Sophia Smith’s young career will continue to blossom in Portland as she agreed to a three-year contract extension. The extension guarantees the 21-year-old forward will remain in the Rose City through the 2024 season.
“Soph has been wonderful to get to know,” Thorns FC head coach Rhian Wilkinson said. “She is a young player who already has a good level of experience in the league, and that experience has given her a new level of confidence going forward into this new season.”
In just two years, Smith has established herself for Portland. In her 31 appearances (24 starts), she has racked up eight goals and an assist. Smith, a Stanford alum, was the first teenager to be drafted in NWSL history at the age of 19. Her performances in college led her to be the first pick in the 2020 NWSL draft.
“What she brings to the game on the field is an ability to score goals, but she also adds much more,” Thorns FC GM Karina LeBlanc said. “It is what she brings to our team culture, the community, who she is as a person, that is what we want from a Thorns player. In looking at the team now, but also into the future, keeping her in Portland was a top priority.”
Smith has also represented the U.S. Women’s National Team. In 2022, she played in all three matches of the SheBelieves Cup, helping the U.S. to an impressive 2-0-1 record. In her 13 appearances with the USWNT, she has had one goal and three assists.
With Smith remaining in Portland for the foreseeable future, the Thorns have continued to construct a team that will have success for years to come.
