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Bella Bixby continues to be an example of grit and perseverance heading into her 8th season under contract with the Thorns. The 2021 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Finalist and Milwaukie, Oregon native stands as the longest-tenured player on Portland’s roster after being selected as a third-round draft pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft.
After a challenging start to her career in Portland battling injuries, Bixby became a mainstay in net for the Thorns between 2020-2023 to help the club lift its third NWSL Championship in 2022 as well as the 2021 NWSL Shield, 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup, 2021 Women’s International Champions Cup and 2020 NWSL Fall Series & Community Shield.
She’s etched her name in club and league history books for milestones like the longest consecutive shutout minutes in NWSL (269) and being eighth overall in league shutouts (24) as well as a club single-season clean sheet record (13) in 2021 and third-best goals against average (1.07).
After missing 2024 on maternity leave, Bixby has made her return to action and will look forward to once again fighting for her hometown team.
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