Brianna Martinez

Brianna Martinez
Martinez with the Orlando Pride in 2024
Personal information
Full name Brianna Cathleen Martinez[1]
Date of birth (2000-04-22) April 22, 2000[2]
Place of birth Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[2]
Position(s) Right back
Team information
Current team
 Carolina Ascent
(On loan from Orlando Pride)
Youth career
New Mexico Rush
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 91 (2)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Orlando Pride 22 (0)
2025– → Carolina Ascent (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2015–2016 United States U-16
2017–2018 United States U-18
2017 United States U-19 2 (0)
2018–2020 United States U-20 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of July 2, 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 8, 2020

Brianna Cathleen Martinez (born April 22, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right back for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent, on loan from the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish before signing with the Pride, where she was a part of the team that won the league double in 2024. She represented the United States at the youth international level.

Early life and college career

Martinez was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[2] She played club soccer for New Mexico Rush and was ranked as one of the top prospects of the class of 2019.[3] She played four years of high school soccer at Volcano Vista High School.[4]

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Martinez was a five-year starter for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, making 91 appearances from 2018 to 2022. She captained the team during her last two years and scored her only two collegiate goals as a senior in the 2021 season.[4] In the 2022 season, she helped lead the Fighting Irish to the quarterfinals of the NCAA championship.[5] She was placed in the final spot for postseason penalty shoot-outs in her last two seasons and converted kicks to defeat Purdue in the 2021 NCAA second round and Pittsburgh in the 2022 ACC first round.[6][7]

Club career

Orlando Pride

Martinez was drafted 17th overall by Racing Louisville FC in the 2023 NWSL Draft but did not sign with the club. She was invited to train with the Orlando Pride as a non-rostered player in the 2023 preseason and agreed to a one-year contract with an option for an additional year.[8] She made her professional debut on April 23, coming on as an 84th-minute substitute for Haley McCutcheon in a 2–0 loss to the Kansas City Current.[9] She made her first start on May 10, playing the full 4–2 loss to the Washington Spirit in the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup.[10] During her rookie season, she made eight regular-season appearances and played in four games (three starts) in the Challenge Cup.[11] After the season, the Pride exercised her player option.[12]

Martinez made her first regular-season start on March 22, 2024, playing the full 1–1 draw at center back against Angel City FC.[13] She became a regular starter at right back in the early part of the season except when center back Rafaelle was healthy and pushed Emily Sams to Martinez's position.[14] On June 25, her contract was extended to the end of the 2025 season.[15] On July 21, she suffered a non-contact injury to her left leg during the game against the North Carolina Courage in the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.[14][16] After the injury, she did not play for the remainder of the season but appeared on the bench for several games. Orlando was undefeated during her 13 regular-season games (8 starts).[17] The Pride went on to win its first titles in club history, lifting both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship trophies.[18]

Carolina Ascent (loan)

On July 2, 2025, it was announced that Martinez would join USL Super League club Carolina Ascent on loan for the rest of the calendar year.[19]

International career

Martinez was called into training camps with the United States under-16 and under-17 national teams in 2015 and 2016 was recognized among the Best XI of an under-16 international friendly tournament.[20] She played friendlies for the under-18 and under-19 teams in 2017.[21] She stayed with the under-18s the following year before being called up to the under-20 team.[22] While in college, she was selected to the roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, which the United States won.[23] She was called up to play friendlies with the under-23 team against NWSL clubs in the 2022 preseason.[24]

Career statistics

As of March 14, 2025
Club Season League Cup[a] Playoffs[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Orlando Pride 2023 NWSL 8 0 4 0 — — 12 0
2024 13 0 — 0 0 1[c] 0 14 0
2025 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
Career total 21 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 26 0
  1. ^ Includes NWSL Challenge Cup
  2. ^ Includes NWSL playoffs
  3. ^ Includes the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup

Honors

Orlando Pride

References

  1. ^ "University of Notre Dame Commencement Official" (PDF). Notre Dame University. p. 60. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Brianna Martinez". Orlando Pride. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  3. ^ "2019 Girls IMG Academy 150 rankings debut". TopDrawerSoccer. July 13, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Brianna Martinez". Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  5. ^ Post, J.J. (November 26, 2022). "Irish season ends to Tar Heels in NCAA quarterfinals". The Observer. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  6. ^ "Irish Advance Past Purdue in Penalty Kicks, 4-3". Notre Dame Fighting Irish. November 19, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  7. ^ "No. 3 Irish Advance in PK Shootout Over No. 6 Pitt". Notre Dame Fighting Irish. October 30, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  8. ^ Rollins, Sean (March 29, 2023). "Orlando Pride Sign Defenders Tori Hansen and Brianna Martinez". The Mane Land. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  9. ^ "Match report: Orlando Pride falls on the road to Kansas City Current". Orlando Pride. April 23, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  10. ^ "Match report: Orlando Pride falls in Challenge Cup play at Washington". Orlando Pride. May 10, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  11. ^ Rohe, David (October 26, 2023). "2023 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Brianna Martinez". The Mane Land. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  12. ^ Rollins, Sean (November 20, 2023). "Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2023 NWSL Season". The Mane Land. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  13. ^ "Match Report: Marta's Late Goal Helps Pride to 1-1 Draw Against Angel City FC". Orlando Pride. March 22, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Rollins, Sean (December 7, 2024). "2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Brianna Martinez". The Mane Land. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  15. ^ Rollins, Sean (June 24, 2024). "Orlando Pride Sign Defender Brianna Martinez to New Two-Year Deal". The Mane Land. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  16. ^ "2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Brianna Martinez". The Mane Land. December 7, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  17. ^ "Brianna Martinez 2024 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Orlando Pride win 2024 NWSL Championship, bringing first professional, major league trophy to the City of Orlando". NWSL. November 25, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "Orlando Pride loans two players heading into second half of the season". Orlando Pride. July 2, 2025. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  20. ^ "U15, U16 GNTs head to Portland for camp". United States Soccer Federation. June 1, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
    "U.S. U17 WNT heads to NTC in California". United States Soccer Federation. September 15, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
    Yort, Caroline (June 20, 2016). "2018 Girls IMG Academy 150 Spring Update". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  21. ^ "U19 WNT roster named for China tournament". United States Soccer Federation. August 31, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
    Shealer, Sheldon (July 24, 2018). "HS Girls: TDS Fall All-American". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  22. ^ "Five Things to Know About the 2018 Women's Nike International Friendlies". United States Soccer Federation. December 5, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  23. ^ "USA Rolls Past Mexico 4–1 to Win 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship". United States Soccer Federation. March 8, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  24. ^ "U.S. U23 WNT roster for Thorns tournament". United States Soccer Federation. February 23, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
  25. ^ NWSL (October 7, 2024). "Orlando Pride Claims 2024 NWSL Shield". NWSL. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
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