Orlando Pride defender Carrie Lawrence retired after historic season | OneFootball

Defender Carrie Lawrence is retiring from the pros after a lifetime of service to soccer. She is a native of Orlando and played for the University of Central Florida. She lettered three years with 49 appearances, scoring four goals plus 11 assists. She was second team All-American Athletic Conference her senior year.

She came to the Orlando Pride as a training player in 2019.

Since then she has made 33 appearances, 23 of them starts. She executed two assists, one of them this season to Barbra Banda in a 4-1 victory of the North Carolina Courage.

To this day, she is remembered for her 2020 professional debut. She played 90 minutes of a 0-0 draw against North Carolina. She is credited for a key goal-line clearance in the match.

She is most known for the positive aura she shares with teammates. She also has been a great inspiration to all as she battled back from injuries and found ways to contribute to the club.

All that she and her teammates accomplished this season finished with both the NWSL Shield and the league championship. Along the way, they broke league and franchise records in a startling fashion that earned them a parade to Orlando City Hall.

Jul 27, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Pride defender Carrie Lawrence (12) greets fans after the match against Rayadas de Monterrey at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Lawrence earned her spot with her teammates in the record books, along with honors on the parade route.

Opponents played the Pride especially tough this season. Her talent for positive thinking and inspiration helped the team to overcome the opposition to the finish.

As she said during one particularly tough away game, she learned to enjoy the atmosphere. When faced with touch opposition, she stayed focused to learn and flip the conditions to get momentum on the side of her team.

We don’t know her future plans yet. But the Orlando Pride has momentum to continue their success next season thanks to the contributions of Carrie Lawrence.