Riley Jackson

Last updated

Riley Jackson
NC Courage vs Chicago Red Stars (Jun 2024) 075 (cropped).jpg
Jackson with the North Carolina Courage in 2024
Personal information
Full name Riley Francis Jackson [1]
Date of birth (2005-12-02) December 2, 2005 (age 19) [1]
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 North Carolina Courage
Number 16
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023– North Carolina Courage 42 (2)
International career‡
2022 United States U17 12 (2)
2024 United States U20 15 (1)
2025– United States U23 1 (0)
Medal record
Women's soccer
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg Colombia 2024
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 17, 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of May 30, 2025

Riley Francis Jackson (born December 2, 2005) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2022 before signing with the Courage at age 17 in 2023. She represented the United States at the under-17 and under-20 level, helping win bronze at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Contents

Early life

Jackson grew up in Roswell, Georgia. [2] She began playing soccer with hometown club Roswell Soccer Club, where her father coached her team. [2] After ten years, she joined ECNL club Concorde Fire, playing up an age group. [2] She was named the ECNL Southeast Conference Player of the Year in 2021 and then the ECNL National Player of the Year in 2022 after helping lead the Fire to the ECNL under-18/19 national title. [3] [4] She played high school soccer for Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, recording 36 goals and 48 assists in her high school career. [5] She was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2022 after scoring 14 goals and 18 assists while leading Roswell to a 19–2–1 record and the GHSA Class 5A state semifinals. [6] She committed to play college soccer for Duke during her junior year. [7]

Club career

North Carolina Courage head coach Sean Nahas first invited Jackson to train with the club in summer 2022. [8] The following summer, she was offered professional terms and chose to give up her college eligibility and sign with the club. [8] On July 28, 2023, the Courage announced that they had signed the 17-year-old through the 2025 season, with the option for another year, through the Under-18 Entry Mechanism. [9] [10] She carried a foot injury and did not appear in a game in the 2023 season. [11] [12]

Jackson made her professional debut on March 16, 2024, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute for Ashley Sanchez on the opening matchday against the Houston Dash. [13] She earned her first start in her 12th appearance on June 23, a 3–1 home win over the Chicago Red Stars. [14] On July 26, she scored her first professional goal, a stoppage-time equalizer from outside the box, against Racing Louisville in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup group stage. The game ended 1–1 and went to a penalty shootout in which Jackson scored the opening penalty kick in the victory. [15]

Narumi Miura's departure to the Washington Spirit opened a starting role for Jackson in the 2025 season. [16] On March 15, she scored her first regular-season goal in season opener, equalizing in a 1–1 draw with Racing Louisville. [17]

International career

Jackson got her first call up to a youth national team training camp with the under-15 team in October 2019. [2] She trained again with the team in March 2020 at a camp run by her future Courage coach Sean Nahas. [18] [19] When youth soccer returned from its COVID-19 pandemic hiatus, Jackson traveled abroad for the first time to play for the national under-17 team at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic. [2] She co-captained the team to win the tournament, scoring two goals and making three assists, and was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. [4] She recorded two assists at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, where the United States fell to Nigeria in the quarterfinals on penalties. Jackson was one of two United States players whose penalties were saved in the shootout. [4] [20]

Jackson played friendlies for the under-20 team before being selected to the roster for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. [21] [22] She played all but 45 minutes at the U-20 Women's World Cup, helping the United States finish in third place, its best result since 2012. She converted a penalty kick in a shootout win over Germany in the quarterfinals. [23] [24] She was called up by Emma Hayes into Futures Camp, training concurrently with the senior national team, in January 2025. [25]

References

  1. 1 2 "Riley Francis Jackson". National Women's Soccer League . Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Life of Riley". United States Soccer Federation. April 26, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  3. ↑ "ECNL announces 20/21 Players of the Year". Elite Clubs National League. September 1, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2024– via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
    "ECNL Girls 2021-22 Postseason Awards". Elite Clubs National League. August 26, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2024– via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Making the Case: Riley Jackson for Chipotle U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year". United States Soccer Federation. December 17, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  5. ↑ "North Carolina Courage sign 17-year-old midfielder Riley Jackson". The Equalizer. July 28, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  6. ↑ Singer, Trent (June 30, 2022). "Riley Jackson Surprised with Gatorade National Girls Soccer POY Honors". Just Women's Sports . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  7. ↑ Clark, Travis (September 19, 2022). "SIMA Recruiting Roundup: September 19-25". TopDrawerSoccer . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  8. 1 2 Coffey, Wayne (March 13, 2025). "How an influx of elite youth players to NWSL is impacting the college soccer landscape". The Athletic . Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Courage sign 17-year-old USYNT star midfielder Riley Jackson". North Carolina Courage. July 28, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ Abramson, Evan (February 8, 2024). "N.C. Courage rookie Riley Jackson looks to lead next generation of women's soccer stars". Spectrum News 1 North Carolina . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Jackson placed on 45-day injured reserve". North Carolina Courage. September 22, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Riley Jackson". North Carolina Courage . Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Recap: Courage smash Dash on opening night". North Carolina Courage. March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Recap: Courage beat Red Stars 3–1 Sunday". North Carolina Courage. June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Recap: Courage win in pens again after Jackson's equalizer". North Carolina Courage. July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Racing Louisville vs. North Carolina Courage Replay" . National Women's Soccer League. March 15, 2025. 2:09:00. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  17. ↑ Riley Jackson at Soccerway OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  18. ↑ Hricik, Madison (July 28, 2023). "NC Courage signs one of top teenagers in US, former Duke commit, to pro soccer contract" . The News & Observer . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  19. ↑ "U15 GNT to hold first training camp of 2020". United States Soccer Federation. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2024– via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
  20. ↑ "USA Comes Up Just Short In FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Quarterfinal, Falling To Nigeria In Penalty Kicks, 4-3, After 1-1 Tie In Regulation". United States Soccer Federation. October 21, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Ally Sentnor Scores as U.S. U-20 Women's Youth National Team Defeats Colombia, 1–0, in Bogotá to Sweep Two-Game Series Against 2024 FIFA U-20 WWC Hosts". United States Soccer Federation. February 28, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  22. ↑ "U.S. U-20 WYNT Head Coach Tracey Kevins Names 21-Player Roster for 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia". United States Soccer Federation. August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  23. ↑ Schnittker, Nicholas (September 19, 2024). "Manaka Matsukubo's brace leads Japan to U-20 World Cup final". North Carolina Courage . Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  24. ↑ "USA Scores Dramatic 119th-Minute Game-Winner To Defeat The Netherlands 2-1 And Finish Third At 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup". United States Soccer Federation. September 22, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Emma Hayes Names 24 Players to the 2025 Futures Camp Which Will Run Concurrently With USWNT Training Camp in Los Angeles". United States Soccer Federation. January 8, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
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