Jessica Garziano Explained

Jessica Garziano
Birth Date:19 March 2001[1]
Birth Place:Melville, New York
Height:5 ft 7 in
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Brooklyn FC
Clubnumber:9
Collegeyears1:2019–2023
College1:St. John's Red Storm
Collegecaps1:90
Collegegoals1:22
Years1:2023–2024
Clubs1:Long Island Rough Riders
Years2:2024–
Clubs2:Brooklyn FC
Caps2:6
Goals2:2
Club-Update:October 12, 2024

Jessica Garziano (born March 19, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Brooklyn FC of the USL Super League. She played college soccer for the St. John's Red Storm.

Early life and college career

Garziano was raised in the Long Island hamlet of Melville, New York. She attended Half Hollow Hills East and was named to New York all-state teams in 2017 in 2018. She played three seasons of ECNL club soccer for SUSA Academy.[2]

St. John's Red Storm

Garziano played five seasons as a midfielder for St. John's Red Storm. She was her team's top assist provider with five in her freshman season in 2019. She ranked third in the Big East Conference with seven goals in twelve games in the spring of 2020–21, earning first-team All-Big East honors. She scored once and added ten assists in the fall of 2021, helping St. John's reach the final of the conference tournament, and converted in a penalty shootout to help reach the third round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. She continued to lead St. John's offense in 2022, with team highs of four goals and five assists.[2]

Garziano's production more than doubled in her final college season in 2023, when she scored ten goals (second in the conference) and added eleven assists (first), contributing directly to almost two-thirds of her team's scoring. She was voted the Big East midfielder of the year, second-team United Soccer Coaches All-American, and first-team All-Big East, her fourth conference selection overall. She left St. John's as the all-time assist leader (34).[2] [3]

Club career

Long Island Rough Riders

Garziano played two seasons for the Long Island Rough Riders of the pre-professional USL W League. She helped lead the team to second place in its division in 2023 and first place in 2024.[4]

Brooklyn FC

After college, Garziano was drafted 44th overall by Angel City FC in the fourth round of the 2024 NWSL Draft but was not signed by the team.[5] She instead signed with USL Super League club Brooklyn FC on June 24, 2024, ahead of the league's inaugural 2024–25 season.[6] On September 8, in Brooklyn's first game, she scored the club's first-ever goal with the help of a penalty in a 1–1 draw at Spokane Zephyr FC. She opened in a 2–0 win over Dallas Trinity FC in Brooklyn's first home match on September 25. For her performance, she was named the league's Player of the Month for September.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20240615052832/https://www.uslwleague.com/long-island. Long Island Rough Riders Pre-Professional. USL W League. 2024-06-15.
  2. Web site: Jessica Garziano. St. John's Red Storm. 2024-10-04.
  3. News: Jessica Garziano Selected in NWSL Draft by Angel City F.C.. 2024-01-13. St. John's Red Storm. 2024-10-04.
  4. News: Her Next Challenge: Rough Riders' Garziano signs with Brooklyn FC. Lewis. Michael. 2024-06-24. Front Row Soccer. 2024-10-04.
  5. News: Go West, Young Woman: St. John's Garziano selected by Angel City FC. Lewis. Michael. 2024-01-13. Front Row Soccer. 2024-10-04.
  6. News: Brooklyn Football Club Signs Midfielder Jessica Garziano. 2024-06-24. Brooklyn FC. 2024-10-04.
  7. News: Player of the Month: Brooklyn FC's Garziano honored by USL Super League. 2024-10-04. Lewis. Michael. Front Row Soccer. 2024-10-04.