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Orlando Pride Announces Leadership Change as Head Coach Seb Hines Departs
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With only two months remaining in the season, the Orlando Pride has decided to part ways with head coach Seb Hines. The club made the announcement in a statement released on Monday, confirming that the decision is effective immediately.
In addition, goalkeeper coach Paul Crichton, who joined the team in 2023, has also been let go. Yolanda Thomas, currently the assistant coach, will step in as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
While the team did not specify the reasons behind Hines’ dismissal, Orlando Pride’s vice president of soccer operations and general manager Caitlin Carducci mentioned in the statement that it was time for a change in leadership.
“(Hines) will always have a special place in our history for helping lead the Pride to levels it had never reached before,” Carducci said. “However, as we look toward the Club’s long-term vision and future objectives, we believe that this is the appropriate time for a leadership change.”
Hines coached the team to a remarkable performance in 2024, leading the Pride to their first NWSL Championship while securing the NWSL Shield after a stellar regular season. This success marked a significant turnaround for the team, who had previously struggled to reach the playoffs, resulting in Hines being awarded the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year.
Last season fell short of expectations, with the Pride finishing fourth overall but being eliminated by the eventual champions Gotham FC in the semifinals. This season has proven challenging, with the team currently sitting in 12th place and out of playoff contention, prompting the front office to seek a new direction.
Hines joined the Pride in 2022 as head coach, but his association with the franchise dates back further, having played three seasons as a defender for the Pride’s sibling club, Orlando City, before retiring.
Notably, Hines was the first Black head coach in NWSL history. With his interim appointment, Thomas will become the first Black woman to lead an NWSL team, albeit in a temporary role.
This story will be updated.
With two months left in the season, the Orlando Pride are moving on from head coach Seb Hines: In a statement released Monday, the club announced that they have “parted ways” with Hines, effectively immediately.
Goalkeeper coach Paul Crichton, who has been with the team since 2023, has also been fired as part of the move. Assistant coach Yolanda Thomas will take over as the interim head coach for the rest of the season.
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The team did not provide a specific reason for the firing, though Orlando Pride vice president of soccer operations and general manager Caitlin Carducci said in the statement that they felt it was time to move on.
“(Hines) will always have a special place in our history for helping lead the Pride to levels it had never reached before,” Carducci said. “However, as we look toward the Club’s long-term vision and future objectives, we believe that this is the appropriate time for a leadership change.”
Hines is just two years removed from the Pride’s remarkable 2024 NWSL Championship run. The team easily clinched the NWSL Shield after a record-breaking regular season, breaking a streak of finishing just outside the playoffs. Orlando went on to win it all in the postseason too, becoming the first NWSL team in six years to earn the double. As a result, Hines was awarded the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year.
Last season was a bit of a letdown in comparison: Orlando finished fourth overall, but was stunned by eventual champions Gotham FC in the semifinals. But this season has been different, with the Pride languishing in 12th place, out of playoff position. Orlando’s front office, it seems, decided that enough was enough.
Though Hines joined Orlando as its head coach in 2022, his history with the franchise went longer than that: As a defender, Hines spent three seasons playing for the Pride’s brother club Orlando City before retiring as a player.
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With his hire, Hines became the first black head coach in the league’s history. Thomas will quietly become the first black woman to take the helm of an NWSL team, though as an interim.
This story will be updated.
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