| Elyse Bennett | |
| Fullname: | Elyse Morgan Bennett |
| Birth Date: | 27 December 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Lake Forest, Illinois, United States[1] |
| Position: | Forward/Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | San Diego Wave |
| Clubnumber: | 23 |
| Youthyears1: | 2015–2017 |
| Youthclubs1: | FC Wisconsin Eclipse |
| Collegeyears1: | 2017–2021 |
| College1: | Washington State Cougars |
| Collegecaps1: | 93 |
| Collegegoals1: | 26 |
| Years1: | 2022 |
| Clubs1: | Kansas City Current |
| Caps1: | 21 |
| Goals1: | 3 |
| Years2: | 2023 |
| Clubs2: | OL Reign |
| Caps2: | 21 |
| Goals2: | 2 |
| Years3: | 2024– |
| Clubs3: | San Diego Wave |
| Caps3: | 8 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | June 15, 2024 |
Elyse Morgan Bennett (born December 27, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward or midfielder for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Born in Lake Forest, Illinois, Bennett was raised in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area and played several youth sports through middle school before taking up soccer in high school.[1] [2] [3]
She played one season for De Pere High School in De Pere, Wisconsin before joining the FC Wisconsin Eclipse youth program, where she became a top scorer in the Elite Clubs National League for the 2015–16 season.[1] [2]
Bennett suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during her senior year of high school.[2] [3]
Bennett graduated from high school early and enrolled in Washington State University as an early recruit to its women's soccer team.[4]
After playing as a substitute and starter in her freshman season, Bennett became a regular starter at forward in her sophomore season before suffering a second ACL injury. She returned to start 23 of 24 matches in her junior year, 12 matches in the COVID-19-shortened 2020–21 spring season, and 21 matches in her fifth year in 2021.[1]
Her fifth season featured career highs in goals (10), points (24), shots (93), shots on goal (37), and minutes played (1,557), and she was named to the All-Pac-12 first team and United Soccer Coaches All-American second team. Bennett was also the second Washington State player to play in more than 90 career matches, finishing with a second-most tally of 93 appearances.[1] [3]
The Kansas City Current selected Bennett with the club's first pick, the seventh overall pick of the 2022 NWSL Draft.[5]
During the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, Bennett recorded four assists in her first six professional matches,[2] including a two-assist match against the Chicago Red Stars that earned her an NWSL Player of the Week award.[6]
On January 11, 2023, OL Reign traded $150,000 in allocation money to the Kansas City Current for Bennett.[7] OL Reign subsequently extended Bennett's contract on June 2, 2023 through the 2024 season, with an additional year option for the 2025 season.[8]
On December 15, 2023, the Utah Royals selected Bennett with their first pick (second overall) in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft.[9] Two days later, Utah traded Bennett to San Diego Wave FC for $40,000 in allocation money.[10]
Bennett is the daughter of National Football League coach and former player Edgar Bennett. She has one older brother, Edgar IV.[1] [2] Bennett credited advice from her father, who recovered from ACL injuries during his professional football career, with aiding her recovery from her own.[3]
San Diego Wave