Paige Nielsen
Nielsen in 2016
Personal information
Full name Paige Kathleen Nielsen[1]
Date of birth (1993-10-14) October 14, 1993
Place of birth Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Angel City
Number 14
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2015 North Carolina Tar Heels 83 (13)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Seattle Reign FC 2 (0)
2016 Apollon
2016–2017 Western Sydney Wanderers 12 (1)
2017–2018 Suwon UDC[2] 42 (13)
2018 Canberra United 5 (0)
2019–2021 Washington Spirit 38 (1)
2022– Angel City 41 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 20, 2023

Paige Kathleen Nielsen (born October 14, 1993) is an American professional soccer defender who currently plays for Angel City FC in the National Women's Soccer League.

Early life

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska to Kathy Nielsen, Paige attended Lincoln Southeast High School where she was a four-year varsity soccer player. She was twice named a Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year nominee in 2011 and 2012.[1] She set new school records after ending her high school career with 79 goals and 35 assists.[3] She was twice-named to All-State, All-Conference and All-City soccer teams.[1]

Nielsen played club soccer for Toro Bravo soccer in Omaha, Nebraska and helped lead the team to three state championships, the Midwest Regional League championship in 2011, and National League Red Division championship in 2012.[1] She played for the Nebraska Olympic Development (ODP) team from 2007 to 2010.[1]

College career

University of North Carolina

Nielsen attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill from 2012 to 2015 where she played for the Tar Heels.[4] During her freshman season, Nielsen played in 20 games for the Tar Heels, starting five. That same year, the team won the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship for the 21st time.[5] The following year, Nielsen ranked fourth on the team in goals scored. She finished her sophomore season with six goals and four assists.[1] During her junior season in 2014, she played in 20 games, starting nine. Four of the five goals she scored were game-winning goals, which ranked first on the team in game-winning goals.[1] Nielsen captained the Tar Heels during her senior season and finished her collegiate career with 13 goals and 7 assists playing as both a defender and forward.[6]

Club career

Seattle Reign FC, 2016

In January 2016, Nielsen was selected as the 25th overall pick of the 2016 NWSL College Draft by the Seattle Reign, becoming the first Nebraskan native to be drafted by an NWSL team.[7][8][9] She signed with the club in May of the same year.[10] She made her debut for the club in a match against the Chicago Red Stars on May 22.[11] The following week, she played the full ninety minutes in the forward position in a friendly against recent FA WSL champion Arsenal L.F.C.[12] Nielsen was waived by the Reign in July 2016.[13]

Western Sydney Wanderers, 2016–2017

After short stint with Apollon in Cyprus, Nielsen signed with the Western Sydney Wanderers for the 2016-17 W-League season where she started all twelve games for the Wanderers.[14]

Suwon UDC, 2017–2018

After the conclusion of the W-League season, Nielsen signed with Suwon UDC in the WK League in South Korea.[15]

Canberra United, 2018

In November 2018, Nielsen signed with Canberra United in the W-League.[16] She departed the club in December after making five appearances for the team.[17]

Washington Spirit, 2019–2021

In February 2019, Nielsen returned to the NWSL signing with the Washington Spirit.[18]

Angel City FC, 2021–

On 16 December 2021 Nielsen was selected by Angel City FC in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft and went on to make twenty appearances and sixteen starts in her first season with the club.[19] On June 17, 2023 Nielsen scored her first goal for Angel City in a 2–1 victory against rivals San Diego Wave FC.[20]

Personal life

Nielsen has said that she plays for her mother, Kathy, who lost her life to Hodgkins Lymphoma when Nielsen was a senior in college.[21][22]

Nielsen had emergency surgery for a blood clotting condition in 2022.[23]

Television and film

Nielsen was featured the documentary series Angel City in 2023.[24]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Paige Nielsen". University of North Carolina. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "수원FC여자축구". Suwonudc.co.kr. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  3. ↑ "Paige Nielsen will take her goal-scoring ways to North Carolina". Lincoln Journal Star. May 26, 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Hays, Graham (October 1, 2013). "Paige Nielsen follows passion to UNC". ESPN. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "North Carolina wins 21st NCAA women's soccer crown". USA Today. December 3, 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  6. ↑ DeVito, Joey (December 10, 2015). "Paige Nielsen Completes Unique Carolina Journey". Chapelboro. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Florida State defender Carson Pickett headlines Seattle Reign 2016 NWSL Draft class". The Seattle Times. January 15, 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Oltmans, Brady (January 20, 2015). "Southeast grad and NWSL draftee Nielsen honing soccer skills in Germany". Lincoln Journal-Star. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  9. ↑ Oltmans, Brady (January 15, 2016). "Lincoln native Nielsen picked in NWSL draft". Lincoln Journal-Star. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Defender Paige Nielsen Signs with Seattle Reign FC". National Women's Soccer League. May 5, 2016. Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Reign FC fall 1–2 to Red Stars at Memorial Stadium". Seattle Reign FC. May 22, 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Reign FC Play Arsenal Ladies FC to 1–1 Draw at Memorial Stadium on Thursday Evening". Seattle Reign FC. May 26, 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. ↑ Reynolds, Nathan (2 July 2016). "Seattle Reign: Paige Nielsen Waived". MLS Multiplex. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Paige Nielsen". Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  15. ↑ "MY DECISION ON SOUTH KOREA". July 5, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Canberra United sign American Paige Nielsen". November 13, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  17. ↑ "NIELSEN DEPARTS CANBERRA". December 25, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Washington Spirit signs Paige Nielsen". Washington Spirit. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  19. ↑ "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  20. ↑ "In first game since its coach was fired, Angel City rallies to beat San Diego Wave". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 2023-06-18. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  21. ↑ "Washington Spirit soccer player is fueled by the love of her late mother". WJLA. September 24, 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  22. ↑ "Soccer player competes with mother in mind". KETV. September 11, 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  23. ↑ "Angel City's Paige Nielsen back after blood clot scare". Los Angeles Daily News. June 10, 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "Paige Nielsen | Actress". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
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