Oregon’s only professional women’s soccer team has re-signed star midfielder Olivia Moultrie, who drew international fame four years ago as the youngest woman to enter American pro soccer.
FILE - United States' Olivia Moultrie (13) during the first half of an international friendly women's soccer match, Oct. 26, 2025, in East Hartford, Conn.
Jessica Hill / AP
The Portland Thorns said Moultrie’s contract will now extend through 2029. The announcement comes days after the Thorns secured a spot in the playoffs, the club’s 11th time making the postseason.
“I want to be the best player in the world someday,” Moultrie said during a Tuesday press conference in Portland. “Those are my goals and this club is behind me in that, and that’s part of why I want to be here — and I want to be somewhere where we can win.”
The 20-year-old was U.S. Soccer’s Young Player of the Year in 2023. Moultrie also made 10 appearances with the national team, recently scoring a pair of goals in a 3-1 victory over Portugal.
Her commitment to Portland comes as women’s sports are rapidly growing in popularity. The owners of the Thorns, investment firm Raj Sports, are working to brand Oregon as the epicenter of women’s sports, as they’re launching a WNBA team in Portland ahead of next season. Both the NWSL and WNBA are adding teams as attendance and viewership continue to climb for both leagues.
Moultrie signed with the Thorns in 2021, at 15, after suing the NWSL over a rule prohibiting players under 18. At the time, she was the youngest player in the league.
Moultrie has appeared in 95 NWSL matches with the Thorns, including 65 starts, scoring 18 goals with 11 assists.
“Looking towards the future, I feel like Portland gives me the opportunity to continue to grow into the player that I want to be long term,” Moultrie said. “I feel like we are just set up in a place that, obviously, the city and the culture here, it revolves around soccer.”
Moultrie leads the Thorns with eight goals this season and has appeared in 26 games with 24 starts. Portland finished third in the league standings and made the playoffs for the ninth straight season.
The Thorns, who won league championships in 2013, 2017 and 2022, will host the San Diego Wave in a quarterfinal match on Sunday.
“We are thrilled to extend Olivia as a Thorn for the foreseeable future,” said Jeff Agoos, Portland’s president and general manager. “We have seen her playing arc see tremendous growth over the course of her development in Portland. Her on-field capabilities, her sheer competitiveness, and the maturity off the pitch has established her as one of our nation’s brightest young stars.”
Moultrie was also awarded the 2025 Supporters Player of the Year by the Rose City Riveters, Portland’s supporters group.
