Ahead of the start of the 2019 preseason, the Orlando Pride began solidifying their roster with players from last season’s team.
On March 4, the Pride announced five players inked new contracts: goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer, defender Toni Pressley, and forwards Rachel Hill, Danica Evans and Camila Martins Pereira.
“We are happy to be bringing Haley, Toni, Camila, Rachel and Danica back to Orlando this season,” first-year Pride General Manager Erik Ustruck said, per the release. “All five players have played an important piece in contributing to the club over their previous seasons, and we expect all of them to play significant roles, both on and off the field, this upcoming year.”
Kopmeyer joined the Pride last season via a five-player trade with then-Seattle Reign FC. She started three matches for Orlando in 2018 — two against her former club — making 14 saves, including a Week 10 National Women’s Soccer League Save of the Week in a 0-0 draw with Seattle.
With Seattle, Kopmeyer recorded 185 saves and 11 clean sheets across 46 matches in five seasons.
As for Pressley, she’s been a mainstay for the Pride since their inaugural season in 2016. Since then, she has appeared in 43 matches, starting 34 of them, and has notched two goals and an assist.
Her 2017 goal in a 4-1 victory over FC Kansas City on July 15, 2017, was the Week 13 NWSL Goal of the Week.
Hill is entering her third season with the Pride. She started seven of her 21 appearances in 2018, scoring four goals, three off the bench. In her rookie season, the UConn Huskies alumna scored three goals while starting eight of her 14 appearances. Hill’s first professional goal was a game-winner in a 3-2 win over Sky Blue FC on June 28, 2017.
The 23-year-old is coming off her second season with Perth Glory FC of Australia’s W-League in which she scored six goals and led the league with seven assists. Perth finished as the runner-up in the league’s grand final.
Evans also returns to Orlando for her third season in purple. Last season, she played 49 minutes across five games, drawing five fouls.
The third-round, No. 22-overall pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft made 12 appearances her rookie season, scoring the Pride’s first-ever goal in Orlando City Stadium in a 1-1 draw with the Washington Spirit on April 22, 2017.
Camila makes her return to the Pride after playing a shortened season last year after suffering an ACL tear and MCL sprain in her right knee in the 2017 regular-season finale. In 2018, the 23-year-old Brazilian returned to the pitch in early July, starting three of her nine-straight appearances.
Her first season with the Pride in 2017 was a career year for her, as she played in all 24 matches while starting 22 of them. The midfielder-turned-forward scored four goals, including two NWSL Goals of the Week, and five assists in 1,900 minutes.
“I am personally delighted that the players have signed for the new season,” new Pride boss Marc Skinner said, per the release. “We’re really excited to finally get started. From now on, it’s a matter of a collective effort to challenge and continually improve every day. It’s the start of something really exciting for everyone involved.”
The Pride will open their preseason competitions with a friendly against the defending NWSL champions, the North Carolina Courage, on March 23.
For more on the Pride, as they prepare for their fourth NWSL season under a new head coach, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com, or you can tweet at him.
