Former Canada under-20 captain Nikayla Small has chosen to play professionally in her hometown of Toronto, signing with AFC Toronto for the inaugural season of the Northern Super League. Small, a talented midfielder, joins AFC Toronto after a successful collegiate career at Wake Forest University.
Former Canada under-20 captain Nikayla Small has signed with AFC Toronto, remaining in her hometown as part of the inaugural Northern Super League season. The 21-year-old midfielder from Pickering, Ontario, joins AFC Toronto after a successful collegiate career at Wake Forest University, where she appeared in 60 games, including 53 starts, with four goals and 15 assists.
A significant ankle injury unfortunately sidelined her during the 2024 NCAA women's soccer tournament, where the Demon Deacons narrowly missed out on the championship, losing 1-0 to North Carolina. Small's soccer journey began with Pickering Soccer Club before progressing to the National Development Centre (NDC) Ontario. She has proudly represented Canada at various youth levels, including the under-15, U-17, and U-20 teams. While former Canada coach Bev Priestman invited her to training camps in late 2021, she is yet to earn her senior cap. 'Nikayla is a player we are very familiar with, having watched her develop while playing with the National Development Centre and youth national teams,' stated AFC Toronto sporting director Billy Wilson. 'Not only is she an outstanding talent who will offer us something different in central areas, she is a quality person who aligns with our values.' In other NSL news, Ottawa Rapid FC has bolstered its roster with the signings of former Canadian youth international winger Stella Downing and defender/midfielder Ellen Gibson, a former Swedish youth international. The Calgary Wild has also added a dynamic duo to their team, signing 17-year-old twins Keelyn and Taegan Stewart.Small's arrival at AFC Toronto marks another instance of a local player returning to play professionally in Canada. 'Being from Toronto, Nikayla knows what this club represents for our supporters and the next generation of young players,' said Wilson. 'I have no doubt that she will have a huge influence at our club as we continue developing our project.' Small expressed her excitement about pursuing her dream of professional soccer in her hometown. 'But growing up, you never really saw anyone return to Canada to play soccer after university; everyone was always going overseas,' she said. 'Now, having a chance to be part of this project with AFC Toronto, I know there’s nothing that can take away our part in history … Walking out at our home stadium for the first time is going to be surreal and I can’t wait to represent this city.' Small's collegiate career was significantly impacted by an injury that aggravated during her participation in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica, causing her to miss her entire sophomore season at Wake Forest. Downing's collegiate journey took her across two universities, Memphis, Mississippi, and Creighton. The 22-year-old from Vancouver made her Canadian youth debut at the young age of 14 as a member of the under-17 team.
CANADA SOCCER NIKAYLA SMALL AFC TORONTO NORTHERN SUPER LEAGUE COLLEGE SOCCER WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
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