Ava Kuyken

Last updated

Ava Kuyken
Ava Kuyken Arsenal.png
Personal information
Full name Ava Kuyken
Date of birth (2001-06-15) 15 June 2001 (age 22) [1]
Place of birth Oxford, England
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Reading
Number 10
Youth career
Arsenal
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2021 Florida Gators 27 (1)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2017–2019 Arsenal 10 [1] (0)
2021–2022 Bristol City 15 (0)
2022–2023 Hibernian 18 (0)
2023– Reading 0 (0)
International career
2017–2018 England U17 9 (0)
2019–2020 England U19 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:59, 2 December 2018 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 January 2020

Ava Kuyken (born 15 June 2001) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Reading in the English Women's Championship. An Arsenal Academy graduate, Kuyken made her 1st team debut age 16 for the 1st team. She went on to make ten appearances for the Gunners, winning the FA WSL title and Continental Cup medals across the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons.

Contents

Club career

Arsenal Women Football Club

Kuyken made her competitive debut for Arsenal Women on 16 November 2017 against Watford in the Continental Cup as a substitute in the 80th minute, coming on for Heather O'Reilly. She made her Women's Super League debut on 7 February 2018 against Liverpool as a substitute in the 87th minute, coming on for Jordan Nobbs. [2] She was a regular named squad player throughout the 2017–18 season, when Arsenal won the Continental Cup, progressed to the final of the FA Cup and finished 3rd in the Women's Super League. She made four appearances in her first year with the 1st team. [3]

2018–19 saw another year with the Arsenal Women, alongside competing her A-Level studies at Cherwell School in Oxford. She made her first full debut on 5 December aged 17 with a 5,0 win against Charlton Athletic WFC in the Continental Cup. She made her full debut in the WSL [4] on 27 January 2019 against Reading WFC, in a game they won 3–0. [5] She was a regular named squad member throughout the season making, making 12 appearances in the WSL (7), 3 in the Continental Cup and 2 in the FA Cup. They won the 2018/2019 WSL League [6] and progressed to the Continental Cup Final losing to Manchester City in penalties. [7] She was named as youth player of the year in a round of the year by the Daily Cannon. [8] Alongside her first team duties Kuyken played with the Arsenal U21 squad. This included the FA Cup, which they won 4–0 against Manchester United. [9]

University of Florida

In August 2019, she took up a college scholarship with the Florida Gators, who compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Southeastern Conference. [10] As a freshman, Kuyken was a regular player, being one of only 19 freshman who have started regularly in the program's 25 year history. [11] She made 27 appearances for the Gators and scored one goal.

Bristol City Women

Kuyken played for Bristol City in the FA Women's Championship in the 2021–2022 season, [12] making 19 appearances for the Robins with 15 of those outings coming in the FA Women’s Championship.

Hibernian

In 2022–23, Kuyken played in the Scottish League with Hibernian. [13] She made 26 first team appearances for the club, scoring once.[ citation needed ]

Reading

In July 2023, Kuyken signed for Reading, returning to English football. [14] At the start of August, Kuyken was ruled out of the 2023–24 season after rupturing her ACL. [15]

International career

England

Kuyken was selected and played consistently for England through the U15, U16, U17, U18 and U19s youth teams. In 2017–18 the England U17 squad qualified via the elite rounds to the FIFA European finals in Lithuania. Kuyken made full appearances against Spain, Finland and Germany. They progressed to the semi-final, where they were knocked out by Germany. In 2019 with the U18s she played in a friendly games, including against Canada and Scotland. In 2019/2020, she was selected for the UEFA Women's U19 Championship Euros 1st qualifying round in Belarus. [16] They beat Cyprus 8–0 and Belarus 3–0.

Kuyken has dual UK-USA nationality.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemma Davison</span> English footballer

Gemma Suzanne Davison is an English footballer who plays as a winger. She has previously played for Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Reading whom she joined from Chelsea in 2018. After joining Arsenal at youth team level from Watford Ladies, Davison became a regular player and won several trophies. She also spent time in the United States playing for various American clubs in three separate spells. Davison is a full senior international player for the England women's national football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen White (footballer)</span> English footballer (born 1989)

Ellen Toni Convery is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. She is the record goalscorer for the England women's national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Nobbs</span> English footballer

Jordan Nobbs is an English professional footballer who plays for Women's Super League club Aston Villa. She previously played for Sunderland and Arsenal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Ross (footballer)</span> Scottish footballer (born 1989)

Jane Celestina Ross is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker for Rangers in the Scottish Women's Premier League, and the Scotland national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Evans</span> Scottish footballer

Lisa Catherine Evans is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Bristol City FC in the FA WSL, the top-tier for women's football in England, and for the Scotland national team. She previously played club football for Glasgow City in her native country, for Turbine Potsdam and FC Bayern Munich in Germany's Frauen-Bundesliga, Arsenal and West Ham United in the FA WSL, winning the domestic league title in all three nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Mukandi</span> Scottish footballer

