1. FC Union Berlin have secured the continued services of another key player in the women's team by extending the contract with defender Katja Orschmann.

Centre-back with playmaker qualities

Together with her twin sister Dina, Katja Orschmann moved from SFC Stern 1900 to Union’s youth team at the age of 15. Just one year later, in November 2014, she made her debut for the women's first team in the 2. Bundesliga at the age of 16, making 15 second-division appearances in that first season. Following relegation at the end of the season, Orschmann played a decisive role in the team's immediate promotion from the Regionalliga Nordost in the following year, scoring nine goals, even as a defender. The team were relegated again a year later, prompting Katja to leave Köpenick for the first time in 2017.

After three years with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam II in the 2. Bundesliga, she returned to 1. FC Union Berlin for the first time in the summer of 2020. Through the pandemic-reduced seasons, Orschmann established herself as a leading player and wore the captain's armband in the 2021/22 season. In the summer of 2022, she left the club for a second time and moved to the United States to study, where she played for Lynn University in Florida. She returned to Union at the beginning of 2023 and was now back on the pitch with her twin sister for the first time since they left together in 2017.

In head coach Ailien Poese's back three, Katja Orschmann immediately earned herself a starting place upon her return and went on to play a total of 33 league games over the following year and a half. The centre-back not only impressed with her defensive strength, but also posed a constant threat with her dribbling skills and pin-point aerial balls into the opposition’s half. At the end of the 2023/24 season, the team was finally able to celebrate promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. There, the defender underlined her goal-scoring threat on the very first matchday, scoring to give union a 2-1 lead against Hamburger SV with a wonderful long-range shot. Just a few days earlier, she had demonstrated her composure in the DFB Pokal, converting the decisive penalty in the shoot-out against FSV Gütersloh 2009. The 26-year-old has been out with an injury since mid-September.

The views on the extension

“Of course, I'm happy that the ink is now dry and that the club and the people in charge want to continue working with me. The team has had a great season so far and I hope that I will soon be able to actively help achieve our goals again,” said Orschmann after signing the contract.

Jennifer Zietz, director of women's professional football, said, meanwhile, “With Katja, we are further securing an important pillar within the team. She is not only a leader on but also off the pitch. We look forward to the coming period and many more games from Katja.”