Caroline Kelly

Caroline Kelly
Personal information
Full name Caroline Jayne Kelly[1]
Date of birth (2002-02-22) February 22, 2002
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
KC Athletics ECNL
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2023 Saint Louis Billikens 76 (31)
2024 TCU Horned Frogs 22 (13)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025 Brooklyn FC 5 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 18, 2025

Caroline Jayne Kelly (born February 22, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward. She played college soccer for the Saint Louis Billikens and the TCU Horned Frogs.

Early life

Kelly grew up nearby Kansas City in the town of Kearney, Missouri.[2][3] She attended Kearney High School, where she played both soccer and basketball.[4] With the soccer team, Kelly was an All-State honorable mention as a freshman before winning two All-State first team awards in her latter years.[2] She also played for KC Athletics in the Elite Clubs National League, where she helped the team reach a U18 State Championship match and the ECNL quarterfinals in her youth.[5]

College career

Saint Louis Billikens

As a high school sophomore, Kelly committed to Saint Louis University.[3] She kicked off her collegiate career with the Billikens in 2020, although the COVID-19 pandemic and a knee injury delayed her college debut by a year.[2][3] She recovered in time to play in the final 7 games of her freshman season and scored her first college goal against Duquesne on April 4, 2021.[6] The following season, Kelly rose to a starting role and played in all 23 of the Billikens' games.[2][7] She was named to the A-10 Championship All-Tournament team and scored 5 goals on the season. Kelly also tallied 2 assists, one of which occurred in SLU's conference quarterfinal victory over Rhode Island.[2]

Kelly built on her success in her junior year, being named the College Soccer News National Player of the Week in September 2022,[4][8] landing a spot on two TopDrawerSoccer National Teams of the Week, and being named on the All-Conference first team at the end of the season.[2] Kelly had a breakout season in her final year at Saint Louis, once again winning multiple accolades.[9] She was named to the All-Region second team, the All-Conference first team, and won the A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player award.[2] She also was included on the Mac Hermann Trophy watchlist and helped SLU achieve its longest NCAA tournament run in history.[3][10] Kelly completed her tenure with Saint Louis as the third-highest program goalscorer, with 31 scored in her 76 appearances.[3]

TCU Horned Frogs

Kelly transferred to Texas Christian University in 2024 and exercised her final year of college eligibility to play one season with the TCU Horned Frogs.[5] In her lone campaign at TCU, Kelly was responsible for 13 goals, which tied for first within her team and the Big 12 Conference as a whole.[11] One of her goals was the game-winner in TCU's NCAA tournament first round victory, and two others occurred in the knockout stages of the Big 12 tournament.[11][12] Kelly was recognized on the All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Tournament Teams at the end of the year.[11]

Club career

Brooklyn FC

Directly out of college, Kelly spent time as a preseason trialist with San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League. However, she did not sign a contract with the Californian club.[13] Instead, she inked a deal with USL Super League club Brooklyn FC on April 1, 2025, lasting through the remainder of the team's inaugural season.[14][15] Kelly made her professional debut on April 19, coming in as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw with Lexington SC.[16] Two games later, she scored her first professional goal in a 4–1 victory over Fort Lauderdale United FC.[17] She scored once more as Brooklyn failed to qualify for the playoffs at the end of the season.[18][19]

Career statistics

Club

As of June 4, 2025[18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Playoffs[a] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brooklyn FC 2024-25 USL Super League 5 2 — — 5 2
Career total 5 2 0 0 0 0 5 2
  1. ^ Includes USL Super League playoffs

References

  1. ^ "2024 Saint Louis University Business Precommencement" (PDF). Saint Louis University. p. 7. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Caroline Kelly - 2023 - Women's Soccer". Saint Louis University. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e Kotnik, Nora. "Honoring Caroline Kelly's historic career at SLU". The University News. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Dickerson, Jim (September 14, 2022). "Caroline Kelly Earns National Player of the Week". KearneyCountry.com. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Soccer Announces Signing Class". TCU Athletics. June 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  6. ^ "Billikens Dominate Duquesne, 5-0". Saint Louis University. April 4, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  7. ^ Durando, Stu (November 18, 2021). "Unexpected contributions lift SLU women's soccer". STLtoday.com. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  8. ^ "Saint Louis Forward Caroline Kelly – College Soccer News Women's National Player Of The Week – Week Ending September 11, 2022 – College Soccer News". September 12, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  9. ^ "Saint Louis' Kelly Tabbed a "Forward to Watch" by United Soccer Coaches". atlantic10.com. January 29, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  10. ^ rjohnson (August 31, 2023). "3 Cal South Alumni Named to MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List Ahead of Season". Cal South. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Caroline Kelly - Women's Soccer". TCU Athletics. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  12. ^ "SFA Falls to No. 5 TCU in First Round of NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship". www.southland.org. November 15, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  13. ^ "Kelly Earns NWSL Preseason Camp Invite". TCU Athletics. January 30, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  14. ^ Staff, Brooklyn Eagle (April 3, 2025). "Brooklyn FC adds two new players". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  15. ^ "Brooklyn FC Signs Ginger Fontenot and Caroline Kelly". Brooklyn FC. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  16. ^ "Grabias Equalizer Earns 1-1 Draw as Brooklyn FC Showcases New Talent". OurSports Central. April 21, 2025. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  17. ^ "Match Center - Fort Lauderdale United FC vs Brooklyn FC - 5/3/25". USL Super League. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  18. ^ a b Caroline Kelly at Soccerway
  19. ^ "Brooklyn FC season ends with no playoffs, no wins in Brooklyn". Hudson River Blue. May 25, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
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