The 2020 Orlando Pride season was Orlando Pride's fifth season in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States.
Notable events In October 2019, Alex Morgan announced she was pregnant and expecting to give birth in April 2020. Morgan had stated she aimed to return to playing in time for the Olympics with the United States in July 2020 but the games were eventually postponed by COVID-19. Morgan gave birth on May 7, 2020.
Five Pride players signed with Australian W-League teams to play with during the 2019–20 NWSL offseason: Emily van Egmond and Claire Emslie joined Melbourne City, Alanna Kennedy joined Sydney FC, Carson Pickett joined Brisbane Roar and Camila joined Canberra United. Van Egmond and Emslie won both the Premiership and Championship titles with Melbourne City as van Egmond also led the team in goals with six.
On November 5, 2019, Orlando used its top priority to acquire the NWSL rights to Australian midfielder Chloe Logarzo off the NWSL Re-Entry Wire. On November 13, the pick was voided after the league realized Logarzo should not have been made available for selection and allowed to go through the re-entry process. The Pride was not offered compensation. Logarzo subsequently signed in England with Bristol City.
In January 2020, the Pride announced that NWSL President Amanda Duffy was to step down in order to become the team's Executive Vice President. General Manager Erik Ustruck returned to Orlando City's front office staff after only a year in the role.
In March, the start of the season was delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. On May 8, the NWSL allowed voluntary individual workouts on outdoor fields for the first time since the suspension.
On May 27, 2020, the NWSL announced the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup as a smaller format replacement to the league, a 25-game tournament hosted at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, beginning June 27, 71 days after the originally planned start date of the regular season. On June 22, the team withdrew from the tournament following positive COVID-19 tests among both players and staff.
Orlando ultimately played for the first time in 2020 on September 19 as part of the Fall Series friendlies, 343 days since the team's last match on October 12, 2019.
Roster .
NationalityNamePosition(s)Date of birth (age)Previous clubNotesGoalkeepers24Ashlyn HarrisGK Washington SpiritFED30Brittany WilsonGK Denver Pioneers–Defenders3Toni PressleyDF Houston Dash–11Ali KriegerDF Washington SpiritFED17Carrie LawrenceDF UCF KnightsShort-term21Julie KingDF North Carolina CourageSUP25Konya PlummerDF UCF KnightsINT27Morgan ReidDF North Carolina Courage D4528Courtney PetersenDF Virginia Cavaliers–32Ally HaranDF Houston DashShort-termMidfielders5Savanah UvegesMF Nebraska CornhuskersShort-term8Deneisha BlackwoodMF Slavia PragueINT, Short-term12Kristen EdmondsMF Western New York Flash–16Zandy SoreeMF UCF KnightsShort-term19Jordyn ListroMF UDG TenerifeINT, Short-term20Abby ElinskyMF ASPTT AlbiSUP23Marisa ViggianoMF Northwestern WildcatsSUP31Chelsee WashingtonMF Bowling Green Falcons–Forwards2Sydney LerouxFW FC Kansas City–10MartaFW FC RosengårdINT14Kate HowarthFW New England MutinyShort-term
Staff .
ExecutiveCoaching staff
Match results
Preseason As per the league schedule, NWSL teams were permitted to begin preseason activities on March 9, 2020. Orlando Pride were due to play three friendlies in preseason, all against Florida college teams. However, on March 12 it was announced that the NWSL's preseason schedule had been canceled on the advice of public health authorities due to the coronavirus pandemic.
National Women's Soccer League
Results
2020 NWSL Challenge Cup The format of the tournament was supposed to feature all nine NWSL clubs each playing four games in the preliminary rounds to determine seeding. The top eight teams would advance to a knockout bracket. The draw for the preliminary round was held on June 1, randomly assigning teams to their opposition via seeding. Orlando were drawn against Chicago, Portland and North Carolina, the top three placed teams from the previous season as well as Sky Blue. However, on June 22, the team confirmed they would be withdrawing from the tournament following positive COVID-19 tests among both players and staff.
Fall Series To compensate for the lack of competitive schedule and difficulty of travel, the NWSL grouped teams into regional pods to allow for a Fall Series in September and October. Orlando were grouped in the south region with reigning NWSL champions North Carolina and 2020 Challenge Cup winners Houston.
