Savannah McCaskill

Savannah McCaskill
McCaskill with the San Diego Wave in 2024
Personal information
Full name Savannah Elizabeth McCaskill[1]
Date of birth (1996-07-31) July 31, 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Chapin, South Carolina, United States
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 San Diego Wave FC
Number 21
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 South Carolina Gamecocks 91 (40)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 NJ/NY Gotham FC 26 (3)
2018–2019 → Sydney FC (loan) 13 (5)
2019–2020 Chicago Red Stars 18 (1)
2021 Racing Louisville FC 23 (2)
2022–2023 Angel City FC 45 (11)
2024– San Diego Wave FC 0 (0)
International career‡
2017–2019 United States U-23 6 (1)
2018– United States 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of December 5, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 5, 2018

Savannah Elizabeth McCaskill (born July 31, 1996) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.

Early life

McCaskill was raised in Chapin, South Carolina, where she attended Irmo High School.[1] She was twice-named to the All-State team and was the team's highest-scoring player in 2012 with 33 goals.[1] As a senior, she was ranked by Top Drawer Soccer in the top 100 players and top 20 midfielders nationwide.[2]

McCaskill played club soccer for CESA 95 in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and captained the team.[1] She played for the South Carolina Olympic Development Program (ODP) team from 2008 to 2012 and the regional ODP team from 2010 to 2013.[1]

Collegiate career

McCaskill attended the University of South Carolina where she played for the Gamecocks from 2014 to 2017.[1] As a freshman, she started in all 25 matches and tied for the most points (15) on the team playing as a forward (though initially recruited as a defender).[3] She was named as Freshman of the Year by the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and was named to the conference's second-team and all-freshman teams.[4]

As a sophomore starting in all 25 games, McCaskill led the team in points and goals (29 and 10 respectively) while her nine assists ranked second.[1] She ranked in the top five in the SEC for points and assists per game as well as total assists.[1] She was named to the All-SEC First Team, NSCAA All-South Region First Team and was voted the team's Offensive Player of the Year.[1]

In 2016, McCaskill's 45 points and 17 goals set new school records for a single season.[1] Her ten game-winning goals ranked second in Division 1 and first in the SEC.[1] She was named the SEC's Offensive Player of the Week in early September.[5] She scored a hat-trick against Tulsa in August marking the first time one had been scored by a player on the team since 2010.[1]

Club career

Sky Blue, 2018–2019

McCaskill was selected by the Boston Breakers as the number two overall pick at the 2018 NWSL College Draft.[6] After the team folded due to failed buyout negotiations in late January, McCaskill was selected by Sky Blue FC with the second pick in the 2018 NWSL Dispersal Draft.[7][8] She scored her first career goal on April 21 against the Chicago Red Stars.[9] McCaskill was a finalist for 2018 NWSL Rookie of the Year, alongside Andi Sullivan and Imani Dorsey.[10]

McCaskill made six appearances for Sky Blue in 2019.

Loan to Sydney FC

McCaskill signed with Sydney FC for the 2018-19 W-League season, joining fellow Americans Sofia Huerta, Danielle Colaprico and Aubrey Bledsoe in Sydney.[11]

McCaskill scored her first goal for Sydney FC in a 5–2 win over Adelaide United in December 2018,[12] before scoring a brace the following month against Newcastle Jets in a 3–1 win.[13]

Sydney FC advanced to the 2019 W-League Grand Final, Sydney won 4–2. McCaskill scored two goals and recorded an assist, she was named Player of the Match award for her performance.[14]

Chicago Red Stars, 2019–2020

On June 19, 2019, McCaskill was traded to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for a first and second round draft pick at the 2020 NWSL College Draft.[15] McCaskill made her Red Stars debut on June 23, 2019, in a game where the Red Stars played Reign FC. McCaskill scored her first goal for the Red Stars in a 3–0 win over the Houston Dash.

