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Sam Meza

From Wikipedia
Sam Meza
human
Ein sex anaa genderfemale Edit
Ein country of citizenshipUnited States Edit
Name wey dem give amSam Edit
Family nameMeza Edit
Ein date of birth7 November 2001 Edit
Place dem born amDallas Edit
Ein occupationassociation football player Edit
Position dem play for team top / specialityforward, midfielder Edit
Educate forUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Edit
Member give sports teamUnited States women's national under-17 soccer team, United States women's national under-20 association football team, North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer Edit
Sportfootball Edit

Samantha Meza (born November 7, 2001) be an American professional soccer player wey dey play as a midfielder give Seattle Reign FC of de National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) den de United States national team. She play college soccer give de North Carolina Tar Heels, earning third-team All-American honors, wey na dem draft am by de Reign insyd de second round of de 2024 NWSL Draft.

Meza represent de United States at de under-15, under-17, den under-20 level, winning CONCACAF tournaments at each level, before making ein senior debut insyd 2025.

Early life

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Na dem born Meza insyd Dallas, Texas, to Alma den Luis Santos, wey she get a younger bro.[1][2] She be of Mexican descent.[3] She grow up insyd Balch Springs wey she begin dey play soccer at age three.[2][4] She play club soccer give Dallas Kicks, wich reach de final of de US Youth Soccer National Championships one year, she then move to Solar Soccer Club of de U.S. Soccer Development Academy insyd 2017.[4][5] She be twice named to de Best XI of ein Academy conference.[6][7] She attend TTU K–12 for ein last two years of high school.[2] After initially planning to attend de University of Virginia, she commit to de University of North Carolina as a junior.[8][9]

College career

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Meza dey play give North Carolina insyd 2023

Na Meza be a four-year starter give de North Carolina Tar Heels. Insyd ein freshman season, wich na be abbreviated secof de COVID-19 pandemic insyd 2020, she score 2 goals plus 5 assists insyd 19 games, she be named to de All-ACC third team den ACC all-freshman team. North Carolina reach de semifinals of de NCAA tournament, wer she assist Brianna Pinto insyd a 3–1 loss to Santa Clara.[1][10] Insyd ein sophomore season insyd 2021, she get 2 goals den 1 assist insyd 16 games, wey dey include a golden goal against Arkansas, wey na dem name am to de All-ACC second team.[1][11]

Meza play thru minor shin splints during ein junior season insyd 2022, recording 2 goals den 4 assists insyd 16 games, wey na dem name am first-team All-ACC den third-team All-American. She be forced to miss de NCAA tournament secof injury as North Carolina make de championship game, losing to UCLA.[12][13] She get 1 goal insyd 21 games wey she earn second-team All-ACC honors insyd ein senior season insyd 2023, helping North Carolina to de quarterfinals of de NCAA tournament.[14] Head coach Anson Dorrance nickname am "Mighty Mouse" for ein defensive prowess.[12][15]

Club career

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Seattle Reign

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Seattle Reign FC select Meza plus de 17th overall pick insyd de second round of de 2024 NWSL Draft; Seattle trade up for de pick by sending US$125,000 insyd allocation funds to de Chicago Red Stars.[16] She be signed to a one-year contract plus an option to extend for anoda year.[17] She initially struggle to adjust to de professional environment wey she make only two appearances give de Reign, both insyd de 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, during ein rookie season.[18]

Dallas Trinity (loan)

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Insyd July, Dallas Trinity general manager Chris Petrucelli reach out to Meza plus an offer for minutes on loan insyd de new USL Super League.[18] On August 1, de Reign pick up Meza ein second-year contract option wey dem announce say she go join Trinity for de rest of de year for an undisclosed fee.[19] She appear insyd de starting lineup of Trinity ein inaugural game on August 18, a 1–1 draw against de Tampa Bay Sun.[20] On September 7, she score ein first professional goal – den Trinity ein first at home at de Cotton Bowl – wich level a 1–1 draw against DC Power FC. On November 24, she score three minutes into a 1–0 win against de Carolina Ascent. Na dem name am de USL Super League Player of de Month for November.[21] She record 2 goals den 1 assist insyd 13 appearances, helping Dallas to second place insyd de standings at de winter break.[22]

