Portland Thorns FC, Goalkeeper Bella Bixby Exercise Mutual Option for 2026 Season
PORTLAND, Ore. (June 21, 2025) – Portland Thorns FC announced today that it has reached a mutual agreement with goalkeeper Bella Bixby to exercise her option for the 2026 season.
“Bella has been an influential player for this Club for several years and we are pleased to have her join us for next season,” President and General Manager of Soccer Operations Jeff Agoos said. “She is a veteran voice in our young locker room whose presence strengthens our Club’s culture, and we look forward to her continued impact in Portland.”
Bixby will remain in Portland after equaling the club record for most regular season clean sheets (26), which is also sixth most in NWSL history. The 2021 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Finalist helped Portland secure its league-record third NWSL Championship in 2022 as well as the NWSL Shield and NWSL Challenge Cup in 2021.
“I am so excited to be spending another year in Portland,” Bixby said. “Not many players are fortunate enough to spend so many years with one club, let alone their hometown team. This club means so much to me and I’m incredibly proud to represent it for another season and continue chasing championships.”
A Milwaukie, Oregon native who played her collegiate soccer at Oregon State, the 29-year-old has become a major figure for her hometown club since being selected by Portland in the 2018 NWSL Draft. Bixby battled back from injuries during her first two professional seasons to earn her Thorns debut in 2020 and has gone on to register 66 matches with 190 saves in that span, 9th and 10th most in the NWSL respectively.
Her return to action after missing last season on maternity leave has seen the goalkeeper go unbeaten in four of six games played this season, playing a role in defending the Thorns current eight-match home unbeaten run.
Bixby is the longest tenured member on the active roster and serves as a veteran voice in Portland’s youthful locker room, a role she takes upmost pride in as the Thorns continue to build out its new chapter under RAJ Sports.
PORTLAND, Ore. (Saturday, August 15, 2026) – The Portland Thorns continued their impressive home form with a 2-1 win over Orlando Pride on Saturday when forward Caiya Hanks — who was making her return to the pitch after missing action for over a year with an ACL injury — scored a stoppage time winner to secure three points for the home side.
Both sides battled back and forth as they tried to search for the opening goal, with Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold making three saves to ensure the match remained level going into the halftime break.
The Thorns came out into the second half much more threatening in Orlando’s half and finally broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when forward Pietra Tordin laid the ball off to forward Deyna Castellanos, who from the top right corner of Orlando’s box placed the ball perfectly into the top left corner of the goal over the hands of Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.
The lead was short lived however when Arnold’s diving save to punch out a crossed ball in the 63rd minute ricocheted off the knees of Orlando forward Jacqueline Ovalle and rolled into the net to level things back up.
From there, Portland and Orlando continued in their fight to search for a second and despite several good looks at goal, the match remained level.
That would all change after Hanks — who subbed on in the 88th minute — curled the ball into the goal from outside the box in the 96th to send Providence Park into a frenzy as the Thorns secured three points and extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 matches, nine on the season.
UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns host Denver Summit FC for the first time at Providence Park on Saturday, August 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:45 pm PT on ION and 910 ESPN Portland. Purchase tickets for the match HERE.
TEAM NOTES
GOAL BREAKDOWN
First Half
N/A
Second Half
POR – Deyna Castellanos (Pietra Tordin) 58’
ORL – Jacqueline Ovalle 63’
POR – Caiya Hanks (M.A. Vignola) 90+6’
LINEUPS
Portland Thorns (4-2-3-1): Mackenzie Arnold (GK), M.A. Vignola, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze (Sam Hiatt 78’), Carolyn Calzada, Jessie Fleming-C, Nina Nijstad (Cassandra Bogere 85’), Pietra Tordin (Caiya Hanks 88’), Deyna Castellanos (Renee Lyles 78’), Marie Müller (Morgan Weaver 67’), Sophia Wilson
Subs not used: Morgan Messner (GK), Reyna Reyes, Shae Harvey, Mallie McKenzie
Orlando Pride (4-4-2): Anna Moorhouse (GK), Hailie Mace (Gabi Nunes 90+8’), Rafaelle (Zoe Matthews 89’), Cori Dyke, Oihane Hernández (Zara Chavoshi 76’), Solai Washington, Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon-C, Julie Doyle (Summer Yates 65’), Jacqueline Ovalle, Barbra Banda (Angelina 65’)
Subs not used: Cara Martin (GK), Cossette Morche, Luana, Nicole Payne
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR: N/A
ORL: Jacqueline Ovalle (Yellow) 40’, Julie Doyle (Yellow) 52’, Rafaelle (Yellow) 85’
MATCH STATS
POR | ORL
Goals: 2|1
Assists: 2|0
Possession: 51|49
Shots: 10|12
Shots on Target: 4|6
Saves: 5|2
Tackles: 16|16
Tackles Won: 9|11
Interceptions: 14|26
Fouls: 7|6
Offsides: 0|1
Corner Kicks: 0|6
ATTENDANCE: 19,106
Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Katarzyna Wasiak
Assistant Referee 2: Sarah Gaddes
4th Official: Justin St. Pierre
VAR: Danielle Chesky
Assistant VAR: Seun Yinka-Kehinde
Portland Thorns FC, Goalkeeper Bella Bixby Exercise Mutual Option for 2026 Season
PORTLAND, Ore. (June 21, 2025) – Portland Thorns FC announced today that it has reached a mutual agreement with goalkeeper Bella Bixby to exercise her option for the 2026 season.
“Bella has been an influential player for this Club for several years and we are pleased to have her join us for next season,” President and General Manager of Soccer Operations Jeff Agoos said. “She is a veteran voice in our young locker room whose presence strengthens our Club’s culture, and we look forward to her continued impact in Portland.”
Bixby will remain in Portland after equaling the club record for most regular season clean sheets (26), which is also sixth most in NWSL history. The 2021 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Finalist helped Portland secure its league-record third NWSL Championship in 2022 as well as the NWSL Shield and NWSL Challenge Cup in 2021.
“I am so excited to be spending another year in Portland,” Bixby said. “Not many players are fortunate enough to spend so many years with one club, let alone their hometown team. This club means so much to me and I’m incredibly proud to represent it for another season and continue chasing championships.”
A Milwaukie, Oregon native who played her collegiate soccer at Oregon State, the 29-year-old has become a major figure for her hometown club since being selected by Portland in the 2018 NWSL Draft. Bixby battled back from injuries during her first two professional seasons to earn her Thorns debut in 2020 and has gone on to register 66 matches with 190 saves in that span, 9th and 10th most in the NWSL respectively.
Her return to action after missing last season on maternity leave has seen the goalkeeper go unbeaten in four of six games played this season, playing a role in defending the Thorns current eight-match home unbeaten run.
Bixby is the longest tenured member on the active roster and serves as a veteran voice in Portland’s youthful locker room, a role she takes upmost pride in as the Thorns continue to build out its new chapter under RAJ Sports.
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