Women's Soccer Weekly

Meet Maddy Evans

​

Amidst a row of flashy neon cleats in the Orlando Pride locker room sits one lonely pair of all black boots. Non-descript, but just as functional as their eccentric counterparts.  In many ways, it is the perfect metaphor for the role that their owner Maddy Evans, a professional soccer player for the Orlando Pride, fills on a team full of international stars.

 

Evans, a 25-year old midfielder, has long been known as a hard working player on the field, and a genuinely kind and giving person off of it. This reputation, equal parts grit and genuine, competitive and compassionate, appears to have been cultivated through her Pennsylvania roots, and now positively impacts soccer fields around the world.

​

Pennsylvania Born and Bred

 

Evans was born and raised in Philadelphia- a city with a colorful blend of working class neighborhoods and academic institutions. The City of Brotherly Love, as it is known, is just as much Ben Franklin as it is Rocky Balboa. And in many ways, it is a region that Evans epitomizes with her tireless work ethic on the field, and her purposeful endeavors off of it.

 

Evans played her college soccer at Penn State, a university 90 minutes west of the City. Her path to the soccer powerhouse was paved with hard work and dedication- a trait that Erica Dambach (formerly Walsh); the ultra-successful head coach of the Penn State Women’s Soccer team saw in Evans.

​

“When my assistant and I took over the program…we were looking for players with the technique and tactics to execute the game plan, but that also had enough fire and fight in them,” Dambach recalled “and Maddy basically embodied all of those characteristics.”

 

Evans had a solid soccer career at Penn State, finishing with eleven goals and nine assists. Impressively, Evans was captain of 2012 squad that made it to the NCAA College Cup before being defeated by the University of North Carolina in the championship game. Ultimately, her career at Penn State took her to the NWSL, where she played her first three pro seasons with the Boston Breakers before being picked up by the Orlando Pride.

 

Soccer Without Borders

​

During her time at Penn State, Evans was able to demonstrate her trademark generosity by volunteering for Soccer Without Borders, a non-profit that strives to use soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing under-served youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success. Since SWOB is based in Boston, Evans was about to continue her commitment to the organization while playing for the Breakers.

​​

"Maddy has been such an inspiration to the girls at Soccer Without Borders." SWOB Founder and Executve Director Mary McVeigh, a Penn State grad herself said. "she recognizes the incredible platform that she has as a professional athlete to inspire and lead, and we are so fortunate that she continues to share her talent, passion, and

kindness with Soccer Without Borders participants and coaches."

​

Joining the Orlando Pride

​

As an expansion side, Orlando filled its roster, in part, with existing NWSL players through the Expansion Draft. The rules only allowed each team to protect a certain number of players, and Evans did not make the cut with the Boston Breakers. Luckily, the Orlando Pride were quick to scoop Evans up, and Sermanni has been delighted with Evans as a player, and as a person. "Evans is a fantastic player!" Sermanni said in his Scottish accent, "she comes into training everyday and puts in a good shift."

​

Facing her old team

​

This Sunday the Orlando Pride will face the Boston Breakers for the first time, which means that Maddy Evans will face the Boston Breakers for the first time. For some players, return to face an old team it is bitter. For Orlando Pride midfielder Maddy Evans, it is a mixture of friend and foe.

​

"I'm excited," Evans says, "I had a lot of great friends on that team that I'm excited to see but we won't be friends come Sunday."

​

Sunday will also mark the first time that Orlando will be without the full complement of their international stars. For many Orlando Pride fans, that means their favorite player will be missing from the squad.  If any fans out there are seeking a new star to cheer on, we suggest the player with the all black boots. She is worthy of the spotlight.

​

For more information on Soccer Without Borders, please visit www.soccerwithoutborders.org

​

​