Soccer swoop: UNF graduate Thais Reiss signs with NWSL's Orlando Pride
Thais Reiss is officially swooping into the National Women's Soccer League.
The former University of North Florida midfielder signed Saturday with the NWSL's Orlando Pride, officially marking the start of her professional soccer career. Her contract continues through at least the end of the 2022 NWSL season, which would extend for 15 games.
Reiss began training with the Pride in February, providing several goals and assists during preseason, but had to wait four months as a training player until a roster berth opened up for her.
As a native of Curitiba, Brazil, the 22-year-old would occupy one of the Pride's international roster slots. NWSL teams in 2022 are capped at five players in international slots, an increase from four in 2021.
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At UNF, Reiss entered the record books as a giant in Ospreys soccer history. She scored 42 goals and collected 18 assists with the Ospreys, winning ASUN first-team honors in four years and capturing the conference's player of the year award in 2020. She also represented Brazil's national team in 2018 at the Under-20 World Cup in France.
Reiss joins a Pride squad currently enduring a period of turbulence. The team stands 10th in the 12-team NWSL and is currently without head coach Amanda Cromwell and assistant coach Sam Greene, both placed on administrative leave Tuesday amid an investigation. Star Brazilian attacker Marta, who has scored 115 career goals for Brazil's national team, is sidelined for the remainder of the NWSL season because of a knee injury,
Among the most prominent teammates for Reiss on the Orlando roster will be veteran U.S. women's national team striker Sydney Leroux.
The Pride's next game in Florida is scheduled for July 3, when the club takes on Louisville at Daytona International Speedway.
Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Thais Reiss of UNF joins National Women's Soccer League's Orlando Pride
