ORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 8, 2019) - Orlando Pride has signed veteran defender Julie King, the Club announced today. King will join the team immediately, and will be available for Saturday’s match against the Houston Dash. Per team and league policies, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We are excited to have Julie join us, as she is both an experienced player and knows the NWSL very well,” Orlando Pride General Manager Erik Ustruck said. “Not only does her addition add some needed depth to our backline, but Julie’s personality and leadership fits perfectly into the culture we are looking to build here in Orlando. We are very happy to have her as a member of the Club.”
King, 29, joins the Pride from the North Carolina Courage, who selected her with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 NWSL Dispersal Draft from the Boston Breakers. The St. Louis native, however, was sidelined throughout her time in North Carolina due to ankle surgery and was later waived on July 18 without making an appearance for the Courage.
Prior to the Breakers ceasing operations, King was a stalwart at the back for the Massachusetts-based side, joining the team during the 2012 WPSL-Elite season and playing each season of its NWSL tenure. Overall, King ended her career with the Breakers as the club’s all-time appearance leader - surpassing U.S. WNT legend Kristine Lilly for the title - and totaled 95 NWSL appearances in Boston.
Over five NWSL seasons, from 2013-17, King scored six goals and added three assists.
King is a 2011 graduate of Auburn University. As a Tiger, King made 89 appearances, 87 of them starts, and was named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year following her senior campaign. King was also named to the All-SEC First Team in each of her junior and senior seasons.
Julie King
Position: Defender
Number: 21
Height: 5-9
Born: Oct. 21, 1989 in St. Louis, Mo.
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.
College: Auburn University
Citizenship: USA
How Acquired: Signed via Discovery on August 8, 2019
