Carly Nelson

Last updated
Carly Nelson
Personal information
Full name Carly Marie Nelson [1]
Date of birth (1998-02-11) February 11, 1998 (age 26) [2]
Place of birth Lindon, Utah, United States
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Utah Royals
Number 27
Youth career
Celtic Storm
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2019 Utah Utes 63 (0)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019 Utah Royals FC Reserves 1 (0)
2020 OL Reign 0 (0)
2021–2022 Kansas City Current 1 (0)
2021–2022 → FC Nordsjælland (loan) 18 (0)
2022–2023 FC Nordsjælland 10 (0)
2023 Orlando Pride 3 (0)
2024– Utah Royals 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 27, 2024

Carly Marie Nelson (born February 11, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Utah Royals of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Contents

Early life

Born in Lindon, Utah, Nelson was a two-time First Team All-State goalkeeper as she helped Timpanogos High School reach the 4A state title game in three-straight seasons. She was also named Team MVP twice. She played club soccer with Celtic Storm, winning the state title in five seasons [3]

Utah Utes

Nelson played four seasons of college soccer at the University of Utah between 2016 and 2019 while studying for a bachelor's in positive psychology. As a freshman she made seven appearances, keeping three shutouts and conceding three goals. She made her first collegiate start in a 3–0 win over in-state rival Utah State on August 28, 2016. [4] In 2018, she was twice named Pac-12 Conference goalkeeper of the week, led the conference in saves with 92 in total and ranked fourth in save percentage at 82.1%. In her final season, she made a career-high 105 saves, the most by a Ute in two decades and recorded Utah's longest shutout streak since the 2006 season after keeping four throughout September. [3]

In summer 2019, Nelson also played for Utah Royals FC's semi-professional reserve team in the Women's Premier Soccer League. [5] She was rostered for nine games and made one appearance, 45 minutes in a 1–0 defeat to Utah Arrows. [6]

Club career

OL Reign

Nelson declared for the 2020 NWSL College Draft but was not selected. [7] She was invited to preseason training camp with Utah Royals FC as a non-roster invitee but the league shut down two days in to camp due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [5] In June 2020, Nelson signed a short-term contract with OL Reign, one of four non-roster invitees signed for the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, the NWSL's replacement competition for a return to play following the three-month stoppage. [8] [9] She was an unused substitute in all five games. She was also an unused substitute in two Fall Series games.

Kansas City Current

Nelson signed with the unbranded Kansas City NWSL expansion franchise on December 23, 2020. She made her senior club debut for the team on July 23, 2021, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 draw with North Carolina Courage. [10]

FC Nordsjælland

In August 2021, Nelson was loaned to Danish Kvindeliga club FC Nordsjælland. She made her debut for the club on September 25, in a 3–1 win against AGF. She made 18 league appearances, keeping seven shutouts and conceding 15 goals as Nordsjælland finished 4th. She also made three appearances in the Danish Women's Cup. In July 2022, she joined the club permanently. [11]

Orlando Pride

On January 29, 2023, Nelson and Nordsjælland mutually agreed to terminate her contract so she could return to the United States, [12] signing a two-year contract with Orlando Pride. [13]

Utah Royals

On December 12, 2023, Orlando traded Nelson to hometown expansion franchise Utah Royals along with $65,000 in Allocation Money in exchange for an International Roster Spot for the 2024 season. [14]

Personal life

Nelson was raised in a Mormon community and speaks openly about her journey to freedom from the religion. [15] She is openly gay and first came out at 13 to her best friend before being bullied at school as a result. With no support at home or school, Nelson felt isolated and attempted suicide. [16] She is now an advocate for raising awareness to the struggles LGBTQ+ teens go through. [17]

Career statistics

College summary

TeamSeasonTotal
DivisionAppsGoals
Utah Utes 2016 Div. I 70
2017160
2018190
2019200
Total630

Club summary

As of October 15, 2023
ClubSeasonLeagueCup [lower-alpha 1] PlayoffsTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
OL Reign 2020 NWSL —00—00
Kansas City Current 2021 NWSL 1000—10
FC Nordsjælland (loan) 2021–22 Kvindeliga 18030—210
FC Nordsjælland 2022–23 10000—100
Total2803000310
Orlando Pride 2023 NWSL 3010—40
Career total3204000360

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References

  1. ↑ "2020 Graduates: Graduates with the Degree of Bachelor of Science" (PDF). College of Social and Behavioral Science Convocation: Commencement 2020 & 2021. University of Utah. May 7, 2021. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "OL Reign 2020 Media Guide" (PDF). OL Reign . 2020. p. 30. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Carly Nelson - Soccer". University of Utah Athletics.
  4. ↑ "Utah Soccer Shuts Down Utah State 3-0". University of Utah Athletics. 28 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Utah native, former Ute GK Carly Nelson working to make a mark on OL Reign in NWSL Challenge Cup". Deseret News. 8 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Utah Royals FC Reserves - 2019 Regular Season Roster". wpslsoccer.sportngin.com.
  7. ↑ "Final list of players eligible for 2020 NWSL College Draft". www.nwslsoccer.com.
  8. ↑ "OL Reign Signs Former Ute Carly Nelson to Short-Term Contract". 10 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "OL Reign Announce 28-Player Roster for NWSL Challenge Cup". OL Reign.
  10. ↑ "Kansas City NWSL Goalkeeper Carly Nelson Earns Clean Sheet in 0-0 Draw - Kansas City Current". www.kansascitycurrent.com. July 23, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Lejeaftale gøres permanent". Sjællandske Nyheder (in Danish). July 19, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Carly Nelson skifter til Orlando Pride". fcn.dk (in Danish). 5 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Orlando Pride signs goalkeeper Carly Nelson". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  14. ↑ "Orlando Pride acquires 2024 International Roster Spot, trades Carly Nelson and Allocation Money to Utah Royals FC". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  15. ↑ Kragthorpe, Kurt (October 16, 2019). "Utah soccer star Carly Nelson has walked some tough miles as an openly gay athlete, and come through intact. 'I've loved my journey,' she says". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Raised a Mormon, gay Utah goalie overcomes hate to find happiness". Outsports. October 16, 2019.
  17. ↑ "KC NWSL's Carly Nelson on being LGBTQ+ teen in Utah and becoming role model she needed". Kansas City Star. July 1, 2021.
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