Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2023 NWSL Season

The Orlando Pride updated the team’s roster statuses this afternoon following the 2023 NWSL season and announced a few off-season decisions. There are currently 22 players under contract for the club’s 2024 season, but the Pride say they’re in discussions with “select players” to return next year.

The players currently under contract for 2024 include forwards Amanda Allen, Adriana, Messiah Bright, Julie Doyle, Mariana Larroquette, Marta, and Ally Watt; midfielders Kerry Abello, Erika Tymrak, Viviana Villacorta, and Summer Yates; defenders Tori Hansen, Celia, Carrie Lawrence, Emily Madril, Haley McCutcheon, Megan Montefusco, and Rafaelle; and goalkeepers Kaylie Collins, Anna Moorhosue, and Carly Nelson.

Additionally, the club has exercised its option on defender Brianna Martinez, keeping her in purple for another year. After signing Hansen and Collins to new deals prior to the end of the season, they sent the pair on loan to Australian A-Leauge Women sides Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers, respectively, for more playing time.

Goalkeeper McKinley Crone and defender Caitlin Cosme are both out of contract and the club seemed to indicate on social media that the pair will not be offered new contracts, posting graphics thanking them for their service. They also declined the option to bring Thais Reiss back for a third season.

Defender Kylie Strom is an unrestricted free agent and midfielder Jordyn Listro is restricted free agent. Presumably, these could be the “select players” with whom the club is in negotiations. The Pride announced they are also speaking with free agents across the league about joining the team next season.

Last week, the club traded midfielder Mikayla Cluff and a draft pick to expansion side Utah Royals in exchange for Allocation Money and protection in the NWSL Expansion Draft. That deal followed a trade with Bay FC, ensuring the Pride will not have any players selected in that particular upcoming player allocation mechanism.

What It Means for Orlando

It was already known that the 22 players currently under contract would be returning next season, barring trades or some mutual agreement with the players. Probably the biggest surprise is the club not extending the contract of Cosme. The center back was a former first-round draft pick who started the first four regular-season games this year before being replaced by Megan Montefusco in the starting lineup (and Montefusco herself was later replaced by Rafaelle). However, Lawrence will be returning next year after sitting out the season with an injury suffered during preseason, and the club re-signed Hansen before the end of the season.

With a 26-player roster, the club was always going to hold three goalkeepers, and Crone had been the fourth goalkeeper all year. It’s also not a surprise that Reiss’ option wasn’t picked up as she only made three Challenge Cup appearances this year and didn’t appear in the regular season.

The next step for the club is to come to an agreement with Strom and Listro. There may be much more competition for Strom’s services, as she started at left back in all 22 regular-season games and four of the team’s six Challenge Cup matches this season. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke well of the defender last season and this season, undoubtedly wanting her back in the starting lineup next year. Listro, who has been let go by two NWSL teams (including the Pride) in the last couple of seasons, came off the bench for much of the year, but the defensive midfielder became the regular starter when Villacorta tore her ACL. With Cluff being traded to Utah, the club will likely want Listro or a replacement for her in the starting lineup when the 2024 season begins.

Post-2023 Orlando Pride Player Contract Statuses

(Current club players in italics)

• Kerry Abello – Under Contract
• Amanda Allen – Under Contract
• Adriana – Under Contract
• Messiah Bright – Under Contract
• Kaylie Collins – Under Contract
• Caitlin Cosme – Out of Contract 
• McKinley Crone – Out of Contract 
• Julie Doyle – Under Contract
• Tori Hansen – Under Contract
• Celia – Under Contract
• Mariana Larroquette – Under Contract
• Carrie Lawrence – Under Contract
• Jordyn Listro – Restricted Free Agent 
• Emily Madril – Under Contract
• Marta – Under Contract
• Brianna Martinez – Option Exercised 
• Haley McCutcheon – Under Contract
• Megan Montefusco – Under Contract
• Anna Moorhouse – Under Contract
• Carly Nelson – Under Contract
• Rafaelle – Under Contract
• Thais Reiss – Option Not Exercised 
• Kylie Strom – Unrestricted Free Agent 
• Erika Tymrak – Under Contract 
• Viviana Villacorta – Under Contract
• Ally Watt – Under Contract
• Summer Yates – Under Contract