2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: McKinley Crone

McKinley Crone’s previous contract expired at the end of the 2023 season. There were questions about what her future might be in Orlando when the club signed Finnish top flight goalkeeper Sofia Manner on December 1, 2023. However, the Pride signed Crone through the 2024 season on March 11, and the then-25-year-old (now 26) showed enough to earn a new multi-year contract through the 2026 season on Sept. 6.

While most expected Manner to challenge Anna Moorhouse for the starting spot and Crone to be the depth option primarily for training purposes, the Maitland native and University of Alabama product passed Manner on the depth chart as the usual bench keeper behind NWSL ironwoman Moorhouse and finally seeing her first professional minutes.

Let’s take a look at how Crone performed this season.

Statistical Breakdown

Crone did not play in the regular season. As mentioned above, Moorhouse played every minute of the season (and postseason) for the Pride in goal. However, Crone was given her first professional start in the Summer Cup on July 20 at North Carolina, playing all 90 minutes in the match and becoming the goalkeeper of record in the club’s first-ever penalty shootout, in which she stopped two of the Courage’s seven shooters — the first one she faced, Riley Jackson, and former Orlando midfielder Dani Weatherholt. Unfortunately, the Pride had two penalties saved and missed the net once to lose the shootout.

In her 90 minutes (plus stoppage time), Crone faced down 20 shot attempts from North Carolina (six on target), allowing just one goal and finishing with five saves on the day for a save percentage of 83.33%. She completed 25 of 35 passes (72%), including six of her 15 long balls (40%). Although it was her only appearance of the year, Crone acquitted herself well, dealing with a lot of pressure as the Courage held 66% of the ball and outshot the Pride by a wide margin. She did well under pressure, saving two penalties, including the first, giving her team a chance to go on and win the shootout.

Best Game

Having played in only one match, this is one of the easiest decisions we’ll make throughout our 2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review series. Crone was a key reason the Pride remained unbeaten in all competitions with the 1-1 draw at North Carolina on July 20. However, even if she’d played a lot more games, this match may have still won the honors as her best. She made some key saves to keep the Pride in it, including this 1-v-1 breakaway chance for Meredith Speck in the 24th minute.

Crone couldn’t do anything about Manaka Matsukubo’s tap-in off a perfect cross through the box in the 44th minute, but Celia’s goal in the 82nd kept the unbeaten streak alive, even if the defender missed the opportunity to win the shootout for Orlando as the last of the team’s five shooters. It was a solid first professional game for Crone.

2024 Final Grade

With only 90 minutes to her credit across all competitions in 2024, Crone didn’t play enough to get a grade for the 2024 season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. However, Crone showed fans why she has been able to stick with the team, and it was no surprise she earned a contract to stay with the club for a while longer.

2025 Outlook

With Moorhouse signed through the 2025 season, Crone will likely serve as the primary backup again next year, unless Manner — also under contract through 2025 with a club option in 2026 — can show the coaching staff enough to surpass the local product as the No. 2. Crone has the confidence of her coaching staff and her teammates, and next season could be an audition to see if she has a future as the club’s primary shot stopper.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Amanda Allen (11/28/24)