ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 7, 2023) — The Orlando Pride and free agent Kylie Strom have agreed to a contract that will see the defender return to Orlando through the 2026 season, it was announced today. Strom is coming off one of her most productive seasons in the NWSL, leading the league in total tackles (80), tackles in the defensive third (50) and tackles plus interceptions (114).
“Kylie is coming off the best season of her professional career, a season in which she was one of the most underrated defenders in the league and we believe she deserves much more recognition than she’s received,” VP of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said. “It means a lot to us that she has not only seen what we are building here, but she has completely bought in to it and has chosen to stay in Orlando. She is a vital leader within the locker room and on the field, and we couldn’t be more excited to keep her onboard. Our goal is to build off last season’s success and ensuring her return was a key aspect of that.”
“I have said it since the beginning of last year, what we are building here throughout the Pride is really special,” Kylie Strom said. “I think the team that we have, from the players to the people, is all really exciting and I am just excited to continue to be a part of it. I think we can achieve a lot after coming up just short last year. Moving forward we have learned and grown and have a lot look forward to.”
Since joining the Pride in 2021, Strom has appeared in 58 matches across all competitions, making her Pride debut on July 9, 2021, in a 1-1 draw against Racing Louisville. She has scored two goals in her NWSL career, both as a member of the Pride, with the first in the 2022 season in the Pride’s historic match at Daytona Soccer Fest in a 2-2 draw also against Louisville and the latter coming last season, a game-winner over the Washington Spirit on May 20.
In the 2023 season, Strom was named to both the May and August NWSL Team of the Month and also finished the year second in dribbles past opponents (31) and third in total touches (1,556) in the NWSL. She ended the year with 1,967 minutes played during the regular season, which was the second-most minutes played on the team.
Prior to joining Orlando, Strom spent time overseas spending nearly two years with Atlético Madrid in Spain and Sparta Prague in the Czech First League.
The Boston University graduate originally joined the NWSL after signing with the Boston Breakers in August 2016 where she would appear in seven matches for the former side.
TRANSACTION: Orlando Pride signs defender Kylie Strom to a three-year contract through the 2026 season.
