Emma Sears

Emma Sears
Sears with Racing Louisville in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-02-23) February 23, 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Racing Louisville FC
Number 13
Youth career
Ohio Premier
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2023 Ohio State Buckeyes 83 (25)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024– Racing Louisville FC 24 (5)
International career‡
2024– United States 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 13, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 30, 2024

Emma Sears (born February 23, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Racing Louisville FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She played college soccer for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was drafted by Louisville in the second round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.

Early life and college career

[edit]

Sears was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey,[2] and lived in both England and Laguna Beach, California before moving to Dublin, Ohio. Sears attended Dublin Jerome High School where she was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for the girls' soccer team.[3] She was named first team All-Ohio after both her junior and senior seasons.[4] Sears played club soccer for Ohio Premier.

Ohio State Buckeyes

[edit]

Sears attended the Ohio State University and featured in 83 matches for the Buckeyes from 2019 to 2023. She primarily played as a wide forward, but transitioned during her fifth year to a deeper playmaking position.[5] She scored 25 goals, including the game-winner against Bucknell University in extra time in the first round of the 2022 NCAA tournament,[6] and tallied 15 assists in total for the Buckeyes.[7] Sears was a second team All-Big Ten honoree in Spring 2021 and 2022,[8][9] and a first team All-Big Ten honoree in 2023.[10] She graduated with a degree in health science in 2023.[11]

Club career

[edit]

Racing Louisville

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Sears was selected 28th overall in the second round of the 2024 NWSL Draft by Racing Louisville FC.[12][13] She signed a one-year contract with an option for an additional year.[14] She made her professional debut as a 66th-minute substitute against the Orlando Pride on the opening matchday on March 16.[15] She scored her first professional goal in a 5–1 win over the Utah Royals on April 20.[16] She earned her first start for Louisville against the Orlando Pride on May 5.[17] Her next two goals for Racing were voted back-to-back NWSL Goals of the Week. She scored the first from a tight angle near the corner flag in a 3–3 draw to the Kansas City Current on May 18; the second set up a 1–0 win over the Chicago Red Stars on May 25.[18][19] On May 22, Sears's contract was extended through the 2026 season.[20]

International career

[edit]

Sears was called up to the United States national team in October 2024 for the team's Olympic gold medal victory tour, her first national call-up at any level.[21] She earned her first cap as a 55th-minute substitute for Yazmeen Ryan in a 3–1 friendly win over Iceland on October 27, 2024. She assisted Lynn Williams for the USWNT's opening goal and scored herself in the 90+3rd minute, becoming the first player to score and assist on her USWNT debut since Christen Press in 2013.[22][23]

Personal life

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Sears has a twin sister, Bronwen, who played collegiate soccer for the Miami RedHawks.[24]

Career statistics

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International

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As of match played November 30, 2024
National Team Year Apps Goals
United States 2024 3 1
Total 3 1

International goals

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Scores and results list United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sears goal.
Key (expand for notes on "international goals" and sorting)
Location Geographic location of the venue where the competition occurred
Sorted by country name first, then by city name
Lineup Start – played entire match
on minute (off player) – substituted on at the minute indicated, and player was substituted off at the same time

off minute (on player) – substituted off at the minute indicated, and player was substituted on at the same time
(c) – captain
Sorted by minutes played

Goal in match Goal of total goals by the player in the match
Sorted by total goals followed by goal number
# NumberOfGoals.goalNumber scored by the player in the match (alternate notation to Goal in match)
Min The minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal.
Assist/pass The ball was passed by the player, which assisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information.
penalty or pk Goal scored on penalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.)
Score The match score after the goal was scored.
Sorted by goal difference, then by goal scored by the player's team
Result The final score.

Sorted by goal difference in the match, then by goal difference in penalty-shoot-out if it is taken, followed by goal scored by the player's team in the match, then by goal scored in the penalty-shoot-out. For matches with identical final scores, match ending in extra-time without penalty-shoot-out is a tougher match, therefore precede matches that ended in regulation

aet The score at the end of extra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90' regulation
pso Penalty-shoot-out score shown in parentheses; the match was tied at the end of extra-time
Light-purple background color – exhibition or closed door international friendly match
Light-yellow background color – match at an invitational tournament
Light-orange background color – Olympic women's football qualification match
Light-blue background color – FIFA women's world cup qualification match
Pink background color – Continental Games or regional tournament
Orange background color – Olympic women's football tournament
Blue background color – FIFA women's world cup final tournament
NOTE on background colors: Continental Games or regional tournament are sometimes also qualifier for World Cup or Olympics; information depends on the source such as the player's federation.

