Nikayla Small

Last updated

Nikayla Small
Nikayla Snall(cropped).jpg
Small in 2025
Personal information
Full name Nikayla Desiree Small
Date of birth (2003-03-24) March 24, 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 AFC Toronto
Number 4
Youth career
Pickering FC
NDC Ontario
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2021–2024 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 60 (4)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022 NDC Ontario 10 (1)
2024 Eagle FC 8 (3)
2025– AFC Toronto 12 (3)
International career
2018 Canada U15 4 (1)
2022 Canada U20 4 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of July 15, 2025

Nikayla Desiree Small (born March 24, 2003) is a Canadian soccer player who plays for AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League.

Contents

Early life

Small began playing youth soccer at age four with Pickering FC. [1] She later joined the NDC Ontario program. [2]

College career

In 2021, Small began attending Wake Forest University, where she played for the women's soccer team. [3] On August 29, 2021, she scored her first collegiate goal in a victory over the Youngstown State Penguins. [4] At the end of her first season, she was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team. [5] She missed the entire 2022 season due to injury. [6]

Club career

In 2022, Small played with NDC Ontario in League1 Ontario. [7]

In 2024, she played with Eagle FC in the USL W League, scoring three goals in eight matches. [8] [9]

In January 2025, she signed a professional contract with AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League. [10] [11] On June 11, 2025, she scored her first goal in a 3-2 victory over Vancouver Rise FC. [12] On June 14, 2025, she scored a brace in a 2-1 victory over Calgary Wild FC. [13] [14] She was named the league's Player of the Month for June 2025. [15]

International career

In August 2018, Small was called up for the first time to the Canada national program with the Canada U15 for the 2018 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship. [1] She was named to the tournament Best XI. [16] She later was called up to camps with the Canada U17 and represented the Canada U20 at both the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship and the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. [1]

In October 2021, she was called up to the Canada senior team for the first time for a training camp and a set of friendlies. [17] [18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nikayla Small at Canada Soccer
  2. ↑ Mayne, Aimi (January 23, 2023). "A pro-level women's soccer team in Toronto would be a game-changer: U-20 player". Toronto Observer.
  3. ↑ "Nikayla Small Wake Forest profile". Wake Forest Demon Deacons .
  4. ↑ "Wake Forest Downs Penguins, 5-0". Wake Forest Demon Deacons . August 29, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Smart, Small Garner 2021 All-ACC Honors". Wake Forest Demon Deacons . November 4, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Small Thriving On and Off the Pitch as a Wake Forest Student Athlete". Wake Forest Demon Deacons . July 19, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Nikayla Small 2022 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  8. ↑ "Eagle FC Women Wake Forest Small". Eagle FC. February 2, 2024. Archived from the original on March 26, 2025.
  9. ↑ Ngabo, Gilbert (July 5, 2025). "Nikayla Small is turning into a homegrown star for AFC Toronto: 'She's certainly exceptional'". Toronto Star .
  10. ↑ Elhilali, Rania (January 27, 2025). "AFC Toronto Announces Canadian Midfielder Nikayla Small". Northern Tribune.
  11. ↑ "Canadian Midfielder Nikayla Small Joins AFC Toronto". AFC Toronto . January 27, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Nikayla Small scores, AFC Toronto edges Vancouver Rise 3-2". Toronto Star . June 11, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Nikayla Small's brace leads AFC Toronto to win over Calgary Wild". CBC Sports . June 14, 2025.
  14. ↑ Bashir, Raheem Farhan (June 18, 2025). "Nikayla Small: A Standout AFC Toronto Midfielder". RB Sports.
  15. ↑ ""All 10 Toes Planted": Nikayla Small Named Player of the Month for June". AFC Toronto . July 4, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Wake Forest Announces the Addition of 16 Newcomers". Wake Forest Demon Deacons . July 12, 2021.
  17. ↑ Del Metro, Chris (October 14, 2021). "News: Nikayla Small Called Up To Canadian National Team As Training Player". Blogger So Dear.
  18. ↑ "Small Invited to Join Canadian Women's National Team on Celebration Tour". Wake Forest Demon Deacons . October 12, 2021.
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