Racing Louisville, 2021

Before the 2021 Season Chicago traded McCaskill as well as Yuki Nagasato's rights to Racing Louisville FC as well as a 2021 International Roster spot and the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. McCaskill made her debut for Louisville on April 10, 2021, in their first game. She scored her first goal against her former team, Chicago Red Stars in a 3–0 win.

Angel City, 2022–2023

After the 2021 Season McCaskill was traded to Angel City FC in exchange for the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft and $25,000 in allocation money. Louisville later traded that pick to North Carolina Courage for Jessica McDonald.[16]

San Diego Wave FC, 2024–

With the completion of the 2023 NWSL season, McCaskill became a free agent. On December 20, 2023, San Diego Wave FC announced the signing of McCaskill to a three-year contract.[17]

International career

McCaskill has represented the United States on the under-23 national team and was nominated for U.S. Soccer's 2017 Young Female Athlete of the Year award.[18][19] She made her debut for the senior national team on January 21, 2018, during an international friendly against Denmark.[20] McCaskill was named to the U.S. roster for the 2018 SheBelieves Cup. She appeared in all three games as the United States won the tournament for the second time.[21]

On August 23, 2018, she was named to the United States U-23 team for the 2018 Nordic tournament.[22]

McCaskill was named to the provisional U.S. Roster for the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship but she was not named to the final 20-player squad.[23]

Personal life

McCaskill announced her engagement on July 30, 2023.[24]

Honors

Sydney

San Diego Wave

United States

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Savannah McCaskill". Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "Savannah McCaskill". TopDrawerSoccer.com. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. ^ "Women's soccer: Gamecocks' McCaskill feels right at home". thestate. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  4. ^ "SEC soccer awards announced". Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  5. ^ "Irmo's Savannah McCaskill Named SEC Offensive Player Of the Week – ABC Columbia". ABC Columbia. September 6, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  6. ^ "Irmo's Savannah McCaskill drafted #2 overall in NWSL Draft – ABC Columbia". ABC Columbia. January 18, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  7. ^ "Sky Blue FC Selects McCaskill, Leon and Frisbie in NWSL Dispersal Draft". Sky Blue FC. January 30, 2018. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  8. ^ "NWSL's Boston Breakers fold ahead of 2018 season". SI.com. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  9. ^ "Savannah McCaskill Stats". June 30, 2018. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  10. ^ Balf, Celia (September 26, 2018). "Rookie of the Year: Imani Dorsey, Sky Blue FC" (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  11. ^ "SYDNEY'S LAST MINUTE USA STAR SIGNING". October 25, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
  12. ^ "News – A Leagues | KEEPUP".
  13. ^ "News – A Leagues | KEEPUP".
  14. ^ "News – A Leagues | KEEPUP".
  15. ^ "Red Stars acquire McCaskill in exchange for 1st-, 2nd-round picks". June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  16. ^ "Angel City FC acquire midfielder Savannah McCaskill via trade with Racing Louisville". Angels on Parade. December 17, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  17. ^ "San Diego Wave FC Signs Free Agent Midfielder Savannah McCaskill". December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  18. ^ "Former South Carolina Gamecocks soccer star Savannah McCaskill will participate in the U.S. Women's National Team's training camp". Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  19. ^ "Nominees Set for 2017 U.S. Soccer Young Male, Young Female and Disabled Player of the Year". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  20. ^ Dowell, Matt. "McCaskill makes debut with US women's soccer team". WACH. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  21. ^ "ELLIS NAMES 23-PLAYER ROSTER FOR 2018 SHEBELIEVES CUP". February 23, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
  22. ^ "U-23 WNT HEADED TO NORWAY FOR 2018 NORDIC TOURNAMENT". August 23, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  23. ^ "Provisional USA roster for World Cup qualifying released". September 10, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
  24. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com.
  25. ^ "San Diego Wave FC Defeat 1-0 NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2024 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup". March 16, 2024.
  26. ^ "WNT wins 2018 SheBelieves cup with 1–0 victory vs. England". March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.