NOTE: some keys may not apply for a particular football player


Goals 		Cap Date Location Opponent Lineup Min Assist/pass Score Result Competition
1 1 2024-10-27[m 1] Nashville, Tennessee  Iceland {{{4}}}.

on 55' (off Ryan)

90+3' unassisted

3–1

3–1

Friendly

References

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  1. ^ "Emma Sears – Racing Louisville FC". Racing Louisville FC.
  2. ^ "Meet the 17 New Jersey Soccer Players in NWSL as 2024 Season Begins". Daily Record. March 13, 2024.
  3. ^ "Dublin Jerome Roundup: Girls Coach Values Sears Twins". The Columbus Dispatch. October 9, 2018.
  4. ^ "Emma Sears – Women's Soccer – Bio". Ohio State Buckeyes.
  5. ^ "Women's Soccer: A Final Year with Buckeyes Helps Prepare Sears for 2024 NWSL Draft". The Lantern. January 3, 2024.
  6. ^ "Women's Soccer: Sears Scores 107th-Minute Winner as No. 6 Buckeyes Beat Bucknell 1-0, Advance to the Second Round of NCAA Tournament". The Lantern. November 12, 2022.
  7. ^ "Emma Sears – 2023–24 – Women's Soccer – Stats". Ohio State Buckeyes.
  8. ^ "Big Ten Announces 2020–21 Women's Soccer Postseason Honors". Big Ten Conference. April 14, 2021.
  9. ^ "Big Ten Conference Announces 2022 Women's Soccer Postseason Honors". Big Ten Conference. October 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "Big Ten Conference Announces 2023 Women's Soccer Postseason Honors". Big Ten Conference. October 27, 2023.
  11. ^ "Emma Sears Selected in 2nd Round of NWSL Draft". Ohio State Buckeyes. January 12, 2024.
  12. ^ "Breaking Down Racing Louisville's Off-Season Roster Moves After Draft Night". Beautiful Game Network. January 14, 2024.
  13. ^ "Dublin native selected in 2nd round of National Women's Soccer League draft". 10tv. January 15, 2024.
  14. ^ "Racing Louisville Signs Ohio State Standout". WAVE. March 4, 2024.
  15. ^ "Recap: Racing starts fast, draws Orlando in season opener". Racing Louisville FC. March 16, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  16. ^ "Recap: Racing Soars Past Utah on Landmark Day". Racing Louisville FC. April 20, 2024.
  17. ^ "Team News: Sears, DiGrande Earn First Racing Starts". Racing Louisville FC. May 5, 2024.
  18. ^ "Sears wins NWSL Goal of the Week". Racing Louisville FC. May 21, 2024. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  19. ^ National Women's Soccer League [@NWSL] (May 29, 2024). "And she's done it AGAIN!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ^ "Standout Rookie Emma Sears Signs New 3-Year Contract with Racing". Our Sports Central. May 22, 2024.
  21. ^ "Emma Hayes Names U.S. Women's National Team Training Camp Roster, Presented by Jim Beam, for October Friendlies against Iceland and Argentina". United States Soccer Federation. October 17, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  22. ^ Yang, Steph (October 27, 2024). "Emma Sears shines in USWNT debut, recording a goal and an assist". Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  23. ^ OptaJack⚽️ [@OptaJack] (October 27, 2024). "1+1 - Emma Sears is the first player ..." (Tweet). Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Bronwen Sears – Women's Soccer – Bio". Miami Redhawks.

Match reports

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  1. ^ "Second-Half Goals From Lynn Williams, Lindsey Horan and Emma Sears Propel U.S. Women's National Team to 3-1 Comeback Victory Over Iceland". U.S. Soccer. October 27, 2024.
[edit]
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