TORONTO — AFC Toronto added an important midfield piece Friday, acquiring Canadian international Victoria Pickett from the NWSL's North Carolina Courage on a season-long loan.
The 28-year-old from Barrie, Ont., was a finalist for NWSL Rookie of the Year in 2021 with the Kansas City Current before trades took her to Gotham FC (in August 2022) and North Carolina (in April 2023).
Pickett's first-ever NWSL goal helped expansion Kansas City to its first-ever NWSL win. She also scored on debut for North Carolina.
“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," Toronto sporting director Billy Wilson said in a statement. “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 one-vs.-one 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.”
For Pickett, it's the right time to go home.
Her role had changed at North Carolina and she was drawn by the new league back home.
The Courage had shifted her from her accustomed box-to-box midfield role, moving her to the wing with a couple of appearances up front as a forward.
"It was really difficult to adjust to," she said in an interview. "I've never played those positions, ever … So when the opportunity came up to be able to go on loan to AFC Toronto, I felt this was probably the right call for my development and my growth. And for North Carolina as well."
She appeared in 19 league outings for North Carolina in 2024 with one assist. Her contract with North Carolina expires at the end of 2025.
Kansas City selected Pickett in the second round (15th overall) of the 2021 NWSL draft out of the University of Wisconsin where she went from Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2015 to a first-team all-American in 2018.
She missed the entire 2019 collegiate season with a knee injury suffered during a tackle in a spring game. Then the pandemic wrecked the 2020 campaign
"I actually didn't think I was going to get drafted at all," Pickett said.
She credits Kansas City for helping her on her way to the pro ranks.
"They really believed in me when, honestly, my confidence was pretty low coming off the injury and everything like that," she said.
While she didn't want to leave Kansas City, Pickett said she loved the players and management at Gotham.
Having started her pro career with expansion Kansas City, Pickett is no stranger to helping build a franchise. She gets to do it again in the fledgling Northern Super League.
"I understand what it's like to be part of an organization from where it's really starting from the bottom up," she said.
On the international front, Pickett represented Canada at three FIFA youth tournaments (the 2012 U-17 World Cup in Azerbaijan and the 2014 and 2106 FIFA U-20 World Cups in Canada and Papua New Guinea, respectively).
Called into camp by the senior team on six occasions, Pickett made her senior debut in November 2021 against Mexico with her third and last cap coming in February 2022 against England.
She hopes that returning to her normal central midfield position and playing in Toronto will help her get back into the national team.
Away from the pitch, Pickett has been working as a mental health advocate and looking to break the stigma of mental illness for others. Her older brother Dylan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, died of a suspected drug overdose in August 2023. He was 28.
She hopes to work with the Canadian Mental Health Organization while in Toronto.
"I really want to be that mental health advocate for others, for people to realize they're not alone, that there will always be a team behind them and that there are resources available for them," she said.
The six-team Northern Super League kicks off April 16.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
