if she is to be part of the Pride’s future, she would have to sign a new contract. Whether she did enough to earn a new deal is up to Hines and Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter. She still has a lot of upside and her skill set isn’t something that a lot of players in NWSL have. She simply needs to develop those skills a bit and add more control to her game.

Her return is a two-way street. Orlando has to want her back and Duljan must have a willingness to stay in North America with the Pride, knowing she will have to battle for minutes. The Pride typically lock down players they like early, avoiding situations where they have to negotiate new deals in the off-season. That didn’t happen with Duljan, so I would question whether she’s back in purple in 2025.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Amanda Allen (11/28/24)
• McKinley Crone (11/29/24)
• Sofia Manner (11/30/24)
• Mariana Larroquette (12/1/24)
• Viviana Villacorta (12/2/24)
• Luana (12/3/24)

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian international central midfielder Luana on Dec. 13, 2023, looking to bolster that area of the club after spending resources beefing up the back line and the attack. She agreed to a deal that runs through 2025 with a mutual option year in 2026. The Pride’s central midfield was a strength throughout the team’s 2024 championship run, but the former Corinthians star sadly wasn’t part of it after the first few games.

After appearing in the Pride’s first three matches of the season, Luana was listed on the availability report as an excused absence for three games before a shocking announcement came from the club on April 29— she had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Luana missed the rest of the season to undergo treatment. Thankfully, the treatment looks to have worked, with reports in mid-November that her recent scans had shown no sign of the disease.

Luana’s true impact on the team goes beyond what took place in the season’s first three matches. We will never forget players holding up their hands in an ‘L’ shape to honor her when celebrating goals or the pictures of her with her teammates following her treatment. Clearly, she was an inspiration to the team and it’s not difficult to imagine how her illness may have strengthened a group as close as the 2024 Pride. Clearly, she was never far from the other players’ thoughts.

Although she missed almost the entire season, Luana is a member of the Pride who played and is still with the team. As such, we will honor her and look back at her 2024 season.

Statistical Breakdown

Luana made her Pride debut on opening day, March 16, in Orlando’s 2-2 road draw at Racing Louisville FC. She started that match and appeared in the team’s first three games (two starts), playing 192 of the available 270 minutes. Luana did not have a goal contribution, but depending on where you look, she did record a shot attempt (off target). Her stats page on the NWSL website does not show her having a shot, but her game log on the site does. The Pride’s game notes and statistics page have a shot, so we’ll say one shot. She was effective in helping control the middle of the pitch, winning two of four tackle attempts (50%), tallying three interceptions, and winning four headed duels. She completed 80% of her 75 pass attempts across the three games, including a successful long ball and a cross. Her bite in the midfield shows in her five fouls conceded, six fouls drawn, and two yellow cards. In the two games after her debut in Louisville — in which Orlando rallied from two goals down inside of 19 minutes and got a road result, despite Kylie Strom being sent off in the 62nd minute — the Pride conceded only once in the run of play.

Best Game

The Sao Paulo, Brazil native’s best match came in her second start of the season, a 1-1 home draw against the Chicago Red Stars. The Pride allowed only a Mallory Swanson goal in the match, with Luana starting and playing 71 minutes, completing 77.3% of her passes, committing two fouls (including a yellow card), and drawing three free kicks from the opposition. The Pride were dominant in the match, out-shooting the visitors 21-9, with Luana helping the team keep 59.2% of the possession in the match. Although the Pride drew their third consecutive match to start the season, it was a promising performance that the Pride built on, winning their next eight games — an NWSL record.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff cannot give Luana an official grade due to not meeting the minimum number of minutes played (400), so she will receive an incomplete for the 2024 season. However, we can (and do) give her a 10 out of 10 for her courage and grace during an extremely difficult time.

2025 Outlook

It’s difficult to say what Luana’s outlook will be for next season, as there are obviously some unknown variables. If her scans remain clean, as we all hope, she would presumably work to recover her fitness and could compete for a starting spot in central midfield in 2025. The Pride had the best defense in the league in 2024 and that was after losing someone who started two of the first three matches and played 45 minutes off the bench in the second game. Conceivably, the Pride could be an even better team with a healthy Luana on the pitch. Whether she even plays another minute for the club, however, our main concern is that she remains healthy. It would be understandable, for example, if she decided to rethink her career entirely in light of what she’s been through. Thankfully, she has a good support system with the Pride.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Amanda Allen (11/28/24)
• McKinley Crone (11/29/24)
• Sofia Manner (11/30/24)
• Mariana Larroquette (12/1/24)
• Viviana Villacorta (12/2/24)