Bridget Callahan is officially a professional-soccer player, and she’ll be playing for her home-state team. The Orlando Pride signed the former University of Central Florida player as a national-team replacement player, the team announced Friday afternoon.
As a national-team replacement player, Callahan will join the Pride as an official player on their roster when one of the team’s national-team players departs for international play. During that period, the Hollywood, Florida, native will count against the team’s 20-player roster limit.
Furthermore, Callahan’s salary will not count toward the Pride’s cap when she is activated.
Upon return of the national-team players, Callahan will be released from the Pride but will still be allowed to train with the team. (For more information on national-team replacement players, click here.)
Callahan will be afforded the opportunity to play with the Pride during the team’s season opener on Saturday while Australian women’s national-team players Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond are away for 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers. Australia will next play the Thai women’s national team on Monday.
In four seasons with UCF, the 21-year-old recorded nine goals and two assists in 75 matches. She helped the Knights to a 13-2-3 record in her senior season last year, as top 10-ranked UCF managed an undefeated, 7-0-2 record in American Athletic Conference play.
UCF ultimately lost by way of penalty kicks to the USF Bulls in the conference-tournament final and fell to Washington State University in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
Orlando opens the National Women’s Soccer League season on Saturday against Utah Royals FC.
For more on the Pride, as they prepare for their first game of 2018, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.
