Riley Jackson

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Riley Jackson
Jackson with the North Carolina Courage in 2024
Personal information
Full name Riley Francis Jackson
Date of birth (2005-12-02) December 2, 2005 (age 18)
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 North Carolina Courage
Number 16
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– North Carolina Courage 3 (0)
International career‡
2022 United States U17 12 (2)
2024 United States U20 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 30, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of February 28, 2024

Riley Francis Jackson (born December 2, 2005) is an American professional soccer midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States women's national under-20 team. She was named Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022. She signed with the Courage at the age of 17 in 2023.

Early life[edit]

Riley Francis Jackson was born on December 2, 2005, and grew up in Roswell, Georgia, United States.[1][2] She played ten years of club soccer for Roswell Soccer Club, a team coached by her father.[2] She then switched to Concorde Fire of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), where she played up an age group.[2] She was named the ECNL's Southeast Conference Player of the Year in 2020–21, and after helping the Fire win the national club title, she was named the national ECNL Player of the Year in 2021–22.[3][4]

Jackson played high school soccer for Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, recording 36 goals and 48 assists over her career.[5] As a sophomore in 2021–22, she scored 14 goals and had 18 assists and was named the national Gatorade Player of the Year.[6]

Professional career[edit]

In July 2023, through the NWSL's Under-18 Entry Mechanism, 17-year-old Jackson signed a professional contract with the North Carolina Courage through 2025 with an option for another year.[7][8] She previously verbally committed to Duke University in the fall of 2022.[9] She was placed on injured reserve due to a right foot injury the next month.[10] She made her professional debut with the Courage on March 16, 2024.[11]

International career[edit]

Jackson got her first call up to a youth national team training camp with the under-15 team in October 2019.[2] She trained again with the team in March 2020 at a camp run by her future Courage coach Sean Nahas.[9][12] When youth soccer returned from its COVID-19 pandemic hiatus, Jackson traveled abroad for the first time to play for the national under-17 team at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic.[2] She co-captained the team to win the tournament, scoring two goals and making three assists, and was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.[4] She recorded two assists at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, where the United States fell in the quarterfinals on penalties.[4]

Jackson played friendlies for the national under-20 team against Colombia in February 2024.[13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Riley Francis Jackson". National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e "The Life of Riley". United States Soccer Federation. April 26, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  3. ^ "ECNL announces 20/21 Players of the Year". Elite Clubs National League. September 1, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
    "ECNL Girls 2021-22 Postseason Awards". Elite Clubs National League. August 26, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
  4. ^ a b c "Making the Case: Riley Jackson for Chipotle U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year". United States Soccer Federation. December 17, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  5. ^ "North Carolina Courage sign 17-year-old midfielder Riley Jackson". The Equalizer. July 28, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Singer, Trent (June 30, 2022). "Riley Jackson Surprised with Gatorade National Girls Soccer POY Honors". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  7. ^ "Courage sign 17-year-old USYNT star midfielder Riley Jackson". North Carolina Courage. July 28, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  8. ^ Abramson, Evan (February 8, 2024). "N.C. Courage rookie Riley Jackson looks to lead next generation of women's soccer stars". Spectrum News 1 North Carolina. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Hricik, Madison (July 28, 2023). "NC Courage signs one of top teenagers in US, former Duke commit, to pro soccer contract". The News & Observer. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  10. ^ "Jackson placed on 45-day injured reserve". North Carolina Courage. September 22, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  11. ^ "Recap: Courage smash Dash on opening night". North Carolina Courage. March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  12. ^ "U15 GNT to hold first training camp of 2020". United States Soccer Federation. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
  13. ^ "Ally Sentnor Scores as U.S. U-20 Women's Youth National Team Defeats Colombia, 1–0, in Bogotá to Sweep Two-Game Series Against 2024 FIFA U-20 WWC Hosts". United States Soccer Federation. February 28, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.

External links[edit]

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