Kaitlyn Parks

Kaitlyn Parks

Parks with Michigan State in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth	(2001-08-30) August 30, 2001 (age 24)
Place of birth	Upper Marlboro, Maryland, United States
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Sporting JAX
Number	13
Youth career
2016–2019	Northern Patriots
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2022	Wake Forest Demon Deacons	29	(0)
2023–2024	Michigan State Spartans	42	(1)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2025–	Sporting JAX	13	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of February 11, 2026

Kaitlyn Parks (born August 30, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for USL Super League club Sporting JAX. She played college soccer for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Michigan State Spartans.

Early life and education

Parks attended Northern High School, where she was a four-year starter in goal. During her high school career, she was named second-team All-State and All-Met, Calvert County Player of the Year as a senior, and led Northern to a Maryland 3A state championship. ^[1]

College career

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Parks began her collegiate career at Wake Forest University in 2019, redshirting her freshman season due to injury. As a redshirt freshman during the 2020–21 season, she started eight matches and posted a 1.50 goals-against average and a .786 save percentage. She was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks, becoming the first player in conference history to do so.

In 2021, Parks earned United Soccer Coaches (USC) Second-Team All-American honors after recording nine shutouts and a 0.79 goals-against average. She was also named to the All-ACC Academic Team. ^[2]

Michigan State Spartans

Parks transferred to Michigan State University for the 2023 season. As a senior, she started all 22 matches, recording nine shutouts, 14 wins, a 0.99 goals-against average, and a .734 save percentage, helping lead the Spartans to the third round of the NCAA tournament. ^[3]

In 2024, as a graduate student, she appeared in 20 matches and recorded 12 wins and eight shutouts. She posted a 0.95 goals-against average and a .824 save percentage. Parks also became the first goalkeeper in Michigan State history to score a goal, converting a penalty kick in a match against Ohio State. ^[4] She was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week twice during the season and received multiple academic honors. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

Club career

Sporting JAX

On July 1, 2025, Parks signed her first professional contract with USL Super League club Sporting JAX. ^[8] She made her professional debut in the club's inaugural match against DC Power FC. On October 14, she completed Sporting JAX's first ever clean sheet in a rematch against DC Power FC, winning 1–0. ^[9] She won Save of the Month for a high-rising save made during the match. ^[10]

On December 3, 2025, Parks was named to the USL Super League Team of the Month for November 2025. During that period, she completed two consecutive clean sheets and helped lead Sporting JAX to their first-ever home win. ^[11]

Personal life

Parks is the daughter of Janet and Stephen Parks and has one older brother. Both of her parents were collegiate athletes at Gannon University. She earned a degree in Studio Art from Wake Forest and completed graduate coursework in Digital Media at Michigan State. ^[12]

Career statistics

College

Season	Games		Goalkeeping
	GP	GS	Minutes	Saves	GAA	Shutouts
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2019	Injured – Did not participate
2020–21	9	8	781	43	1.50	4
2021	20	20	1,725	58	0.78	9
2022	19	19	1,663	49	0.87	8
Michigan State Spartans
2023	22	22	1,907	58	0.99	8
2024	20	20	1,806	89	0.95	8
Career
Career total	90	89	7,882	297	1.02	37

Professional

As of match played February 11, 2026

Club	Season	League			Cup		Playoffs		Total
		Division	Apps	CS	Apps	CS	Apps	CS	Apps	CS
Sporting JAX	2025–26	USLS	13	6	—		—		13	6
Career total			13	6	—		—		13	6

Honors and awards

Michigan State Spartans

• Big Ten Conference: 2022, 2023

Individual

• Second-team All-American: 2021
• Third-team All-Big Ten: 2024

References

1. "00 Kaitlyn Parks". MSUSpartans.org. Michigan State University. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
2. "1 Kaitlyn Parks". GoDeacs.com. Wake Forest University. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
3. LaPlante, Brad. "Michigan State women's soccer adds transfer goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks". Rivals.com. Rivals. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
4. Michael, Trevor. "Michigan State women's soccer scores must see goal (Video)". SpartanAvenue.com. FanSided. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
5. Kemnitz, Jessica. "Michigan State graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week". Impact89FM.org. Impact 89 FM. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
6. Shubham, Satvik. "MSU women's soccer's Kaitlyn Parks named NCAA Player of the Week". TheStateNews.com. The State News. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
7. Kandel, Jason. "Kaitlyn Parks named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week". Impact89FM.org. Impact 89 FM. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
8. Bunker, Chase. "7 more join Sporting Jax inaugural roster". ActionNewsJax.com. Action News Jax. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
9. "Sporting JAX takes down DC Power FC with help of Parks". SportingJAX.com. Sporting Club Jacksonville. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
10. "Soaaaaarig flyyyyying ✈️ Gainbridge Super League Save of the Month - October - Kaitlyn Parks". YouTube.com. USL on YouTube. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
11. GainbridgeSuperLeague.com Staff. "Gainbridge Super League Team of the Month – November". GainbridgeSuperLeague.com. USL Super League. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
12. "00 Kaitlyn Parks". MSUSpartans.org. Michigan State University. Retrieved July 1, 2025.