ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 24, 2024) — The Orlando Pride and free agent Simone Charley have agreed to a contract that will see the forward join Orlando through the 2025 season, it was announced today. Charley comes to the Pride having been in the league since 2019, including stints with the Portland Thorns FC and Angel City FC.
“Simone is someone we have had on our radar for a while, and we are so happy she wants to join our team and be a part of what we are building here,” VP of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said. “She will provide an attacking spark to our front line and will undoubtedly cause problems for opposing back lines. We are thrilled to welcome Simone to Orlando and excited to see her on the field in a Pride kit."
“I am incredibly excited to be joining the Pride. The club’s strong coaching staff, talented roster and challenging training environment are all reasons I am thrilled to be a part of the Pride,” Charley said. “I am ready to push for the playoffs and a championship for Orlando!"
Charley originally entered the league after going undrafted and earning a contract as a non-roster invitee with the Portland Thorns. In her first season in 2019, she made 11 appearances with six starts and logged two assists, both of which came in her Providence Park debut. She made her professional debut on May 25, 2019, against Sky Blue FC.
The Boston native would then have a stint with Canberra United in the, then, Australian W-League, which is the topflight women’s league in Australia. While there, she played in 11 matches and recorded five goals and one assist. Charley returned to the Thorns for the 2021 season where she appeared in 20 matches and total five goals, helping her side win the NWSL Challenge Cup that season.
Charley joined Angel City FC ahead of its inaugural season in 2022. During her time in Los Angeles, she appeared in 22 matches and scored two goals for the club. She would also appear in her 50th career NWSL match that same season on October 2 against the Chicago Red Stars.
On an international level, Charley has represented the USWNT in multiple age groups and was named to the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team roster for the 2019 Nordic Tournament, where she scored in a 2-0 win over Norway.
Charley played collegiately at Vanderbilt University where she was the team’s top scorer and named First-Team All-SEC, scoring nine goals in her sophomore season. She would go on and lead the team in goals again her junior year with seven while also posting four assists, which earned her All-South Region First Team and Second Team All-SEC honors.
TRANSACTION: Orlando Pride signs forward Simone Charley to a two-year contract through the 2025 season.
Simone Charley
Position: Forward
Number: 18
Height: 5-8
Born: Feb. 4, 1995, in Boston, Mass.
Hometown: Hoover, Ala.
Citizenship: USA
