Orlando Pride
2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Zara Chavoshi
The rookie defender showed both her potential and her inexperience in her first professional season.
With the abolition of the NWSL Draft, the Orlando Pride signed former Wake Forest defender Zara Chavoshi to a one-year deal through 2025 on Jan. 13, making her the first player the club signed directly out of college. The Canadian international — Chavoshi was born in the U.S. to Canadian parents — impressed the coaching staff in preseason camp, made her NWSL debut off the bench in the Pride’s second game of the season, and then got her first professional start five games later. She eventually earned a new contract, signing through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028 on June 27.
Chavoshi filled in at various spots on the back line for injured starters, gave Seb Hines an option to move Emily Sams out wide at times, and saw consistent minutes in the Concacaf W Champions Cup.
Let’s take a look back at the defender’s rookie season in her first year with the Pride.
Statistical Breakdown
Chavoshi did not appear in Orlando City’s Challenge Cup battle with the Washington Spirit, making her debut as a professional when she replaced Angelina in the 88th minute on March 23 at Gotham FC to help see out the Pride’s 2-0 road win.
In the regular season, Chavoshi appeared in 10 matches, starting five, and played 503 minutes. The defender did not record a goal contribution or attempt a shot in NWSL play. She connected on 80% of her 332 passes, placing her behind all of the team’s other center backs in that category, as well as part-time center back Cori Dyke, and she did not register a key pass or a cross while completing 50% of her 28 long balls. On the defensive end, where her main responsibilities lie, she finished with 12 tackles, five interceptions, 26 clearances, and nine blocks while winning 60% of her duels but just one of her three aerial duels. In terms of discipline, Chavoshi committed seven fouls, drew six from her opponents, and was not booked in the regular season.
The rookie did not play in either of the Pride’s two postseason matches.
In Concacaf W Champions Cup play, Chavoshi appeared in three of the four games, all starts, and logged the maximum 270 minutes. She did not register a goal or an assist, attempting one shot but not hitting the target. The 22-year-old completed 90.4% of her 166 pass attempts in the tournament but did not record a key pass. Defensively, she compiled 12 tackles in her three outings. She committed three fouls and drew two — including one in the box on Chorrillo’s Melissa Herrera that resulted in Summer Yates completing her hat trick via penalty — and was shown two yellow cards.
Best Game
Chavoshi played well at times given her relative inexperience and showed flashes of a promising talent under development. Consistency was more of an issue than quality. For me, her best game was probably her start in Orlando’s 2-1 win on the road over the San Diego Wave on Sept. 26. Chavoshi started in central defense alongside Sams in place of the injured Rafaelle and went the full 90 minutes in a strong outing that helped the Pride snap a nine-game winless streak.
The Wake Forest product led all players in the match in duels won (5) in six chances, for a stellar duel success rate of 83%, although she did not win her lone aerial duel. She was strong in defending her team’s goal, finishing with three tackles, two interceptions, three blocks, and six clearances with four loose ball recoveries. One of her three tackles was a last-player tackle, preventing a scoring chance. It was a great 1-v-1 play to deny Adriana Leon a dangerous scoring opportunity, and the rookie pulled it off cleanly without conceding a penalty. She also completed 83% of her 64 passes, including six passes into the final third and 56% of her nine long balls, and she completed her only dribble attempt. She committed one foul and drew one on the opposition. It was a solid performance by the first-year pro.
2025 Final Grade
The Mane Land staff gave Chavoshi a composite 5.5 rating out of 10 in her first season. She showed flashed of being a solid NWSL defender, but she also showed inexperience at times, getting on the wrong side of opponents and overestimating her ability to keep pace at times against quick attackers. These are a natural part of progressing from the college game to a difficult league like the NWSL, and the Canadian showed that she has the potential to grow her game and perhaps eventually claim a starting spot.
2026 Outlook
With her rookie year behind her and a contract through 2027, I expect Chavoshi to provide depth along the back line at multiple positions in 2026. She is unlikely to unseat a starter in her second season with Rafaelle, Sams, and Kylie Nadaner all still under contract, but the Brazilian has been susceptible to injuries in recent years. Hines has shown a willingness to push Sams wide to right back at times. There will be minutes for Chavoshi, but if the starting back line stays healthy, she will probably play sparingly.