Squad statistics
Appearances
NameAppsStarts2FW Sydney Leroux333DF Toni Pressley435MF Savanah Uveges218MF Deneisha Blackwood4210FW Marta4411DF Ali Krieger4412MF Kristen Edmonds3314FW Kate Howarth2016MF Zandy Soree0017DF Carrie Lawrence4319MF Jordyn Listro3320MF Abby Elinsky4321DF Julie King0023MF Marisa Viggiano4424GK Ashlyn Harris3325DF Konya Plummer2127DF Morgan Reid0028DF Courtney Petersen4430GK Brittany Wilson1131MF Chelsee Washington4232DF Ally Haran20
Goalscorers
Name123MF Marisa Viggiano222FW Sydney Leroux112MF Kristen Edmonds132DF Ally Haran1Total5
Shutouts
Name124 Ashlyn Harris1Total1
Disciplinary record
Name 2FW Sydney Leroux108MF Deneisha Blackwood1011DF Ali Krieger1019MF Jordyn Listro3023MF Marisa Viggiano1031MF Chelsee Washington10Total80
Transfers and loans
2020 NWSL College Draft
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2020 college draft was held on January 16, 2020. Orlando had seven selections. RoundPickPlayerCollegeStatus13 Taylor KornieckMF University of ColoradoSigned7 Courtney PetersenDF University of VirginiaSigned210 Konya PlummerDF University of Central FloridaSigned14 Phoebe McClernonDF University of VirginiaShort-term321 Cheyenne ShortsDF University of DenverShort-termSigned short-term contract for NWSL Challenge Cup26 Abi KimFW University of California, BerkeleyNot signed430 Chelsee WashingtonMF Bowling Green State UniversitySigned
Transfers in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesRef.January 8, 2020 Emily SonnettDF Portland Thorns FCAcquired in trade with the No. 7 and No. 14 picks in the 2020 NWSL Draft in exchange for Orlando's No. 1 overall pick. Caitlin Foord (NWSL rights only)Elected to sign outside NWSL with ArsenalFWJanuary 10, 2020 Carrie LawrenceDF UCF KnightsSigned to supplemental rosterFebruary 10, 2020 Ali RileyDF Bayern MunichSigned via transfer using Allocation MoneyFebruary 14, 2020 Erin McLeodGK Växjö DFFFree agent signingApril 1, 2020 Jade MooreMF ReadingSigned via transfer using Allocation MoneyJune 21, 2020 Brittany WilsonGK Denver PioneersFree agent signing, initially short-term contract for NWSL Challenge Cup but re-signed through 2021 in September.September 8, 2020 Carrie LawrenceDF Orlando PrideFree agent signing, short-term contract for Fall Series Ally HaranDF Houston DashFree agent signing, short-term contract for Fall Series Zandy SoreeMF UCF KnightsFree agent signing, short-term contract for Fall Series Deneisha BlackwoodMF Slavia PragueFree agent signing, short-term contract for Fall Series Jordyn ListroMF UDG TenerifeFree agent signing, short-term contract for Fall Series Savanah UvegesMF Nebraska CornhuskersFree agent signing, short-term contract for Fall Series Kate HowarthFW New England MutinyFree agent signing, short-term contract for Fall Series
Transfers out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesRef.Unknown Alika KeeneDF Gintra Universitetas2019 National Team Replacement contract expiredUnknown Hana KernerDF Stade de Reims2019 National Team Replacement contract expiredJanuary 10, 2020 Danica EvansFW Sporting de HuelvaWaivedJanuary 16, 2020 Rachel HillFW Chicago Red StarsTraded with a third-round (No. 19) pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft, Orlando's natural first-round selection in the 2021 NWSL Draft and $50,000 of allocation money in exchange for a first-round (No. 3) and third-round (No. 26) pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft.January 22, 2020 Dani WeatherholtMF Reign FCTraded in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.February 4, 2020 Haley KopmeyerGKWaivedFebruary 26, 2020 Joanna BoylesMFRetiredRetiredJune 21, 2020 Bridget CallahanMFWaived Carrie LawrenceDF Orlando PrideWaived (re-signed on September 8 for Fall Series) Lainey BurdettGK Åland UnitedWaivedJuly 30, 2020 Cheyenne ShortsDF CelticEnd of short-term contractAugust 5, 2020 Erin GreeningDF Klepp ILWaivedAugust 13, 2020 Phoebe McClernonDF Växjö DFFReleased from short-term contract to sign abroadAugust 18, 2020 Emily SonnettDF Kopparbergs/Göteborg FCFederation player, opted to sign outside the leagueSeptember 12, 2020 Caitlin FarrellFWRemoved from roster, did not report Alex MorganFW Tottenham HotspurFederation player, opted to sign outside the league
Loans out DatePlayerLoaned toNotesRef.July 13, 2020 Ali RileyDF FC RosengårdUntil November 30, 2020, with right of recallAugust 12, 2020 CamilaMF PalmeirasUntil December 22, 2020August 14, 2020 Erin McLeodGK StjarnanUntil October 20, 2020August 18, 2020 Jade MooreMF Atlético MadridUntil February 15, 2021, with right of recallAugust 20, 2020 Shelina ZadorskyDF Tottenham HotspurUntil December 31, 2020 Alanna KennedyDF Tottenham HotspurUntil December 31, 2020 Carson PickettDF Apollon LimassolUntil November 20, 2020August 22, 2020 Claire EmslieFW EvertonUntil December 31, 2020August 28, 2020 Emily van EgmondMF West Ham UnitedUntil December 31, 2020August 31, 2020 Taylor KornieckMF MSV DuisburgUntil December 31, 2020
Preseason trialists Orlando Pride began preseason training on March 9, 2020. The squad included six non-roster invitees on trial with the team during preseason. In June, Brittany Wilson was signed to a short-term contract for the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup before being signed through 2021 with an option for the 2022 season in September.
2020 Orlando Pride trialistsPlayerPositionPrevious team Jaelyn CunninghamGK Illinois Fighting Illini Brittany WilsonGK Denver Pioneers Madison DuncanDF 1. FC Slovácko Jordyn ListroMF UDG Tenerife Savanah UvegesMF Nebraska Cornhuskers Kate HowarthFW New England Mutiny
References
External links