Amirah Iman Ali (born December 7, 1998) is an American soccer forward and midfielder who plays for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League. She previously played for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's soccer team.[2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Amirah Iman Ali[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1998-12-07) December 7, 1998 (age 23) | ||
| Place of birth | Voorhees Township, New Jersey | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward/Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | San Diego Wave FC | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Winslow Tigers Soccer Club | |||
| Players Development Academy | |||
| 2014–2017 | Eastern Regional High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | Rutgers | 103 | (44) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022– | San Diego Wave FC | 12 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of July 25, 2022 | |||
Ali, born in Voorhees Twp., raised in [Winslow Township, New Jersey], played youth soccer for the Winslow Tigers, a New Jersey-based travel team coached by Rich King, father of NWSL player Tziarra King. Along with 11v11 play Amirah was an exceptional youth soccer player in 3v3 & Futsal soccer formats where she & Tziarra King along with their Winslow Tigers squad share many tournament wins and individual accolades. [2][3] Ali’s later youth years she joined Players Development Academy of the Elite Clubs National League prior to going to Rutgers University. [4][5]
Ali also played high school soccer for Eastern Regional High School in her high school town of Voorhees Township, New Jersey, where she was named High School Girls' Player of the Year by both the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, the Courier-Post, and the United Soccer Coaches organization.[3] She finished her high school career with 99 goals and 51 assists.[6][7]
Ali played for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights from 2017 to 2021, primarily as a forward or attacking midfielder. The Scarlet Knights won its first-ever Big Ten Conference championship in 2021 with Ali on the squad, and Ali was on the shortlist for the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2019, 2020, and 2021.[2]
Portland Thorns FC drafted Ali with the 22nd-overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, despite her decision not to declare for the draft. Portland Thorns FC coach Mark Parsons suggested Ali was capable of playing immediately for an NWSL club.[8] She instead returned to Rutgers to complete her collegiate career, leading Rutgers to the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament — the program's first appearance since 2015 — and the Scarlet Knights finished as semi-finalists.[2]
Ali finished her Rutgers career with 44 goals, 17 of them match-winners, and 19 assists. She scored 9 career golden goals, a Rutgers record, and played 6,309 minutes across 103 matches, 102 of them as a starter. Amirah Ali finished her career at Rutgers Women’s Soccer program as the only female soccer athlete as a Four Time All American. [5] She was team captain in 2019, 2020, and 2021.[9]
Portland Thorns traded NWSL player rights to Ali, as well as signed defender Christen Westphal, to San Diego Wave FC in exchange for $50,000 in allocation money on December 16, 2021.[10] She scored her first professional goal on April 2, 2022, during the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup against Angel City FC.[11]
Ali played for the U19 United States women's national soccer team, and was invited to U14, U18, and U19 camps.[5]
San Diego Wave FC – current squad | |
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