Jennifer Michele Vasconcelos (née Murphy; born May 11, 1994) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Utah Royals of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the BYU Cougars and was drafted 11th overall by the Chicago Red Stars in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. She has also played for Kansas City NWSL, Portland Thorns FC, and Spanish club Sevilla.

Michele Vasconcelos
Vasconcelos with the Utah Royals in 2024
Personal information
Full name Jennifer Michele Vasconcelos[1]
Birth name Jennifer Michele Murphy
Date of birth (1994-05-11) May 11, 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Sandy, Utah, United States
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Utah Royals
Number 7
Youth career
Olympique Montreaux
Alta High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2016 BYU Cougars 86 (30)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Real Salt Lake Women 7 (3)
2018–2020 Chicago Red Stars 31 (3)
2020 Utah Royals 1 (0)
2021 Kansas City 10 (0)
2021–2022Sevilla (loan) 22 (2)
2022–2023 Portland Thorns 5 (1)
2024– Utah Royals 0 (0)
International career
2017 United States U23
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 2, 2023

Early life

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Vasconcelos played high school soccer at Alta High School in Sandy, Utah, which won three state championships during her career.[2][3] She scored a total of 37 goals and 22 assists at Alta High.[4]

She also played youth soccer for Olympique Montreux, a club based in Sandy, Utah.[5][6]

BYU Cougars

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Vasconcelos played NCAA Division I soccer at Brigham Young University, where she scored 30 goals and 27 assists in her career as an attacking midfielder and was named West Coast Conference player of the year in 2016.[3][4]

Club career

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Real Salt Lake Women, 2016

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Vasconcelos played for Real Salt Lake Women in the United Women's Soccer league during the 2016 season.[7]

Chicago Red Stars, 2018–2020

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Chicago Red Stars players, 2018

National Women's Soccer League team Chicago Red Stars selected Vasconcelos with the 11th pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft.[8] She missed the entire 2017 NWSL season as she was pregnant with her first child.[2][9][10]

On March 25, 2018, Vasconcelos debuted for Chicago Red Stars in a 1–1 draw against Houston Dash.[11] She appeared in 20 games for the Red Stars in 2018.[12]

In 2019, Vasconcelos appeared in 11 games and scored two goals before tearing her left anterior cruciate ligament in a match on July 6, 2019, against Sky Blue FC. She missed the remainder of the 2019 season.[3][2][13][14]

Vasconcelos appeared in six matches as a substitute for the Red Stars at the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.[15][2][4]

Utah Royals FC, 2020

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On September 10, 2020, Utah Royals acquired Vasconcelos from the Red Stars in exchange for $55,000 in allocation money.[16] Vasconcelos requested the trade to be closer to her family.[2]

Kansas City NWSL, 2020–2021

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On December 7, 2020, ownership of Utah Royals FC was transferred to a group in Kansas City, Kansas. The team was subsequently relaunched as an expansion team and temporarily renamed Kansas City NWSL, and the league transferred all of Royals FC's roster rights to the new club, including Vasconcelos's contract.[3]

On April 26, 2021, Vasconcelos scored the expansion Kansas City team's first home goal at Children's Mercy Park in the 77th minute of a 1-3 loss to Houston Dash in a 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup match.[17][18]

Sevilla FC, 2021–2022

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On September 1, 2021, Kansas City loaned Vasconcelos to Sevilla FC of the Spanish Primera División Femenina for one season.[19]

Portland Thorns FC, 2022–2023

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On July 1, 2022, following Vasconcelos's loan to Sevilla FC, Kansas City waived her NWSL playing rights.[3][17]

On July 14, 2022, Portland Thorns FC announced that it had signed Vasconcelos as a national team replacement player.[3][20] She debuted for Portland on July 16, 2022, as a 78th-minute substitute in a 5–0 win against NJ/NY Gotham FC.[21]

On July 29, 2022, Thorns FC extended her contract to the end of the 2022 season,[22] in which Vasconcelos made three appearances for Portland.[23]

On January 27, 2023, Thorns FC announced that it had re-signed Vasconcelos to a one-year contract with an option for an additional year.[23] On March 26, 2023, she scored her first goal for Thorns FC in the 76th minute of a 4–0 win against Orlando Pride.[24]

