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AFC Toronto Signs Canadian International Victoria Pickett on Loan from North Carolina Courage

February 4, 2025 - Northern Super League (NSL)
AFC Toronto News Release


Toronto, ON - AFC Toronto is proud to announce the signing of Canadian Women's National Team midfielder Victoria Pickett from National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club North Carolina Courage on a season-long loan for an undisclosed fee.

The Barrie, Ont. native returns North eager to play a pivotal role in establishing AFC Toronto as one of the leading clubs in the Northern Super League and to be part of Canadian sport history.

Over the last two seasons, Pickett featured in 29 regular-season games for the Courage and appeared in eight cup competitions, including winning the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup. Before her chapter in North Carolina, she represented NJ/NY Gotham FC and Kansas City Current.

"I am thrilled to sign with AFC Toronto and play a part in something legendary for future Canadian generations because the Northern Super League was far from overdue," said Pickett on joining the club. "AFC Toronto's vision for their project was extremely enticing to me, not only from a technical aspect on the field, but also their plans for community engagement, and to finally have a professional women's soccer league come to fruition is fantastic."

Signing with AFC Toronto gives Pickett another opportunity to play a leading role in developing a new club from the ground up-something she succeeded in doing with Kansas City in 2021.

As the newest expansion franchise in the NWSL, the Current selected Pickett 15th overall in the NWSL Draft from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She became a statement player for the club, scoring the only goal for the franchise's first-ever NWSL victory (1-0 over OL Reign) and being one of three finalists for the 2021 NWSL Rookie of the Year.

"I have played alongside some of the best players in the game and I'm hoping to lead by example with AFC Toronto," added Pickett. "Thanks to my time with Kansas City, I understand what it means to go through a brand-new building process and establish something great. I can't wait to pull from my experiences in the NWSL and with Canada to give my all in this exciting new chapter."

"Victoria is a fantastic addition to AFC Toronto. She has excelled in the NWSL, particularly with Kansas City, where she regularly played in central areas," said Billy Wilson, AFC Toronto's Sporting Director. "She's a player with pace and the ability to break lines, especially when driving with the ball. In possession, she'll add an extra dimension to our midfield, while defensively, she's relentless and dominant in 1-v-1 situations. Above all, Victoria is passionate about coming back to Canada to build this club and the league. She will bring so much to AFC Toronto, both on and off the field, and we're delighted to welcome her home."

The midfielder's accolades also extend to the international stage, having represented Canada at the youth and senior level.

Pickett notably participated in the U-17 and U-20 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2015 Pan-American Games. Additionally, she won silver medals at the Concacaf Women's Under-17 Championship and the Concacaf Women's Under-20 Championship. Pickett later made her full Canadian Women's National Team debut against Mexico in November 2021.

Additional career accolades include being named the Big Ten Conference's Freshman of the Year in 2015 and being a semi-finalist for the 2018 Hermann Trophy, an award honouring the collegiate national player of the year in the United States.

AFC Toronto is eager to continue sharing exciting updates ahead of the Northern Super League kickoff in April. Supporters can expect additional announcements to arrive in the near future.

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