ORLANDO, Fla. (May 28, 2025) — The Orlando Pride (6-3-1, 19 points) and forward Simone Jackson have agreed to a contract through the 2028 season, it was announced today. Jackson joins the Pride after a four-year career at the University of Southern California and spending some time with the Club in the 2025 preseason.
“We are thrilled to welcome Simone Jackson to the Orlando Pride family through 2028. Her versatility, technical ability, and quickness immediately impressed our technical staff, but it's her character and personality that truly make her a perfect fit for our culture,” VP of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said. “Simone represents exactly the kind of player and person we want to invest in as we build the future of this Club. Her signing reflects our commitment to bringing in talent that will help us compete at the highest level while embodying the values that make the Pride special."
"I'm incredibly excited and honored to join the Orlando Pride. From the moment I arrived, I felt the special culture this club has built and knew this was where I wanted to be,” Simone said. “The vision the coaching staff shared with me aligns perfectly with my goals as a player, and I can't wait to contribute on the field and connect with our amazing fans. Orlando has such a rich soccer community, and I'm thrilled to call this city home for the next chapter of my career. I'm ready to put in the work every day to help bring championships to this club and make an impact both on and off the field."
Jackson finished her collegiate career with 75 matches played, 22 goals scored, and 13 assists during her four years at USC. In her senior year in 2024, she played a career-high 1,304 minutes for the Trojans and scored six goals, which was the second most on the team and tied her single-season career high. Jackson added two assists to her season total, earning her All-Big Ten Third Team and Academic All-District honors.
In 2023, the forward finished with five goals in 15 matches played and was named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team. That season, 20 of her 39 shots were on target, which was the second-best shot accuracy in the Pac-12.
As a sophomore in 2022, Jackson started all 16 games she appeared in, missing only the two opening games of the season after competing at the U-20 World Cup with the U.S. Youth National Team. She finished the season second on the team with 15 total points, netting six goals while adding three assists. That year, the Redondo Beach, Calif. native was named to the All-Pacific Region First Team and All-Pac-12 First Team.
In her freshman year, Jackson appeared in all 20 games for the Trojans, starting 8 contests and recording five goals and eight assists to finish third on the team with 18 total points. The eight assists were the second most on the team and the fifth most in the conference. In her first season, Jackson earned a spot on the All-Pac-12 Second Team and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.
On an international level, Jackson has been in the U.S. Youth National Team system since her U-14 days in 2016 and has been invited to numerous training camps at every level. She also represented the USWNT at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
TRANSACTION: Orlando Pride signs forward Simone Jackson through the 2028 season.
Simone Jackson
Position: Forward
Number: 35
Height: 5-4
Born: Jan 28, 2003, in Redondo Beach, Calif.
Hometown: Redondo Beach, Calif.
Citizenship: USA
