Alex Kerr (soccer) explained

Alex Kerr
Full Name:Alexandra Catherine Kerr
Birth Date:23 July 2001
Birth Place:Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Orlando Pride
Clubnumber:33
Collegeyears1:2019–2022
College1:Vanderbilt Commodores
Collegecaps1:63
Collegegoals1:12
Collegeyears2:2023
College2:Texas Tech Red Raiders
Collegecaps2:23
Collegegoals2:11
Years1:2024–
Clubs1:Orlando Pride
Caps1:1
Goals1:0
Club-Update:June 7, 2024

Alexandra Catherine Kerr (born July 23, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played collegiately for the Vanderbilt Commodores and Texas Tech Red Raiders before being drafted by the Pride in the 2024 NWSL Draft.

Early life

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Kerr was raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She played multiple sports growing up, including basketball and tennis, before committing to soccer while at Chapel Hill High School. She set a single-season school record with 44 goals as a sophomore and scored 42 goals as a senior in 2019. She earned all-conference, all-state, and all-region honors and was the conference player of the year in 2019. She played DA club soccer for the NC Courage, where she led the team with 16 goals in 2018. She committed to play soccer at Vanderbilt University over offers from Princeton, USC, and Virginia.[1]

College career

Kerr started 26 of 63 appearances for the Vanderbilt Commodores in four years. She assisted on her debut and scored two goals as a freshman in the 2019 season. She started five games as a sophomore and made an assist in the second round of the 2020 SEC tournament as the Commodores went on to win the conference championship. She scored four goals as a junior in 2021. She became a starter in her senior season and ranked second on the team with six goals in 2022.[2] [3]

Kerr entered the transfer portal after four years at Vanderbilt and joined the Texas Tech Red Raiders for the 2023 season. Head coach Tom Stone, her father's college teammate, knew her from an early age and said "we had to fight off half the SEC" to sign her.[4] Kerr and junior Ashleigh Williams led the offense throughout the season, helping the team win the Big 12 Conference regular-season title for the first time in program history.[5] [6] She scored a hat trick in a 6–1 win over North Texas on August 31.[7] She scored the winning goal in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Florida Gulf Coast.[8] In the second round, she converted her penalty kick as the Red Raiders advanced past Princeton before losing to North Carolina in the third round.[9] [10] She recorded career highs at Texas Tech with 11 goals and 5 assists, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors.[4] [11]

Club career

Orlando Pride, 2024–

Kerr was drafted by the Orlando Pride 50th overall in the fourth round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.[12] [13] She was signed to a one-year contract.[14] She made her professional debut on June 7, substituting on in the 84th minute against the San Diego Wave.[15] She got her first start on July 27 against Monterrey in the group stage of the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, where she scored her first professional goal and put away the final penalty kick to win the shootout after drawing 2–2 in regulation.[16] [17]

Personal life

Kerr's mother, Tracy DiMillio Kerr, played collegiately at Virginia, coached at Providence College, and later coached her daughter's club team. Her father, John Kerr Jr., played professionally and now coaches the Duke Blue Devils men's soccer team. Her grandfather, John Kerr Sr., was an all-star for the New York Cosmos. Her twin brother, Cameron, and her younger brother, Drew, both played for their father at Duke.[4] [18]

Notes and References

  1. News: Commodore Soccer Signs Five for 2019. 2019-02-04. Vanderbilt University Athletics. 2024-06-13.
  2. Web site: Alex Kerr. July 31, 2019 . Vanderbilt University Athletics. 2024-06-13.
  3. News: Texas Tech adds SEC transfer Alex Kerr. 2023-07-12. Texas Tech Red Raiders. 2024-07-18.
  4. News: https://archive.today/20231117153603/https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2023/11/17/union-of-alex-kerr-texas-tech-soccer-even-better-than-tom-stone-imagined/71532237007/. Alex Kerr's union with Texas Tech soccer a success playing for dad's college teammate. Giese. Nathan. 2023-11-17. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. 2023-11-17.
  5. News: Offensive duo pushes team forward. Sierra. Adam. 2023-10-19. The Daily Toreador. 2024-07-18.
  6. News: Texas Tech Wins Its First Big 12 Soccer Title. 2023-10-23. Big 12 Conference. 2024-07-18.
  7. News: Tech defeats North Texas 6–1, Williams, Kerr tie respective career highs. Brooks. Jamar. 2023-08-31. The Daily Toreador. 2024-06-13.
  8. News: https://archive.today/20240613062813/https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2023/11/10/alex-kerrs-late-goal-ensures-texas-tech-soccer-advances-in-ncaa-tournament/71429159007/. Alex Kerr's late goal ensures Texas Tech soccer advances to 2nd round of NCAA Tournament. Giese. Nathan. 2023-11-10. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. 2024-06-13.
  9. News: Parsons, White propel Tech past Princeton. 2023-11-17. Texas Tech Red Raiders. 2024-07-18.
  10. News: UNC women's soccer advances in NCAA Tournament with 1–0 win over Texas Tech. Crowther. Harry. 2023-11-19. The Daily Tar Heel. 2024-06-13.
  11. Web site: Alex Kerr – Women's Soccer. Texas Tech Red Raiders. 2024-06-13.
  12. News: Anderson, Kerr, White drafted to National Women's Soccer League. Sierra. Adam. 2024-01-13. The Daily Toreador. 2024-07-18.
  13. News: 2024 NWSL Draft: Orlando Pride Select Texas Tech Forward/Midfielder Alex Kerr at No. 50. Citro. Michael. 2024-01-13. The Mane Land. 2024-07-18.
  14. News: Orlando Pride Sign 2024 Fourth-Round Draft Pick Alex Kerr. 2024-03-13. Rollins. Sean. The Mane Land. 2024-07-18.
  15. News: Match Report: Orlando Pride earn 1–1 draw at San Diego Wave, extending unbeaten run to 12 games. 2024-06-08. Orlando Pride. 2024-06-13.
  16. News: Orlando Pride vs. CF Monterrey, NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup: Final Score 2–2 as Pride Draw Rayadas and Win Penalty Shootout. Rollins. Sean. 2024-07-27. The Mane Land. 2024-08-01.
  17. News: Match Report: Orlando Pride Draws 2–2 With C.F Monterrey Femenil. 2024-07-27. Orlando Pride. 2024-08-01.
  18. News: Keeping it in the family: Duke men's soccer's Cam and Drew Kerr round out final year playing together with dad as head coach. 2023-11-05. Spooner. Garrett. Duke Chronicle. 2024-06-13.