| Gabby Provenzano | |
| Fullname: | Gabriella Alyssa Provenzano[1] |
| Birth Date: | 7 August 1999[2] |
| Birth Place: | Sergeantsville, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Position: | Midfielder, center back |
| Currentclub: | Portland Thorns FC |
| Clubnumber: | 44 |
| Youthyears1: | 2007–2017 |
| Youthclubs1: | Players Development Academy |
| Youthyears2: | 2013–2016 |
| Youthclubs2: | Hunterdon Central Red Devils |
| Collegeyears1: | 2017–2021 |
| College1: | Rutgers Scarlet Knights |
| Collegecaps1: | 103 |
| Collegegoals1: | 5 |
| Clubs1: | Portland Thorns FC |
| Years1: | 2022– |
| Caps1: | 4 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | April 2, 2023 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | April 2, 2023 |
Gabriella Alyssa Provenzano (born August 7, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder or a center back for Portland Thorns FC in the National Women's Soccer League.[2] [3] [4] [5]
Provenzano played youth soccer at Elite Clubs National League club Players Development Academy (PDA) from ages 8 to 18. One of her coaches at PDA was Mike O'Neill, who would later manage her at the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.[4]
She later played as a forward and an attacking midfielder for the soccer team of her high school, Hunterdon Central Regional High School.[6] [7]
Provenzano played NCAA Division I women's soccer for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.[8] Having started as a defensive midfielder, Rutgers moved her to the center back role in her junior year.[9] During her time at Rutgers, Provenzano was nicknamed "The General" by manager O'Neill, who also named her as team captain.
Provenzano collected 103 career appearances and played 8,568 minutes for Rutgers, both program records. In 2021, she captained Rutgers to its first Big Ten Conference championship in any sport since the school joined the conference in 2014.[10] The 2021 Big Ten women's soccer tournament named her to the all-tournament team,[11] and she featured in the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament, where Rutgers fell in the semifinals to eventual champions Florida State.[5] [12] [13] The Big Ten Conference also named Provenzano its 2021 defensive player of the year,[12] [14] [15] and she was named a semifinalist for the national MAC Hermann Trophy.[16]
In December 2021, NWSL club Portland Thorns FC selected Provenzano with the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft. In the process, she became the ninth Rutgers player to be drafted by an NWSL club, as well as the third Rutgers player drafted by the Portland-based team.[17] On March 15, 2022, Thorns FC announced that the club had signed Provenzano to a one-year contract, with an option for an additional year.[18]
On March 5, 2022, Provenzano made her professional debut for Thorns FC in a 0–0 preseason draw against OL Reign.[19] On March 31, 2022, Provenzano made her professional competitive debut for Thorns FC in a 3–0 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup victory against Angel City FC, coming on as a 84th-minute substitute.[20] Having collected four appearances throughout the 2022 season, she gained her first professional title as Thorns FC won the NWSL Playoffs over Kansas City Current.[21]
In March 2023, Thorns FC exercised their option on Provenzano's contract for a second year ahead of the 2023 season.[22]
Portland Thorns FC
Individual