Emma Mukandi is a Scottish professional footballer currently plays for FA WC club London City Lionesses. She began her senior career with Glasgow City then joined German Frauen-Bundesliga club SGS Essen. Primarily a defender, Mukandi has also played as a forward. Mukandi also plays for the Scotland women's national football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniëlle van de Donk</span> Dutch international footballer

Daniëlle van de Donk is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for French Division 1 Féminine club Lyon and the Netherlands national team. She helped her national team to win the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 and finish second at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Sigsworth</span> English footballer

Jessica Lucy Sigsworth is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Sheffield United in the FA Women's Championship. She previously played for Notts County, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Manchester United and Leicester City, and has represented England at numerous youth levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloe Kelly</span> English footballer (born 1998)

Chloe Maggie Kelly is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team. Kelly started her senior career at Arsenal, prior to going on loan to Everton, and joining the team permanently in 2018. With Manchester City, she is a 2019–20 FA Cup and 2021–22 League Cup winner, has twice been named in the PFA WSL Team of the Year, and was the joint top assist provider in the 2020–21 WSL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alessia Russo</span> English footballer (born 1999)

Alessia Mia Teresa Russo is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the England national team. She previously played club football for Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, as well as college soccer for North Carolina Tar Heels. At United, Russo won awards from the club including Player of the Year and Goal of the Season, and was twice top scorer. She has also been awarded Player of the Month and Goal of the Month in the WSL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vyan Sampson</span> Jamaican footballer (born 1996)

Vyan Sampson is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for WE League club JEF United Chiba. Born in England, she represents Jamaica internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosella Ayane</span> Moroccan footballer

Rosella Ayane is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Morocco national team. Internationally, Ayane represented England at under-17 and under-19 level before being capped at senior level by Morocco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbie McManus</span> English football player

Abbie Mary McManus is an English former professional footballer who has previously played as a defender for Leicester City in the FA Women's Super League and the England national team. She has also represented England on the under-23 national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millie Turner</span> English footballer

Millie Turner is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Women's Super League club Manchester United and the England national team. A product of the United academy, she previously played for Everton and Bristol City, and represented England at under-19 and under-23 youth level before making her senior debut in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rianna Dean</span> English association football player

Rianna Dean is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Southampton in the FA Women's Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 Arsenal W.F.C. season</span> 33rd season in existence of Arsenal W.F.C.

The 2019–20 season is Arsenal Women's Football Club's 33rd season of competitive football. The club participates in the Champions League, the Women's Super League, the FA Cup and the League Cup. The club is the defending Women's Super League champion.

Rebecca May is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Derby County of the FA Women's National League North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Patten</span> English footballer (born 1999)

Anna Rose Patten is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Women's Super League club Aston Villa. Born in England, she is a member of the Republic of Ireland national team. Patten previously played college soccer for the Florida State Seminoles and the South Carolina Gamecocks in the United States, and has represented England at multiple youth levels from under-15 up to under-21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lachante Paul</span> Jamaican association football player

Lachante Paul is a footballer who plays as a forward for Burnley in the FA Women's National League North. Born in England, she made her senior international debut for Jamaica in February 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khiara Keating</span> English footballer

Khiara Ilhaan Keating is an English professional footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Women's Super League club Manchester City and the England national team. She has previously played on loan for AFC Fylde and Coventry United.

References

  1. 1 2 "England – A.Kuyken". Soccerway. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  2. "Liverpool Ladies 0–3 Arsenal Ladies". BBC Sport. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  3. Jamet, Sylvain (15 May 2018). "Arsenal Player of the Season top 3 plus youth PotS picked". Daily Cannon. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  4. "Florida Opens Season with 3–2 OT Win at Florida Atlantic". Florida Gators. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  5. "FA Women's Super League (Sky Sports)". SkySports. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  6. Wrack, Suzanne (29 April 2019). "Dutch magic and the Montemurro effect: the story of Arsenal's WSL title | Suzanne Wrack". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  7. Association, The Football. "Man City beat Arsenal on penalties to win Continental League Cup". www.thefa.com. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  8. Jamet, Sylvain (19 May 2019). "Top 5 Arsenal women players of the year". Daily Cannon. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  9. "U-16s and U-21s enjoying FA Cup success". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  10. Hurley, Lee (25 November 2018). "Ava Kuyken to leave Arsenal for Florida Gators".
  11. "Florida Opens Season with 3–2 OT Win at Florida Atlantic".
  12. "✍️ Kuyken is a Robin".
  13. Dawson, Jack (4 February 2023). "Hibs midfielder Ava Kuyken aiming for titles as they prepare for Glasgow Women". Edinburgh Evening News .
  14. "Welcome, Ava | Another new face joins the Royals". Reading . 31 July 2023.
  15. "AVA KUYKEN RULED OUT FOR THE SEASON". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  16. "England squad named for UEFA Women's U19 Championship first qualifying round".