HARRISON, NJ (Saturday, July 1, 2023) – Gotham FC today announced the signing of midfielder Taylor Otto and forward Cyera Hintzen as National Team Replacement Players (NTRP), who are available to the club for roster selection.
“I’m excited to join Gotham FC and the great environment that they have created here,” said Otto. “I feel lucky to be a part of it, and I’m looking forward to contributing to the club.”
Otto signs with Gotham FC after starring for Scottish Women's Premier League side Celtic during the 2022 season, where she made 27 league appearances and scored two goals.
A native of Apex, N.C., Otto has previous National Women’s Soccer League experience as well. The midfielder was selected by Racing Louisville as the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. She appeared in the season opener of her rookie season with Racing, and went on to earn nine appearances, including three starts, despite a knee injury that kept her out of competition for two months.
In the collegiate ranks, Otto was a member of the perennial powerhouse at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she appeared in back-to-back national championships (2018, 2019), with the Tarheels finishing as runners-up in both NCAA College Cup title games.
Also joining the club as an NTRP with previous professional playing experience is forward Cyera Hintzen.
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” said Hintzen. “This is my first time playing on a team back home in the U.S., and I’m really excited to learn and grow here with a great team and a great coaching staff.”
In both 2021 and 2022, the Dallas, Texas native competed in two leagues that had opposite seasons, as the forward appeared in the Icelandic Women’s Premier League (Besta deild kvenna) with Valur FC and Australia’s A-League Women with Perth Glory. In Iceland, she gained UEFA Women’s Champions League experience with Valur FC and won a double in 2022, capturing the Icelandic Championship and the Super Cup Championship.
Hintzen was selected by the Utah Royals FC as the 31st overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to embarking on a professional career, she was named the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year (2018), Freshman of the (2016), and earned All-Big 12 Conference First Team honors in two campaigns (2017 and 2018) a the University of Texas.
“We are pleased to welcome Taylor Otto and Cyera Hintzen as two new members of the team,” said Gotham FC Head Coach Juan Carlos Amoros. “Their skills and abilities fit well into our system of play, and we look forward to them contributing to the club.”
Otto and Hintzen will be available for roster selection for Gotham FC vs. Angel City FC at Red Bull Arena on Sunday, July 2(5:30 p.m. ET, MSG / Paramount+).