Sarah Clark (soccer)

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Sarah Clark
Clark with the North Carolina Courage in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-03-26) March 26, 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth Durham, North Carolina
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Canberra United FC
Number 3
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Purdue 36 (3)
2020–2022 Virginia 61 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023 North Carolina Courage 0 (0)
2023– Canberra United FC 16 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 30, 2024

Sarah G. Clark (born March 26, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Canberra United FC of the A-League Women. She previously played for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Purdue Boilermakers and Virginia Cavaliers.

Early life[edit]

Clark was born in Durham, North Carolina, and grew up in Brighton, Michigan.[1] She is the youngest of four children of Purdue University alumni Bill and Lori Clark.[1] Her family often played pickup soccer while in North Carolina in the summer; her uncle Mike Clark played professionally for the Columbus Crew, and her brother, Will, later played for UNC Wilmington in college.[2] Clark developed her corner kick ability from a young age while practicing with her brother.[3]

Clark played club soccer for the Michigan Hawks' youth squad, winning five straight Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) conference titles from 2013 to 2017 and back-to-back ECNL national championships in 2016 and 2017.[1] She graduated from Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, Michigan.[1]

College career[edit]

Clark regularly started as a center back in her first season at Purdue in 2017 and was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman team.[1][3] She moved to play defensive center midfield in her sophomore season, leading the team with six assists and converting three penalty kicks.[1][3] She was named team captain the next year but sat out the season with a medical redshirt.[2]

Clark transferred to the University of Virginia in 2020.[4] She made 61 appearances in three seasons as a defender.[2][5]

Club career[edit]

North Carolina Courage, 2023[edit]

After going undrafted in the 2023 NWSL Draft, Clark was signed by the North Carolina Courage as a national team replacement player in June 2023.[6] She assisted on a Haley Hopkins goal in her professional debut, a 5–0 Challenge Cup win against the Orlando Pride on July 29, 2023.[5] She played in one other league cup game that season as the Courage defended their Challenge Cup title.[5]

Canberra United, 2023–[edit]

Clark was signed by Canberra United FC of Australia's A-League Women in December 2023.[7][8]

Career statistics[edit]

As of match played March 30, 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
North Carolina Courage 2023 NWSL 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0
Canberra United FC 2023–24 A-League 16 1 — — 16 1
Career total 16 1 2 0 0 0 18 1

Honors[edit]

North Carolina Courage

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup
  2. ^ Includes NWSL Playoffs, A-League Women Finals series

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Sarah Clark – Soccer". Purdue University Athletics. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Sarah Clark". Virginia Cavaliers. August 7, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Baird, Nathan (September 18, 2018). "Purdue soccer defender Sarah Clark coming up big from the corner". Journal & Courier. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  4. ^ "Virginia Women's Soccer Announces 2020–21 Newcomers". Virginia Cavaliers. May 4, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Sarah Clark". North Carolina Courage. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  6. ^ "Courage sign three to National Team replacement contracts". North Carolina Courage. June 27, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  7. ^ "US Defender Clark Adds to United Squad". Canberra United FC. December 14, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Polkinghorne, David (December 13, 2024). "Canberra bolsters backline stocks with US college star". The Canberra Times.

External links[edit]

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