Jordyn Nishai Bugg (born August 11, 2006) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She signed with the Reign at the age of 17 in 2024. She has represented the United States from the under-16 to under-20 level, helping win bronze at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Jordyn Bugg
Bugg with the Seattle Reign in 2024
Personal information
Full name Jordyn Nishai Bugg[1]
Date of birth (2006-08-11) August 11, 2006 (age 18)[1]
Position(s) Center back, fullback
Team information
Current team
Seattle Reign
Youth career
0000–2024 San Diego Surf SC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024– Seattle Reign 1 (0)
International career
2022 United States U-16
2022 United States U-17 4 (0)
2023 United States U-19 5 (0)
2024 United States U-20 11 (1)
Medal record
Women's soccer
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Bronze medal – third place Colombia 2024
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of August 25, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 21, 2024

Early life

edit

Bugg was raised in El Cajon, California, the oldest of five siblings. Her parents attended Eastern Kentucky University, where her father played college football and her mother played basketball. She is a cousin of NFL cornerback Terrion Arnold.[2] Bugg attended Christian Junior/Senior High School and played club soccer for San Diego Surf SC, which won the ECNL national championship in 2024.[3][4] She trained with NWSL team San Diego Wave FC during her junior and senior years of high school, where she learned from center backs Naomi Girma and Abby Dahlkemper and head coach Casey Stoney.[5]

Club career

edit

Bugg was signed by Seattle Reign FC through the NWSL's Under-18 Entry Mechanism on July 19, 2024, having begun training with the team the previous month.[6] The terms of her contract were guaranteed through 2026 with an option to extend for an additional year, which was applied.[4][7] She had previously committed to Florida State after switching from Stanford; she chose to turn professional instead after her time training with the San Diego Wave and the NWSL signings of several of her youth national teammates.[5]

Bugg debuted for the Reign on July 28 in a defeat to Club Tijuana in the group stage of the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. Despite the loss, head coach Laura Harvey said her performance was "exceptional".[8] After impressing in the Summer Cup, she made her regular-season debut in a 1–0 win over the North Carolina Courage on August 25, starting in the center back spot that had belonged to recently traded Alana Cook.[5][9]

International career

edit

Bugg played in friendlies for the United States national under-16 team in 2022.[10] She joined the under-17 team as a replacement for an injured player at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India, where she appeared in three games.[5] She was the only player on the United States under-19 team to start all five games at the 2023 Pan American Games, where she won bronze playing against other countries' senior teams.[4] She trained with the under-20 team the following year and was selected to the roster for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[11][12] She played all but four minutes at the U-20 Women's World Cup, helping the United States finish in third place, the country's best result since 2012.[13]

Style of play

edit

Bugg plays primarily as a center back but can also play as a fullback. She moved to the back line from midfield in high school.[5][8] She cites center back Naomi Girma, who mentored her in San Diego, as her "main inspiration".[5] Seattle general manager Lesle Gallimore said of her: "She is athletic, technically clean and has a good football IQ".[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Squad List: FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2022" (PDF). FIFA. October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "Soccer Adds Jordyn Bugg to 2024 Roster". Florida State Seminoles. April 17, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  3. ^ "Jordyn Bugg – 2024 – Women's Soccer". Florida State Seminoles. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Seattle Reign FC Signs Defender Jordyn Bugg and Midfielder Ainsley McCammon". Seattle Reign FC. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants". United States Soccer Federation. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Rantz, Susie (July 19, 2024). "Seattle Reign sign two U-18 players to long-term contracts". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  7. ^ "Match Recap: Seattle Reign FC Falls to Club Tijuana". Seattle Reign FC. July 28, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Haynie, Alli (July 28, 2024). "Second-half rally comes up short as Reign fall to Tijuana". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  9. ^ Cristobal, Jacob (August 25, 2024). "Seattle Reign win in stoppage time on Megan Rapinoe's jersey retirement night". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  10. ^ Clark, Travis (May 31, 2022). "U16 GNT Enjoys Successful Trip to Europe". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  11. ^ "U20 WNT Roster for Germany Training Camp". United States Soccer Federation. March 29, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
  12. ^ "U.S. U-20 WYNT Head Coach Tracey Kevins Names 21-Player Roster for 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia". United States Soccer Federation. August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "USA Scores Dramatic 119th-Minute Game-Winner To Defeat The Netherlands 2-1 And Finish Third At 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup". United States Soccer Federation. September 22, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
edit