Former Syracuse defender Casey Ramirez signed with Portland Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. Per league and club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ramirez, a defender from Yardley, Pa., played for the Orange from 2008 to 2011. While at Syracuse, Ramirez made 75 appearances (66 starts), recording three goals and four assists. In her sophomore and junior seasons she won the team’s Defender of the Year award.

“Casey is a very good attacking outside back or midfielder,” Thorns head coach Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement. “She is very difficult to beat one-on-one and is great at helping to build the attack out of the back.”

Ramirez joins Thorns FC after spending the 2012-13 season with Fortuna Hjørring of the Danish Elite Division. Fortuna finished second in the Danish top flight (Elitedivisionen). She also made two appearances in the Round of 16 in the 2012-13 UEFA Women’s Champions League against Swedish side Göteborg FC.

The former Syracuse player joins a formidable Portland roster that features U.S. national team star forward Alex Morgan and Canadian national team star Christine Sinclair, who ranks third on the all-time international goal scoring list.

The Thorns visit league-leading Sky Blue FC Saturday at 7 p.m. Portland trails Sky Blue only on goal differential.