Orlando Pride name Yolanda Thomas head coach, a first for the NWSL

sportsNov 12, 202616711

The Orlando Pride promoted Yolanda Thomas from interim to permanent head coach, the club announced Thursday, making her the first Black woman to hold a permanent head coach role in the NWSL’s 14-year history. Thomas began with the Pride as an assistant in March 2023 and took over as interim head coach on August 31 after Seb Hines departed. The Pride finished the regular season in 11th place and were eliminated from playoff contention on October 18. Thomas said she underwent the same rounds of interviews as outside candidates because she did not want the appointment questioned, and told The Athletic the club feels like home. Owner Mark Wilf said Thomas’s leadership, experience and character made her the strongest candidate to lead the club going forward. The article notes Thomas, Hines and former assistant Giles Barnes were central to the Pride’s 2024 NWSL Shield and championship season; Barnes left in late July and is now head coach at Al Qadsiah FC in the Saudi Women’s Premier League.

Jeff Kassouf

@jeffkassouf.bsky.social

BREAKING: The Orlando Pride have hired Yolanda Thomas as full-time head coach, the first Black woman with that role in #NWSL history. Thomas was interim coach since August and joined as an assistant in 2023. She was widely viewed as one of the top assistants in the NWSL.

200Yesterday

aardis.bsky.social1

Everything in this post is pure joy.

Quoting this

Eric Wahl11

Hearty congratulations to the very deserving Yolanda Thomas!

NWSL

@nwslsoccer.com

Orlando Pride announce Yolanda Thomas as permanent Head Coach. After helping lead the team to a Championship title as Assistant Coach in 2024, Thomas is now the first Black female Head Coach in league history. 💜

157Yesterday

Quoting this

Cynthia Hanrahan3

It’s about damn time there was a Black female head coach in the #NWSL

Kyle Foley3

I think she's a good coach and can be very successful in this league, but I don't understand why you fire your most successful coach in club history only to replace them with one of their assistants (and it's not like there was an uptick in form after the firing). Baffling.

Ninjahipypirate2

Yes! You love to see history being made!

Orlando Pride

@orlpride.com

A new era begins 📖 The Orlando Pride today announced the appointment of Yolanda Thomas as head coach, signing her to a multi-year agreement to become the fifth head coach in club history. 🔗 orlsoccer.co/HCYolanda

127Yesterday

Quoting this

Southern Sylvs 🍉 she/her68

LET'S GOOOOOOO! History for a damn good coach and person. Congratulations, Yolanda. I'm proud to know you.

PJ Green59

THE first Black woman to be named as head coach for an #NWSL team. 13 years in, we are here. Orlando going back to back with the first Black coach in the league, and now the first Black woman as HC.

andré57

the correct decision, she had the offense cookin (and largely without banda). if they get their defensive rebuild right they’ll be back to being a serious problem very soon.

Rui Pinto, count your days45

This is really historic! Congrats to Yolanda for becoming the first Black woman head coach in NWSL herstory!

Théo | Call the Eumenides26

WE HAVE A BLACK WOMAN AS A FULLY FLEDGED NWSL HEAD COACH

Riss Willett 🩷💜💙23

LETS GOOOOO!!! Black women we are up!!!

Justin Horneker10

Historic moment for the NWSL. And Orlando did look organized down the homestretch.

rachel4

i’m happy for yo, and this was necessary news. we’ve already surpassed the activity of last offseason so there’s that, but i wish they could have talked abello into hanging in

Jake3

Definitely rooting for Orlando on the side now

The Women's Game

@womensgamemib.bsky.social

Yolanda Thomas, first Black woman coach in NWSL 🖤 The Orlando Pride have named Yolanda Thomas as their head coach on a multi-year agreement. Thomas served as the Pride’s interim coach since August, becoming the first Black female head coach in the NWSL & now the first to do it on a permanent basis.

105Yesterday

SaÑdra💙💯⚽️

@sandraherrera.bsky.social

Lucked out into hearing Yolanda Thomas speak at a few coaches' conventions, which is always nice outside of NWSL settings, and what's so cool about her is that not only is she a great coach, but she's also an incredible person who helps others out. What an opportunity, one she's been ready for.

44Yesterday

Theo Lloyd-Hughes

@theolloydhughes.bsky.social

NEWS: Yolanda Thomas has been named the new head coach of the Orlando Pride, I spoke to her about her journey to making history as the first Black woman to be a head coach in the NWSL & what people can expect from her style of footy in 2027. 📰 ⤵️ www.thecutback.com/p/an-honour-...

34Yesterday

The Athletic | Football

@theathleticfc.bsky.social

Thomas’ coaching career with the Pride began as an assistant in 2023, before she was promoted to interim head coach in August this year www.nytimes.com/athletic/777...

15Yesterday

The Equalizer

@equalizersoccer.bsky.social

NEWS: The Orlando Pride have appointed Yolanda Thomas as head coach. The former assistant coach won the NWSL Shield and Championship with the club in 2024. She is the league's first Black woman to be named head coach. equalizersoccer.com/2026/11/12/o...

1022h ago

pumpkin spice kelsey

@whoaakelseyy.bsky.social

I want you to know how deeply it pains me to say this about Orlando but I have to hand it to the Pride on this good hire ok now I’m done complementing Orlando for the next calendar year

9Yesterday

WRMS Traffic & Weather Reporter on the 2’s

@carnegro.blacksky.app

Appreciate that even though she was in the interim role and has been with the club for a while, she went through the complete interview process just to make sure people wouldn’t minimize the achievement. Congrats to her. www.nytimes.com/athletic/777...

3Yesterday

X - The Mane Land

@themaneland.bsky.social

After finishing the 2026 season as interim head coach of the Orlando Pride, Yolanda Thomas now has the full-time gig. Here's what it means for the Pride and why the club can't afford for Thomas to not have success: themaneland.com/2026/11/12/o...

319h ago

The Cutback

@www.thecutback.com

There are many who weren’t able to walk through that door, but they paved the way for Yolanda Thomas to become the first Black woman to be hired as an NWSL head coach. She spoke to The Cutback about the historical milestone. thecutback.com/p/an-honour-trailblazer-yolanda-thomas 📸 Orlando Pride

2Yesterday

the_lion_of_anacostia 🦁

@digitalscorpyun.bsky.social

Yolanda Thomas is now the first Black woman permanently leading an NWSL team. Her sister's tragic passing left her with "no more footsteps to follow." She had to shape her own way. She knows what it means to see someone who looks like you, and win. #NWSL #YolandaThomas 🦁

122h ago

Loud & Proud Orlando

@lpopodcast.bsky.social

🚨 BREAKING: Yolanda Thomas is the new head coach of the Orlando Pride, PERMANENTLY 💜 The first Black woman ever appointed to a permanent head coach role in NWSL history. She already made history in August as the league's first Black female head coach (interim) The right call? #OrlandoPride #NWSL

1Yesterday

PjLarks⚜️💙💛♊️

@gemini-iam2.bsky.social

“The Orlando Pride have promoted Yolanda Thomas from interim to permanent head coach, the club announced Thursday. She is the first Black woman to serve in that role at any club in the 14-year history of the NWSL.”

17h ago

2 sources

nytimes.comOrlando Pride hire Yolanda Thomas as first permanent Black female head coach in NWSL thecutback.com‘An honour’: Trailblazer Yolanda Thomas reflects on being hired as Orlando Pride head coach

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Orlando Pride name Yolanda Thomas head coach, a first for the NWSL

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