Utah Royals, 2024–

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On November 21, 2023, Utah Royals announced that they had signed Vasconcelos.[25]

International career

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Vasconcelos received a call-up to the United States Under-23 Women's National Team for a training camp in November 2017.[26]

Personal life

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Vasconcelos is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[27] She married Pedro Vasconcelos in 2014.[28] He was a member of the BYU Cougars men's soccer team. She gave birth to their daughter, Scarlett, in 2017.[27][2][3]

References

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  1. ^ "Primera Iberdrola, Acta oficial: Real Sociedad 2–0 Sevilla FC (Jornada 3: Sáb, 25 Sep, 16:00)" [Primera Iberdrola, Official record: Real Sociedad 2–0 Sevilla FC (Matchday 3: Saturday, September 25, 16:00)]. Royal Spanish Football Federation (in Spanish). September 25, 2021. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021. La jugadora Dña. Jennifer Michele Vasconcelos con licencia E0634202 con el dorsal nº22 es convocada como jugadora suplente pero no aparece en el sistema fenix. [The player Mrs. Jennifer Michele Vasconcelos with license E0634202 with the number 22 is called up as a substitute player but does not appear in the Fénix system.]
  2. ^ a b c d e f McDonald, Ryan (September 10, 2020). "Former BYU, Alta High star Michele Vasconcelos acquired by Utah Royals FC". Deseret News. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g McDonald, Ryan (July 15, 2022). "This former BYU star is back in America's top soccer league — at least for a while". Deseret News. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Walker, Sean (September 10, 2020). "Former BYU, Alta High star Michele Vasconcelos is coming home to play for Utah Royals FC". KSL-TV. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  5. ^ "Soccer Reloads With Seven Recruits for 2012" (Press release). BYU Cougars. January 30, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "2017 NWSL Draft Eligible Players" (Press release). Orlando Pride. January 12, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Walker, Sean (July 6, 2016). "Local college standouts build unity, wins with RSL Women". KSL. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  8. ^ "Hatch, Vasconcelos selected in NWSL Draft – The Daily Universe" (Press release). January 12, 2017.
  9. ^ "Michele Vasconcelos to Miss 2017 Season" (Press release). February 20, 2017. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  10. ^ Costabile, Annie (May 11, 2019). "Mother's Day special: Parenting while playing, Red Stars moms doing both". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars". March 25, 2018. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  12. ^ "M.VASCONCELOS". Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  13. ^ "Chicago Red Stars Forward Michele Vasconcelos Out for Season". NBC 5 Chicago. July 11, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  14. ^ Parvizi, Kevin (July 11, 2019). "Chicago Red Stars lose Michele Vasconcelos for rest of 2019 season". FanSided. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  15. ^ "Michele Vasconcelos Domestic Cup Stats". Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  16. ^ "Michele Vasconcelos llega cedida al Sevilla FC Femenino". La Colina de Nervion. September 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Jacobs, Nick (July 1, 2022). "KC Current release two players ahead of game". KSHB. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  18. ^ Dulhanty, Emily (April 26, 2021). "Mewis and Daly score in Dash's 3-1 win over Kansas City". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  19. ^ "Michele Vasconcelos llega cedida al Sevilla FC Femenino". Noticias Sevilla FC – La Colina de Nervión (in Spanish). September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "Thorns FC sign forward Michele Vasconcelos as a National Team Replacement Player" (Press release).
  21. ^ Isom, Wilder (July 16, 2022). "Match Recap & Highlights: Portland Thorns 5-0 Gotham FC". Stumptown Footy. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  22. ^ "Thorns FC extend forward Michele Vasconcelos' contract for remainder of 2022 season" (Press release).
  23. ^ a b "The Thorns re-sign five players". Stumptown Footy. January 27, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  24. ^ Rantz, Susie (March 26, 2023). "Portland Thorns begin title defense with dominant win". Associated Press. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  25. ^ Hable, Jacob (November 21, 2023). "Michele Vasconcelos: Fast Facts". Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  26. ^ "Michele Vasconcelos Named to U.S. U23 WNT". Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  27. ^ a b Swensen, Jason (December 13, 2017). "'Mormon soccer mom' plying her trade in the pro, national ranks". Deseret News. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  28. ^ "BYU women's soccer: Murphy Vasconcelos soaring, scoring in her senior season". Salt Lake Tribune.
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