Kennedy Wesley

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Kennedy Wesley
Wesley with the San Diego Wave in 2024
Personal information
Full name Kennedy Megan Wesley[1]
Date of birth (2001-03-08) March 8, 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Santa Monica, California, United States
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s) Center back
Team information
Current team
 San Diego Wave
Number 12
Youth career
So Cal Blues
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2023 Stanford Cardinal 104 (4)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024– San Diego Wave 13 (1)
International career
2016–2018 United States U17
2020 United States U20
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 4, 2024

Kennedy Megan Wesley (born March 8, 2001) is an American soccer player who plays as a center back for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal and was drafted by the Wave in the first round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.

Early life

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Wesley was born in Santa Monica, California and attended Valley Christian High School.[2] She played youth soccer for SoCal Blues, with which she won the 2015 ECNL U15 National Championship.[3]

College career

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Wesley played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal over five seasons from 2019 to 2023.[4] Of a possible 106 appearances, she appeared in 104 games, setting a school record.[5] Her 92-game starts, including starts in the final 60 matches of her college career, were 9th highest in Stanford history.[6] She played center defender for all 25 matches in the 2023 season.[5]

Club career

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Wesley was selected in the first round (12th overall) of the 2024 NWSL Draft by San Diego Wave FC.[7][6] On February 8, 2024, San Diego signed Wesley to a two-year contract.[8]

She made her club debut in a scoreless draw against Racing Louisville April 13, 2024.[9] She started in place of Naomi Girma, who was out due to injury sustained in a USWNT match.[10] Wesley scored her first professional goal on July 20, 2024, in a NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup match against Bay FC.[11] She tallied her first NWSL regular season goal on September 8, 2024, scoring San Diego's lone goal in teammate Alex Morgan's final match, a 4–1 defeat to the North Carolina Courage.[12] Both goals were header goals from a corner kick by María Sánchez.[11][12] Wesley was named the NWSL Rookie of the Month for September after sporting an 85.66 percent passing accuracy and having the second-most clearances on the Wave, behind fellow defender Naomi Girma.[2][13]

Career statistics

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As of May 3, 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Playoffs[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
San Diego Wave FC 2024 NWSL 4 0 0 0 — 4 0
Career total 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
  1. ^ Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup.
  2. ^ Includes NWSL Playoffs.

Honors

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Stanford Cardinal[14]

United States U17

United States U20

Individual

  • 2019 All Pac-12 freshman team
  • 2021 All Pac-12 third team
  • 2022 All Pac-12 second team
  • 2022 United Coaches All-Region first team
  • 2023 United Coaches All-Region third team[5]
  • 2023 All Pac-12 first team[5]
  • NWSL Rookie of the Month: September 2024[2]

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Jordan 2016 – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. September 24, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c NWSL (October 3, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Defender Kennedy Wesley Named September Rookie of the Month, presented by Ally | National Women's Soccer League Official Site". NWSL. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  3. ^ "2015–16". www.scblues.com.
  4. ^ "Kennedy Wesley Stanford profile". Stanford University Athletics. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Trio Selected in NWSL Draft". Stanford University Athletics. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Emerick, Tyler (January 13, 2024). "San Diego Wave Selects Two Players in 2024 NWSL Draft". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Finley, Ryan (January 13, 2024). "Wave draft Stanford defender Kennedy Wesley in first round, continue Cardinal collection". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Emerick, Tyler (February 8, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Signs 2024 NWSL Draft First-Round Pick Kennedy Wesley". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  9. ^ Krasovic, Tom (April 14, 2024). "Tom Krasovic: Wave ride defense once again on road, earning scoreless draw at Louisville". San Diego Union-Tribune.
  10. ^ Stone, Chris (April 14, 2024). "16-Year-Old Makes Debut with San Diego Wave in 0-0 Draw with Racing Louisville". Times of San Diego.
  11. ^ a b Emerick, Tyler (July 21, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Defeat Bay FC 3-1 at Torero Stadium in NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Emerick, Tyler (September 9, 2024). "Alex Morgan's Iconic Send-Off Highlights San Diego Wave FC's Match at Snapdragon Stadium". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  13. ^ Emerick, Tyler (October 3, 2024). "San Diego Wave Defender Kennedy Wesley Named NWSL Rookie of the Month for September". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  14. ^ Eiwanger, Chantal (January 9, 2024). "Senior Spotlight: Kennedy Wesley reflects on breaking records and building friendships". Retrieved January 13, 2024.
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