PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC defender Katherine Reynolds today announced her retirement. Reynolds retires after a decade in professional soccer, including five seasons (2016-20) with Thorns FC in the NWSL.
“Playing for the Portland Thorns has been a dream come true,” said Reynolds. “I am so thankful that Mark, Gavin and Merritt gave me the opportunity to be a part of this club for the past five years. I have played for many amazing teams in a lot of great cities all over the world throughout the past eleven years, but Portland is truly special. I am so lucky to have played for such a professional organization with high standards and expectations.
“To my teammates, every single one of you has made an impact on me, and I am fortunate that I got to play alongside and learn from so many incredible players throughout my career. And to the fans, thank you for making it so easy to fall in love with the city of Portland. This feeling is certainly bittersweet, but I am looking forward to this next chapter, and I will be a Thorns fan for the rest of my life.”
Reynolds, 33, appeared in 77 career matches with Portland, making 67 career starts across all competitions. She concludes her career with Thorns FC ranked eighth all-time in appearances (70), games started (61) and minutes played (5,626), helping Portland win an NWSL Shield in 2016 and an NWSL Championship in 2017. She also scored her first career NWSL goal in her 100th NWSL game with Thorns FC on May 30, 2018, against the North Carolina Courage.
“During her five seasons, Katherine embodied the qualities of the Thorns, helping set a strong standard with her professionalism and commitment as a key contributor on the field and in the locker room,” said Gavin Wilkinson, Thorns FC general manager and president of soccer. “We look forward to bringing her back to Providence Park so we can give her the proper sendoff that she deserves with our amazing fans and we wish her all the best in her next steps.”
From 2013-19, Reynolds appeared in 129 regular-season matches (120 starts), logging 10,817 minutes with the Western New York Flash (2013-14), Washington Spirit (2015) and Thorns FC. She concludes her career ranked ninth all-time in the NWSL in games played, 10th in minutes played and 11th in games started. In 2013, she helped lead Western New York to the NWSL Shield, starting and playing in 22 games while tallying two assists.
“Katherine poured her heart into this team and was an integral part of our success on the field over the last five seasons, leading by example and striving for excellence in everything she did,” said Thorns FC head coach Mark Parsons. “As a person, she made everyone around her better in so many ways and is loved by all. While we are going to miss her, I am excited to see what her next steps will be, knowing the entire Thorns family will be cheering for her.”
Following a standout collegiate career at Santa Clara, Reynolds began her professional career in Women’s Professional Soccer with the Philadelphia Independence in 2010 before signing with the Atlanta Beat for the 2011 season. She also played overseas in Germany and Australia.
