The 2022 Orlando Pride season was Orlando Pride's seventh season in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States.
Notable events Following the departure of interim head coach Becky Burleigh at the end of the previous season, Orlando announced the appointment of Amanda Cromwell as the team's permanent head coach on December 7, 2021. Four days earlier she had stood down as head coach of UCLA Bruins women's soccer after nine seasons in charge. Cromwell also had to divest her investment stake in 2022 expansion side Angel City FC in order to take the job. Sam Greene, Cromwell's assistant at UCLA, joined her to become first assistant coach while Cromwell's former international teammate Michelle Akers was hired as an assistant and player development coach. Seb Hines was retained from the previous coaching staff.
On December 13, 2021, the United States Soccer Federation announced the end of the allocation system ahead of the 2022 season. At the time Orlando had already traded away Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris, and had a deal made in principle to trade away Alex Morgan meaning Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod was the only federated player under contract with the Pride.
On December 16, 2021, with the addition of Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC ahead of the 2022 NWSL season, the NWSL held the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft. Angel City selected the playing rights of Claire Emslie off Orlando's unprotected list. Emslie had transferred out of the NWSL to English FA WSL team Everton in December 2020. San Diego did not select anyone from Orlando although the trade sending Alex Morgan to San Diego was officially announced immediately after the draft suggesting draft protection had already been agreed as part of the trade. The following day, Orlando traded Brittany Wilson and a third-round 2023 NWSL Draft pick to Angel City in exchange for a fourth-round 2023 NWSL Draft pick. General manager Ian Fleming's comments in the trade press release confirmed expansion draft protection for players currently on the Pride roster had been agreed as part of the deal.
On June 7, it was announced head coach Amanda Cromwell and assistant coach Sam Greene had been placed on administrative leave on the recommendation of the NWSL and NWSL Players Association joint investigation team following alleged "retaliation in violation of the NWSL Policy to Prevent and Eliminate Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying." Seb Hines was promoted to interim head coach.
Roster
NationalityNamePosition(s)Date of birth (age)Previous clubNotesGoalkeepers1Erin McLeodGK Växjö DFF–18Kaylie CollinsGK USC TrojansSUP21Anna MoorhouseGK BordeauxINT40Kelly RowswellGK IssyGKRDefenders2Haley HansonDF Houston Dash–3Toni PressleyDF Houston Dash–5Megan MontefuscoDF Houston Dash–12Carrie LawrenceDF UCF KnightsSUP13CeliaDF OL Reign–17Courtney PetersenDF Virginia Cavaliers–23Kylie StromDF Atlético Madrid–25Kerry AbelloDF Penn State Nittany LionsSUP26Caitlin CosmeDF Duke Blue Devils–Midfielders8Gunnhildur JónsdóttirMF Kansas City NWSL–14Viviana VillacortaMF UCLA Bruins–15Erika TymrakMF Utah Royals–16Mikayla CluffMF BYU Cougars–22Parker RobertsMF Florida GatorsSUP27Chelsee WashingtonMF Bowling Green Falcons–28Meggie Dougherty HowardMF Washington Spirit–30Thais ReissMF North Florida OspreysINT34Jordyn ListroMF North Carolina CourageForwards7Haley BugejaFW SassuoloINT10MartaFW FC Rosengård11Darian JenkinsFW Kansas City Current–20Julie DoyleFW Santa Clara Broncos–33Ally WattFW OL Reign–35Leah PruittFW OL Reign–
Staff .
ExecutiveCoaching staff
Match results
Friendlies As per the league schedule, NWSL teams are permitted to begin a six-week preseason camp on February 1.
National Women's Soccer League
For the third time in league history and the first time since 2014, the NWSL regular season will be played on a balanced schedule i.e. each team will play every other team twice; once at home and once away. The top six teams will qualify for the playoffs with the top two receiving a first-round bye.
