\u201cA job like this doesn\u2019t come open very frequently, with the team having the success that they\u2019ve had over the last couple years,\u201d Carducci told The Athletic on Monday. \u201cOften, these types of roles open up because of a lack of success or feeling like a team might need to go in another direction. That\u2019s not the case here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carter, the Pride\u2019s outgoing GM, was considered one of the best general managers in the NWSL. She helped rebuild the Pride into a Championship-winning team in her three years with the club. The club won the NWSL Shield and championship in 2024. She described the move to Washington as an opportunity she could not refuse.<\/p>\n
Last year, the Pride made it to the NWSL semifinals, despite losing star forward Barbra Banda to injury halfway through the year<\/a>. Like the Current, they were eliminated by Gotham, the eventual 2025 champions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got a great foundation, a great roster, a great group of people,\u201d Carducci said, of the Pride. \u201cBeing able to come and just be additive to that and refine some of the processes that are in place as we continue to fight for a championship was really attractive.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Orlando has been without a GM since November, after Haley Carter left the club for the Washington Spirit. (Denny Medley \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n With Carducci, the Pride are bringing in a general manager capable of transforming an NWSL club into one of the best teams in the league. She first joined the Current in 2023 as player of soccer operations, before being named interim GM in May 2024. She was hired on a permanent basis later in the year. While at the club, Carducci helped acquire top stars, including goalkeeper Lorena and USWNT rising star Ally Sentnor. She also negotiated contract renewals for notable players, including two-time Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga.<\/p>\n Her experience extends well beyond her time at the Current. She is a former collegiate player and coach who spent a collective seven years with U.S. Soccer. She also previously worked for the NWSL as its director of player affairs, helping develop programs and regulations that yielded an influx of global players into the NWSL.<\/p>\n \u201cCaitlin is a proven leader whose experience across every level of women\u2019s soccer and history of building championship-caliber rosters set her apart,\u201d Orlando Pride owner and chairman Mark Wilf said in a statement. \u201cShe emerged as the clear choice in our search with her deep expertise, strong reputation and a vision that aligns with our culture. Caitlin is the ideal person to elevate the strong foundation we have established and position the Pride for sustained success.\u201d<\/p>\n Carducci\u2019s experience is invaluable as Orlando turns the page on 2025.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/USATSI_24823523-scaled.jpg\")
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