Lilly McCarthy

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Lilly McCarthy
Personal information
Full name Lillian Margaret McCarthy [1]
Date of birth (2002-03-25) March 25, 2002 (age 23)
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Fort Lauderdale United
Number 15
Youth career
Maryland United
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2020–2024 West Virginia Mountaineers 91 (8)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2025– Fort Lauderdale United 6 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 04:00, December 31, 2025 (UTC)

Lillian Margaret McCarthy (born March 25, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for USL Super League club Fort Lauderdale United FC. She played college soccer for the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Contents

Early life

McCarthy grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, as one of four children born to Mark and Erin McCarthy. [2] She started playing soccer before kindergarten after being taken to watch a Johns Hopkins women's soccer game by her father. [3] McCarthy attended the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, where she played four years on the varsity soccer team. [4] She went on to lead McDonogh to three straight conference championships and recognition as the third-best school in the nation two years in a row. [2] [5] She was a three-time all-state and two-time all-east region honoree. [2] [6] In her later years at McDonogh, she was a team captain and received a spot on the 2019 high school All-American teams of five different outlets, including of the United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer. [4] [6] She also played youth club soccer for Maryland United FC. [6]

College career

In her first season with the West Virginia Mountaineers, McCarthy was named to the All-Big 12 freshman team after recording 2 assists across 12 appearances. [2] [7] One of her assists came on April 3, 2021, after she set up the lone goal in a 1–0 victory over Virginia; her strong performance in the game earned her the honor of Big 12 Freshman of the Week. [3] As a sophomore, she started in all 19 of her appearances and co-led West Virginia with 3 assists. [2] [8] She scored her first collegiate goal on September 16, 2021, the game-winner against James Madison less than two minutes after halftime. [9] In 2022, she played a career-high 1,325 minutes en route to a Big 12 conference title. [10]

McCarthy lost her starting spot in her senior year, coming on as a substitute in all but one of her 17 appearances as she logged 400 minutes across 2023. [2] [11] In August 2023, she assisted Maddie Moreau in a record-breaking 9–0 win over Saint Francis. [2] McCarthy returned for a fifth year, in which she was named first-team All-Big 12 and second-team All-Midwest. [2] [7] She also shined academically, becoming the Mountaineers' first All-American scholar since Jordan Brewster two years prior. [12]

Club career

On August 4, 2025, USL Super League club Fort Lauderdale United FC announced that they had signed McCarthy to her first professional contract ahead of the Super League's second season of play. [7] [13] McCarthy made her pro debut on September 6, 2025, coming on as a stoppage-time substitute for Jasmine Hamid in Fort Lauderdale's first win of the season, a victory over Spokane Zephyr FC. [14] On October 16, she scored her first professional goal, striking from outside the box in a 5–1 loss to Lexington SC. [15]

Honors and awards

West Virginia Mountaineers

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "John Chambers College of Business and Economics Graduates". West Virginia University . Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Lilly McCarthy". West Virginia Mountaineers . October 16, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Wolfhope, Katie (December 4, 2025). "McCarthy eyes growth for women's soccer despite successes". The Daily Athenaeum. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "2019 Baltimore-area girls soccer players to watch". The Baltimore Sun . September 2, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  5. ↑ Graham, Glenn (October 22, 2018). "McCarthy's late corner kick leads No. 1 McDonogh past No. 7 Notre Dame Prep, 2-1, in soccer". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "West Virginia University women's soccer signs Maryland native Lilly McCarthy". SoccerWire. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "WVU's McCarthy signs professional contract with Fort Lauderdale United FC". WVNS. August 4, 2025. Archived from the original on August 4, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Three WVU women's soccer players earn CoSIDA Academic All-District Honors". WTRF. November 11, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Two quick goals lift West Virginia over JMU". WBOY.com. September 17, 2021. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Three WVU women's soccer players earn CoSIDA Academic All-District Honors". WTRF. November 11, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  11. ↑ Carey, Greg (August 13, 2024). "Experienced midfield, return of White strong starting pieces for Mountaineers as Izzo-Brown enters 29th season". WV MetroNews. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  12. ↑ "McCarthy named Scholar All-American". WBOY.com. December 19, 2024. Archived from the original on December 23, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Fort Lauderdale United FC Adds Midfielder Lilly McCarthy". Fort Lauderdale United FC. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Simpson Scores Again, Lifts Fort Lauderdale to First Victory of Season". Fort Lauderdale United FC. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  15. ↑ "McCarthy Scores as Shorthanded Fort Lauderdale Falls on Road at Lexington". Fort Lauderdale United FC. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
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