Abby Smith played for 2022 NWSL champion Portland Thorns. (Photo courtesy of Gotham FC)

Gotham FC Monday announced the signing of free agent goalkeeper Abby Smith to a three-year contact through the 2025 National Women’s Soccer League season.

The 29-year-old Smith joins Gotham FC after she was a part of the the 2022 NWSL champion Portland Thorns.

“I couldn’t be more excited about my decision to join Gotham FC,” Smith said in a statement. “This experience has been educational and empowering. I feel so fortunate to be amongst the first class of athletes in the NWSL to benefit from the new CBA’s free agency policy. Gotham FC made their feelings known immediately and I was so impressed by their support and professionalism throughout the entire process. This organization values its players and its community, and those two qualities are most important to me. I can’t wait to come to New Jersey and get to work on the field and in my new community.”

Since her selection by the Boston Breakers in the third round of the 2016 draft, Smith has played 56 matches for Boston, Utah Royals FC/Kansas City and Portland. Prior to her acquisition by Portland on Aug. 17, 2021, Smith’s clean sheet against OL Reign led Kansas City to its first victory in the NWSL. In 2019, she played for Western Sydney Wanderers FC in Australia on loan from Utah.

A native of Texas, Smith played four years at the University of Texas and has represented the United States on the Under-17, U-20, U-23 and senior national teams. In 2017, she was called up to the U.S. women’s national team for friendlies against Sweden and Norway.

“Our club is really pleased to welcome Abby Smith to Gotham FC,” Gotham FC general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West said in a statement. “Abby is a very talented and highly competitive goalkeeper. She’s an important addition for us.”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.