The National Women’s Soccer League announced the allocated players for the 2018 season on Feb. 15, and three Orlando Pride players were on the list.
Forward Alex Morgan and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris of the United States women’s national team and defender Shelina Zadorsky of the Canadian women’s national team were named as the federation players for the Pride’s upcoming season.
Morgan and Harris, who were with the team in its inaugural 2016 season, are returning for their third seasons with the Pride while Zadorsky enters her first in Central Florida.
Despite playing on loan with Olympique Lyonnais for the beginning half of the 2017 NWSL season, Morgan recorded the best stats of her NWSL career. Last season, she tallied 9 goals and 4 assists in just 13 games.
The 28-year old was named the 2017 CONCACAF Female Player of the Year, secured a spot on the NWSL Second XI and was named the NWSL Player of the Month in August.
Harris was sidelined with an injury for 11 games last season but still helped lead the Pride to their first-ever playoff appearance. As the captain for the Pride last season, Harris ended the regular season with a 5-0-2 record in goal and earned NWSL Save of the Week honors six times.
Zadorsky, who was acquired in a trade with the Washington Spirit, will be subsidized by the Canadian Soccer Association for the third-straight season. The defender appeared in 34 matches for Washington over the past two seasons, also appearing in the 2016 NWSL Championship match.
The Pride have also retained the rights to defender Ali Krieger and first-year Pride forward Sydney Leroux, who will not be allocated for the 2018 season. Leroux was acquired via trade with FC Kansas City on Feb. 2.
For more on the Pride, as they begin preseason, follow Sarah Kelliher on Twitter at @sarahkelliher4.
