Olivia Moultrie signs three-year contract with Portland Thorns

img
Craig Mitchelldyer/Getty Images

15-year-old Olivia Moultrie is officially a Portland Thorn, having signed a three-year contract, the club announced Wednesday.

“We are pleased to have Olivia join our team,” said Thorns FC general manager and president of soccer Gavin Wilkinson in a release. “She has been part of this club since early 2019 and there have been many Thorns staff fully invested in her development.”

Moultrie began training with the Thorns during the 2019 season, turning pro at age 13 and signing an endorsement deal with Nike. She was prohibited from playing in the NWSL, however, due to a policy requiring players be at least 18 years of age.

Moultrie sued the NWSL and was granted a preliminary injunction, allowing her to sign a professional contract.

The Thorns acquired the rights to Moultrie from OL Reign, who held her rights as the first team on the NWSL Discovery Priority list, in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft.