Defender

Shadia Nankya

Career Bio:

Shadia Nankya is a Ugandan footballer, who joined Uganda Christian University (UCU) in 2019 from Uganda Martyrs High School Lubaga, quickly establishing herself as a standout defender. She captained the Lady Cardinals for multiple seasons, leaving a significant mark on the team over her five-year tenure. After her time at UCU, she trained with Egyptian Women’s Premier League champions TUT FC, now known as FC Masar, and had continued her career with the team for the 2024-2025 season. She is on loan with DTFC.

Club and International Performance:

Nankya plays for the Uganda National Women’s Football Team, the Crested Cranes, scoring 8 goals in the FUFA Women’s Elite League and 7 goals in the FUFA Women’s Cup in 2023.

Honors and Achievements:

Nominee for Airtel FUFA Women’s Player of the Year (2018)

Two-time COSAFA Player of the Match (2018)

Named to the Best XI at the Airtel FUFA Awards (2021)

Set a record for seven goals in one match in FUFA competitions

Amber Brooks

Career Bio: Amber Brooks played 4 years with North Carolina, where she won two National Champions, earned multiple All-American Recognitions, and was Top Drawer Soccer’s Player of the Year in 2012. Upon her graduation, UNC retired her jersey number (22). Amber began her professional career with the Portland Thorns in 2014, where she made 32 appearances and scored two goals. She then played for Seattle Reign FC and later joined Houston Dash, becoming an ‘Iron Woman’ for three consecutive seasons without missing a single minute of game time. After stints with OL Reign and Washington Spirit, Amber accumulated over 10,000 career minutes.

Honors and awards:

Accumulated over 11,000 minutes played and achieved the esteemed milestone of 150 NWSL appearances in October 2022, a testament to longevity, consistency, and commitment to the highest standards

Holds the illustrious NWSL record for the most consecutive minutes played from the 2016-2019 seasons
Served as Captain of the Houston Dash throughout four-season tenure, demonstrating exceptional leadership, resilience, and dedication to team success
Helped Seattle Reign FC secure the 2015 NWSL Shield and propelled the team to the NWSL Championship
Embarked on loan stints with Adelaide United FC in 2018 and 2019, where I served as Captain and was voted Player of the Year in Australian W-League
Signed with FC Bayern Munich, the top team in Germany’s Frauen-Bundesliga, immediately after triumphant collegiate career and won the league Championship in 2014, qualifying for the prestigious UEFA Women’s Champions League
Earned the distinction of joining the esteemed US Women’s National Team Pool, making a memorable debut in the commanding 4-1 win against Brazil in November 2013
Honorably served as Captain of the US U-23 Women’s National Team awarded MVP of the Four Nations Tournament in LaManga, Spain
Proudly represented the US at the U-20 and U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cups, where she successfully led the team as Captain to a second-place finish in the first-ever installment

College Awards and Honors:

2013 UNC Soccer Retired Jersey Number #22 2012 NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award Recipient 2012 First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American
2012 Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Year 2012 Finalist for Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award
2012 ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year 2012 National Champion
2011-12 Team Captain 2011 First Team All-ACC
2011 Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American 2011 Second Team All-Region
2011 Academic All-ACC
2010 Second Team All-ACC
2010 Second Team All-Region
2010 First Team CoSIDA Academic All-Distrct 2009 First Team Freshman All-ACC
2009 Soccer America All-Freshman Team 2009 Academic All-ACC
2009 National Champion

International Performance: Amber has represented the USA at various youth levels, including the U-23 team, where she was named captain, and USWNT first team training camp.

Gabriela Guillén

Career Bio: Gabriela Guillen started her career at Creighton, where she played in 60 games as a fullback and recorded one goal and six assists. After graduation, she returned to Costa Rica, to play with Saprissa FF. After six seasons with the club, she spent one year in Iceland with Þór/KA, before returning to Costa Rica to represent Alajuelense FF in the top division in the country. Throughout this time, Gabriela has represented her country 87 times, including at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

International Performance: Gabriela has made 91 appearances for Costa Rica’s first team including CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers, a silver medal in the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games, and the 2015 and 2023 FIFA World Cup. She also played for the Costa Rican U20 team in the 2010 U20 Women’s World Cup.