Results summary
Results by round
Results
League standings
NWSL Challenge Cup
The 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup took place between March 19 and May 7. With the format split into three groups of four teams, each team played a six-game round robin home and away series with the top team from each group progressing to the semifinals along with the highest-ranked group runner-up. Orlando were placed in the East region with Washington Spirit, North Carolina Courage and NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Standings
Squad statistics
Appearances
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
! colspan=12 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Goalkeepers
! colspan=12 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Defenders
! colspan=12 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Midfielders
! colspan=12 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Forwards
|colspan="12"|Players who appeared for the club but left during the season:
Goalscorers
NameNWSLTotal18MF Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir22411FW Darian Jenkins224328MF Meggie Dougherty Howard30342FW Sydney Leroux20213DF Celia20216MF Mikayla Cluff20220FW Julie Doyle20283DF Toni Pressley1014DF Amy Turner10123DF Kylie Strom10133FW Ally Watt10135FW Leah Pruitt101Own goals202Total20424
Shutouts
NameNWSLTotal 1 1 GK Erin McLeod 415Total415
Disciplinary record
NameNWSLTotal 1GK Erin McLeod1000001002FW Sydney Leroux1000001002DF Haley Hanson1000001003DF Toni Pressley3000003004DF Amy Turner1001002005DF Megan Montefusco7001008006MF Angharad James0001001008MF Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir00010010010FW Marta00010010011FW Darian Jenkins10010020012DF Carrie Lawrence00020020013DF Celia10000010015MF Erika Tymrak20000020016MF Mikayla Cluff20000020017DF Courtney Petersen10010020023DF Kylie Strom20020040025DF Kerry Abello20000020027MF Chelsee Washington10000010028MF Meggie Dougherty Howard30000030030MF Thais Reiss10000010034MF Jordyn Listro40000040035FW Leah Pruitt100000100Total350011004600
Transfers and loans
2022 NWSL Draft
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2022 college draft was held on December 18, 2021. Orlando made four selections. RoundPickPlayerCollegeStatus15 Mia FishelFW University of California, Los AngelesNot signed10 Caitlin CosmeDF Duke UniversitySigned11 Julie DoyleFW Santa Clara UniversitySigned331 Jada TalleyFW University of Southern CaliforniaNot signed
Transfers in DatePlayerPrevious clubFee/notesRef. December 16, 2021 Angharad JamesMF San Diego Wave Acquired in a trade with $275,000 in allocation money and 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft protection in exchange for Alex Morgan. December 18, 2021 CeliaDF OL Reign Acquired in a trade with a first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft in exchange for Phoebe McClernon. Leah PruittFW January 11, 2022 Darian JenkinsFW Kansas City Current Acquired in a trade in exchange for $75,000 in allocation money and Orlando's natural second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. January 26, 2022 Mikayla CluffMF BYU Cougars Deferred 2021 NWSL Draft signee. January 28, 2022 Megan MontefuscoDF Houston Dash Acquired in a trade with $30,000 in allocation money and OL Reign's natural third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft in exchange for Marisa Viggiano. Kerry AbelloDF Penn State Nittany Lions Deferred 2021 NWSL Draft signee. January 31, 2022 Anna MoorhouseGK Bordeaux Signed using allocation money. May 7, 2022 Jordyn ListroMF North Carolina Courage Free agent signing. June 11, 2022 Thais ReissMF North Florida Ospreys Free agent signing. July 1, 2022 Haley BugejaFW Sassuolo August 15, 2022 Ally Watt FW OL Reign Acquired in a trade in exchange for $125,000 in allocation money. August 18, 2022 Haley Hanson DF Houston Dash Acquired in a trade in exchange for $75,000 in allocation money and a second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft previously acquired from OL Reign. September 8, 2022 Kelly Rowswell GK Issy Goalkeeper injury replacement signing.
Transfers out DatePlayerDestination clubFee/notesRef. November 1, 2021 Ally HaranDF Canberra United Out of contract December 1, 2021 Jodie TaylorFW San Diego Wave Traded in exchange for a second or third-round pick in the 2023 draft or allocation money, pending conditions met. December 6, 2021 Ashlyn HarrisGK Gotham FC Traded in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, a third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and $50,000 in allocation money. Ali KriegerDF December 7, 2021 Emily van EgmondMF Newcastle Jets Transfer December 8, 2021 Konya PlummerDF Option declined Crystal ThomasFW Hibernian Out of contract December 16, 2021 Alex MorganFW San Diego Wave Traded in exchange for Angharad James, $275,000 in allocation money and 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft protection. December 17, 2021 Brittany WilsonGK Angel City Traded with a third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and partial 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft protection. December 18, 2021 Phoebe McClernonDF OL Reign Traded in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Celia and Leah Pruitt. January 18, 2022 Taylor KornieckMF San Diego Wave Traded with the rights to Emily van Egmond in exchange for $125,000 in allocation money and San Diego's natural second-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft. January 27, 2022 Ali RileyDF Angel City Traded in exchange for $15,000 in allocation money and Angel City's natural third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. Jade MooreMF Manchester United Out of contract January 28, 2022 Marisa ViggianoMF Houston Dash Traded in exchange for Megan Montefusco, $30,000 in allocation money and OL Reign's natural third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. June 17, 2022 Amy TurnerDF Tottenham Hotspur Executed contract buyout. June 29, 2022 Sydney LerouxFW Angel City Traded in exchange for $75,000 in allocation money and Angel City's natural first-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft. July 28, 2022 Angharad JamesMF Tottenham Hotspur Mutually terminated contract. August 24, 2022 Abi KimFW Bordeaux Waived.
Loans out DatePlayerLoaned toNotesRef.November 1, 2021 Chelsee WashingtonMF Canberra UnitedUntil April 3, 2022
Preseason trialists Orlando Pride began preseason training on February 1, 2022. The squad included two non-roster invitees on trial with the team during preseason. Reiss was an undrafted out of the University of North Florida. Scarpa had spent the last season with KIF Örebro DFF in the Swedish Damallsvenskan. Ru Mucherera, who had signed in Finland with KuPS for the 2021 season, later joined Orlando in preseason having spent the first part on trial with San Diego Wave.
2022 Orlando Pride trialistsPlayerPositionPrevious team Thais Reiss MF North Florida Ospreys Jessie ScarpaFW KIF Örebro DFF Ru MuchereraFW KuPS
References
External links