Return to Seattle

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Seattle head coach Laura Harvey say Meza ein spell insyd Dallas contribute to ein maturation as a professional athlete.[23] After returning to Seattle, Meza make ein NWSL regular-season debut on March 15, 2025, coming on as a stoppage-time substitute for Ji So-yun insyd de season opener against Gotham FC.[22] She quickly cam be a regular starter give de Reign.[24] On April 26, she register ein first NWSL assist plus a cross to Jordyn Huitema ein header during a 1–1 draw plus Bay FC.[25] On May 17, she set up Maddie Dahlien, ein former college teammate, to score de only goal of de game against Racing Louisville.[26] On June 30, de Reign announce say Meza sign a new contract plus de team thru de 2028 season.[27]

International career

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Meza begin dey train plus de United States national under-15 team insyd 2015.[3][28] She score six goals as part of de team wey shut out all seven of ein opponents to win de 2016 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship.[5][29] She play regularly give de under-17 team, wey dey include on de winning side at de 2018 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship.[30][31] She help de under-20 team win de 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship wey she poise to make de roster for de 2020 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, buh de tournament be cancelled secof de COVID-19 pandemic.[32][33] She play friendlies for de under-23 team insyd 2022 den 2025.[34][35]

Emma Hayes give Meza ein first senior national team call-up insyd June 2025.[33] She make ein senior international debut on June 29, starting den playing 87 minutes of de 4–0 friendly win over de Republic of Ireland.[36]

Career statistics

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Club summary

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As of December 14, 2024
Club Season League Cup Playoffs Oda Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Seattle Reign 2024 NWSL 0 0 — 0 0 2 0 2 0
Dallas Trinity FC (loan) 2024–25 USL Super League 13 2 — 0 0 — 13 2
Career total 13 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 15 2

International

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As of match played January 27, 2026
National TeamYearAppsGoals
United States 202520
202610
Total30

Honors

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Individual

  • USL Super League Player of the Month, November 2024[21]
  • USL Super League Team of the Month, November 2024[21]
  • Third-team United Soccer Coaches All-American: 2022
  • All-ACC: 2022 (first team), 2021 and 2023 (second team), 2020 (third team)
  • ACC all-freshman team: 2020

