ORLANDO, Fla. (February 19, 2018) - Orlando Pride announces its preseason opening day roster ahead of the 2018 National Women’s Soccer League season.
Orlando will be without six players at the beginning of preseason due to international duty, including Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris, who have been called up to the U.S. Women’s National Team ahead of the SheBelieves Cup. Recently signed midfielder Emily van Egmond and fellow Australian Alanna Kennedy, as well as Canadian defender Shelina Zadorsky, will be with their respective national teams for the opening weeks of preseason due to the 2018 Algarve Cup.
After the first week of preseason, Marta Vieira da Silva and Monica Hickmann Alves will join defender Poliana, who is currently in Brazil, for a camp with the Brazilian national team.
Joining the Pride for preseason will be 2018 NWSL College Draft pick Nadia Gomes and Bridget Callahan, a non-roster invitee from the University of Central Florida.
Camila Martins Pereira has reported to camp as the young Brazilian continues recovering from a right knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain sustained on Sept. 30 last season.
The Pride will play in their first preseason match on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. at Florida State University. The season opener for the 2018 season will be hosted at Orlando City Stadium on March 24, a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against expansion side Utah Royals FC. The complete 2018 schedule will be announced on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Tickets to the home opener will go on sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 23, while season and group tickets are now available at orlando-pride.com/tickets or by calling (855) ORL-CITY.
GOALKEEPERS (2): Ashlyn Harris (FED-USA; NYR), Haley Kopmeyer
DEFENDERS (7): Monica Hickmann Alves, Poliana Barbosa Medeiros (NYR), Ali Krieger, Camila Martins Pereira, Carson Pickett, Toni Pressley, Shelina Zadorsky (FED-CAN; NYR)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Bridget Callahan (NRI), Kristen Edmonds, Alanna Kennedy (NYR), Christine Nairn, Emily van Egmond (NYR), Dani Weatherholt
FORWARDS (7): Danica Evans, Nadia Gomes (CDP), Rachel Hill, Sydney Leroux, Alex Morgan (FED-USA, NYR), Chioma Ubogagu, Marta Vieira da Silva
Key:
FED - 2018 Federation Player
CDP - 2018 NWSL College Draft pick
NRI - Non-Roster Invitee
NYR - Not Yet Reported to Camp
