If that is the case, this could be a special year for the Pride. Nearly all of her teammates we spoke to this preseason mentioned how her physical play and tenacity inspired them to play harder and tougher. At the Pride Media Day she said she feels like the old Syd is back and that’s tremendous news for Orlando fans. Sydney wasted no time getting up to speed with her new team, scoring a goal in each of the Pride’s preseason matches and led the team in scoring. the USSF no longer covers her league salary), Leroux had to sign a deal with the club prior to the season, which she did. No longer an allocated player by the U.S. 2 in exchange for a 2019 first-round pick. The biggest name of the off-season acquisitions, Leroux was acquired from Utah on Feb. Orlando also added a few other key players who are expected to make an impact in 2018.
There were only two major losses in the off-season, with the trades of left back Steph Catley and forward Jasmyne Spencer to Seattle, but the Pride got good value in return and simultaneously filled the position Catley vacated by acquiring Carson Pickett in the deal. With several quality additions over the winter, the Pride seem poised to make another postseason run in 2018 and perhaps challenge for some hardware in the club’s third season. The 2018 NWSL season is about to begin and Tom Sermanni’s Orlando Pride welcome back the majority of last year’s playoff team that finished third overall in the regular season.