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Sam Meza – Women's Soccer". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  2. 1 2 3 Cranford, Leslie (January 2020). "D1 University Scholarship Kicks in for TTU K‑12 Soccer Player". TTU K–12. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  3. 1 2 Jones, Jody (2022-10-08). "Sam Meza hopes to leave inspiring legacy for young Latinas". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  4. 1 2 Crooke, Dan (2018-03-28). "Ordonez and Meza called up to the US U17 WNT for CONCACAF Championship". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  5. 1 2 "North Texas Players Meza, Ordonez Called Up to U-17 USWNT Camp". Arkansas Soccer Association. 2017-10-24. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  6. ↑ "USSF announces Girls DA 2017-18 awards". United States Soccer Federation. 2018-06-10. Retrieved 2024-01-08 – via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
  7. ↑ Crooke, Dan (2019-07-22). "Solar SC and FC Dallas bring home USSDA awards". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  8. ↑ Shealer, Sheldon (2019-04-01). "Recruiting Roundup: April 1–7". TopDrawerSoccer.com. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  9. ↑ Musarurwa, Kudzi (2024-04-19). "Sam Meza has bought into the process at Seattle Reign FC". All for XI. SB Nation. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  10. ↑ Brown, C.L. (2021-05-14). "UNC falls to Santa Clara in women's soccer College Cup semifinals". The News & Observer. Retrieved 2025-01-11.
  11. ↑ Koh, Michael (2021-08-23). "No. 3 UNC Women's Soccer Tops No. 13 Arkansas on Meza's Golden Goal". Chapelboro.com. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  12. 1 2 Bynum, R.L. (2022-09-11). "After Meza steadies UNC in win, Dorrance calls her greatest defensive midfielder he's coached". Tar Heel Tribune. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  13. ↑ Koh, Michael (2023-08-11). "UNC Women's Soccer Picked 1st in ACC Coaches Poll; 3 Tar Heels Named All-ACC". Chapelboro.com. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  14. ↑ Koh, Michael (2023-11-02). "6 Tar Heels Earn All-ACC Women's Soccer Honors; Sentnor Named Midfielder of the Year". Chapelboro.com. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  15. ↑ Rogers, Evan (2022-09-11). "'Mighty Mouse' Meza lifts UNC women's soccer above UCF with second half magic". The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  16. ↑ Evans, Jayda (2024-01-12). "NWSL draft: Reign trade up to take UNC's Sam Meza, select former UW player". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  17. ↑ "Seattle Reign FC Signs 2024 NWSL Draft Pick Sam Meza". Seattle Reign FC. 2024-03-07. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  18. 1 2 Lloyd-Hughes, Theo (2025-06-20). "'You just can't replicate game minutes': How Sam Meza's move home to Dallas set a path to the USWNT". Squad Depth. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  19. ↑ "Seattle Reign FC Exercises Option for Midfielder Sam Meza, Loans Meza to USL Super League's Dallas Trinity FC". Seattle Reign FC. 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  20. ↑ "Tampa Bay Sun FC 1–1 Dallas Trinity FC". USL Super League. 2024-08-18. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  21. 1 2 3 "USL Super League Team of the Month – November". USL Super League. 2024-12-05. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-11.
  22. 1 2 Sam Meza at Soccerway Edit this at Wikidata
  23. ↑ Rantz, Susie (2025-02-02). "Sam Meza is ready to make her mark on the NWSL". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
  24. ↑ "Sam Meza Continues to Grow in the Midfield". Seattle Reign. 2025-04-28. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
  25. ↑ Rantz, Susie (2025-04-28). "Three stats: Seattle Reign vs. Bay FC". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
  26. ↑ Rantz, Susie (2025-05-17). "Reign earn hard-fought road win against Louisville". Sounder at Heart. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
  27. ↑ "Seattle Reign FC Midfielder Sam Meza Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension". Seattle Reign FC. 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
  28. ↑ "U15, U16 GNTs head to Portland for camp". United States Soccer Federation. 2015-06-01. Retrieved 2024-01-08 – via TopDrawerSoccer.com.
  29. ↑ "Champions: U.S. U-15 girls perfect in Orlando; U-18 boys lift Czech crown". Soccer America. 2016-08-22. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  30. ↑ Eskilson, J.R. (2018-06-10). "USA qualifies for the U17 Women's World Cup". TopDrawerSoccer.com. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  31. ↑ "Four North Texas Players to Compete in U-17 Women's World Cup". Arkansas Soccer Association. Archived from the original on 2022-05-28.
  32. ↑ "USA Rolls Past Mexico 4–1 to Win 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship". United States Soccer Federation. 2020-03-08. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  33. 1 2 "Hayes Names 25-player USWNT Training Camp Roster for Matches against Republic of Ireland and Canada". United States Soccer Federation. 2025-06-18. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
  34. ↑ "U.S. Under-23 Women's Youth National Team Defeats Sweden 3–0 on Goals from Alyssa Thompson, Ava Cook and Kerry Abello". United States Soccer Federation. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  35. ↑ "U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team Defeats Germany, 2-1, on Late Goal from Evelyn Shores". United States Soccer Federation. 2025-03-02. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  36. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (2025-06-29). "Rodriguez scores in USWNT debut, the 24th in 24 games under Hayes". ESPN. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
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