Missouri Valley Conference First Team

Julia Dorsey

Career Bio: Julia Dorsey was a two-sport athlete at North Carolina, playing both Lacrosse and Soccer. Over four years, Julia played 69 games, scoring two goals and adding three assists across 5,216 minutes as a defender. In 2022 Julia helped lead the Tar Heels soccer team to the 2022 College Cup Final and the Lacrosse team to winning the National Championship. She is the sixth athlete in school history to play for the Lacrosse and Soccer teams. In 2024, Julia was drafted 40th overall in the NWSL draft by the NC Courage and is currently on loan with DTFC.

College Awards and Honors:

2022 ACC All-Academic Team
Named to Top Drawer Soccer’s freshman top 700 list (no. 85)

Hannah Davison

Career Bio: Hannah Davison began her career at Northwestern, where she earned multiple academic and athletic honors, including Academic All-Big Ten and Preseason Big Ten Awards.The made 73 straight starts (80 total in her career), and helped Northwestern set a program record for longest shutout streak. After graduation, she joined the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL and played there for one season before moving to Stockholm to represent AIK Fotboll in the Damallsvenskan League. After one year with AIK, Davison went to the Rangers W.F.C. in Scotland, helping win a League Cup. She most recently played back in the Damallsvenskan League to play for Örebro for half of a season.

College Awards and Honors:

Academic All Big 10 (2018) Preseason All Big Ten (2018) Third Team All Big 10 (2017)
Preseason All Big 10 (2017)
Academic All Big 10 (2016)
NSCAA Third Team All-Region (2016)

International Performance: Hannah has been part of various youth national team camps and matches, gaining experience and honing her skills at the international level.

Maya Gordon

Career Bio: Maya Gordon played 5 seasons for Louisiana State University where she started 78 out of 86 games, playing 6,359 minutes in her career. She ranks 12th in games played by a Tiger in school history. Maya finished her career with numerous All-SEC Academic honors, 2020 All-SEC Second Team, and served as a team captain for the Tigers. After graduation, Maya joined the Bay FC preseason roster before signing full time with DTFC.

College Awards and Honors:

Team Captain
Career high 1,584 minutes in the season
Started in 78 and played 86 games for the Tigers in her career
- 12th most games played in by a Tiger in school history
2022 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
2021 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
2020 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
2020 All-SEC Second Team
2019-20 SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll

International Performance: Maya has been part of the U.S. National Youth Teams

Maja Henriksson

Maja Henriksson played for Jungsbacka DFF in Sweden in 2016-2018 and helped the team qualify for Sweden’s top league, Allsvenskan. She then played 4 seasons with Keiser University and 1 season with Nova Southeastern University. At NSU, Maja recorded 659 minutes, starting every game she appeared in, and accumulated 4 goals and 4 assists as a defender. At Keiser University, Maja’s numerous awards included 2x national champion, 4x All-American, 4x First Team All-Conference, 2x CoSIDA Academic All-American, and 2x SUN Conference Player of the Year. Over 4 years, she scored 30 goals and tallied 55 assists in 86 games played.

International Performance: Member of Swedish Youth National Team

College Awards and Honors:

2023 All-SSC Third Team
2022 CoSIDA Academic All-American
2022 NAIA All-American
2022 Third most Assists in NAIA
2022 SUN First Team All-Conference
2021 NAIA All American
2021 CoSIDE Academic All-American
2021 SUN Player of the Season
2021 SUN First Team All-Conference
2020 United Soccer Coaches Player of the Year
2020 NAIA All American
2020 NAIA National Champion
2020 SUN Player of the Year
2020 SUN First Team All-Conference
2020 NAIA Defensive MVP
NAIA All-Tournament Team
2019 NAIA All American
2019 NAIA National Champion
2019 SUN Freshman of the Year
2019 SUN First Team All-Conference

Jenna Walker

Career Bio: Jenna Walker played 4 years at Notre Dame before joining Texas Christian University as a graduate transfer. At Notre Dame, Jenna started in 55 of 60 games played, recording 4,337 minutes. At TCU, Jenna started all 24 games, earning first team All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Region. Upon graduation, Jenna was selected in the 4th round of the NWSL Draft by the Kansas City Current where she made 19 appearances. She was signed as a Free Agent by the NC Courage in 2024 and is now signed fully with Dallas Trinity FC.

College Awards and Honors:

2021 United Soccer Coaches 1st-Team All-Midwest Region
2021 Big 12 Tournament Defensive MVP
2021 First Team All Big 12
2020 Academic All ACC

Defender

Subscribe