Those who preach you can’t improve on success will be proved wrong by the Orlando Pride. The team plans to power up their record-setting club with new talent.
The organization made just the right move by signing their proven leader, team captain Marta, to a new two-year contract. Now they’ve begun building for the future with defender Zara Chavoshi. She’s fresh off a sterling collegiate career with Wake Forest University.
She’s the first player signed by the Pride right out of college since the NWSL removed the league draft.
Chavoshi is a brainy player. During her college work, she made the ACC Honor Roll in 2022, then came back the next year and made the All-ACC Academic Team.
She was just as high an achiever on the pitch. She was ranked the No. 20 player by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
The Orlando Pride and defender Zara Chavoshi have agreed to a one-year contract through the 2025 season, it was announced today. Chavoshi will serve as the first player the Pride have signed directly out of college, since the league’s removal of the NWSL Draft.
— Loud and Proud Orlando (@lpo_podcast) January 13, 2025
“Zara has… pic.twitter.com/MdGEOz5Wcj
She played 74 games in her college career, starting in all but four. She accumulated 6,341 minutes on the pitch.
While keeping up with her duties as a defender, she didn’t balk at finishing any offensive chances. She scored two goals plus four assists. She also made good on her only chance at a penalty kick. She also took 26 shots, 10 on target.
In her last season, she was the only player on the backline to start every match. She logged 2,152 minutes. With her teammates, the team had the fewest conceded goals in the ACC conference with seven, as well as the second-most clean sheets with five.
To cap off her senior year, she helped drive the Demon Deacons to the first National Championship match in their history.
Chavoshi will quickly earn her place on the Orlando Pride pitch due to her demonstrated drive for greater excellence. This organization relentlessly seeks the next highest plateau no matter how great their latest achievement.
What could the Orlando Pride seek to achieve after winning the NWSL Championship and Shield in 2024? Stay focused on them whenever they’re on the pitch in 2025 and you’ll see.