| Mya Jones | |
| Full Name: | Mya Rilaine Charmaine Jones[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1 August 2001[2] |
| Birth Place: | Calgary, Alberta, Canada[3] |
| Position: | Forward |
| Currentclub: | San Diego Wave |
| Clubnumber: | 18 |
| Collegeyears1: | 2019–2023 |
| College1: | Memphis Tigers |
| Collegecaps1: | 93 |
| Collegegoals1: | 26 |
| Years1: | 2024– |
| Clubs1: | San Diego Wave |
| Goals1: | 1 |
| Caps1: | 10 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2014–2016 |
| Nationalteam1: | Canada U15 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 9 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 2 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2020 |
| Nationalteam2: | Canada U20 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Youthclubs1: | Calgary Foothills |
| Club-Update: | July 6, 2024 |
Mya Rilaine Charmaine Jones (born August 1, 2001) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the San Diego Wave of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Jones played collegiate soccer for the University of Memphis, and was drafted 42nd in the 2024 NWSL Draft. She represented Canada at the under-15 and under-20 levels.
Jones was born in Calgary, Alberta, to parents Jason Jones and Kristin Sherriff. In high school, Jones ran track and field and was a six-time academic honoree.[4] She played youth soccer with Calgary Foothills WFC, competing with the club from ages 12[5] to 21.[6] Additionally, Jones played with the Alberta South REX program[7] and trained with the Whitehaps FC Girls Elite REX program in her youth.[8]
Jones played on the Memphis Tigers women's soccer team for five seasons, playing as a forward and a midfielder. She scored her first collegiate goal on September 12, 2019, in a 6–0[9] win over Southeastern Louisiana. Jones completed her first year at Memphis with 3 goals and 8 assists, ranking second in single-season assists by a freshman at her school. She was also included in the 2019 AAC All-Rookie Team, the 2019 AAC All-Conference First Team, and she was named the 2019 AAC Rookie of the Year.
As a sophomore, Jones started in all 12 of Memphis' matches, recording 4 assists. Her only goal of the season came in a 3–1 defeat to Ole Miss on March 1, 2021.[10] She was named the 2020–21 AAC Midfielder of the Year for her performances. Growing into a more attacking threat in her junior year,[11] Jones scored one more goal than the season prior, ending the year with 2.[12] She played for the Tigers in 19 matches, starting in each one.[13] In 2021, Jones was named to the AAC All-Conference Second Team and the 2021 AAC Preseason All-Conference Team.
In her senior year, Jones played and started in 19 games, similarly to the previous season. She was the team leader in goals, scoring 9, including 3 game-winners. She also finished the season with 2 assists. Jones made the 2022 AAC All-Conference First Team and the 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-South Region First Team.
In her final year at Memphis, Jones led the Tigers in assists, notching 11. She also scored 11 goals, the second-highest on the team. Her goal tally was the highest in the entire AAC in conference play. Jones had three multi-goal games over the course of two months near the end of 2023. She finished the season with 22 matches under her belt, each of them starts. She also received numerous accolades for her 2023 performance, including the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player title and a unanimously-decided AAC Offensive Player of the Year award.[14] Jones was named to the 2023 AAC Championship All-Tournament Team and the 2023 AAC All-Conference First Team, as well. Finally, Jones was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watchlist in 2023.
Jones finished her college career with 26 goals in 93 matches played.
On January 12, 2024, Jones was selected by San Diego Wave FC as the 14th pick in the third round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.[15] [16] She was the 42nd overall pick and became the first player from the University of Memphis to be drafted into the National Women's Soccer League.[17] [18] [19] The Wave signed Jones to a two-year contract to start her professional career.[20]
Jones made her NWSL debut on April 27, 2024. In her first appearance, she was named to the starting lineup and contributed to a 2–1 victory over Bay FC.[21] [22] Jones scored her first professional goal on June 19, 2024, in a 2–1 defeat to NJ/NY Gotham FC.[23] In the 48th minute of the game, Jones intercepted a pass from opposing goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and outmuscled her defender before scoring with her left foot.[24]
Jones has represented Canada at U-15, U-17, and U-20 levels.[25] She was 12 years of age when she made her youth team debut under eventual Canada women's national soccer team coach Bev Priestman.[26] Jones was also part of the Canada team that won the 2014 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship and earned a silver medal at the 2016 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship.[27] In 2020, Jones appeared in the 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship,[28] where Canada made it to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by the United States.[29]
| Season | League | Cup[30] | Playoffs[31] | Continental[32] | Other[33] | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| San Diego Wave FC | 2024 | NWSL | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Career total | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |||
San Diego Wave