Canberra United is pleased to announce the signing of United States under-23 team member Nikki Washington.
Canberra United is pleased to announce the signing of United States under-23 team member Nikki Washington as a replacement player. Washington, a speedy midfielder or wide forward, joins the Westfield W-League champions initially as cover for the injured Ashleigh Sykes for three matches with the option to extend her stint later.
The native of Texas, USA, is highly regarded having represented Pali Blues, magicJack, Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Saint Louis Athletica, Sky Blue FC and Los Angeles Sol in the top American Women-s League [WPS].
“We are delighted to welcome Nikki to Canberra United and are looking forward to seeing her wearing the green shirt,” Canberra United CEO Heather Reid commented. “Nikki comes highly recommended by her former college coach Anson Dorrance and other US Technical Staff. She is a dynamic right-sided midfield player who has also been playing as a striker and we hope she will be finding the net for us regularly!”
Washington was born in Mesquite, Texas and named the 2003 Dallas Area Freshman of the Year and made the All-Conference team in both 2003 and 2004. As a youth, Washington played for the Dallas Texans, captaining the team to the 2006 USYSA National Championship and was named an NSCAA Youth All-American in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Having been drafted fifth overall in the WPS Draft, Washington signed for Los Angeles Sol before a cruciate ligament injury curtailed her season. When the Sol disbanded Washington was snapped up by Sky Blue FC before being traded to Saint Louis Athletica. Athletica soon went the way of Sol and that left Washington moving on to her fourth club in a year as she signed for the Chicago Red Stars, the club at which United goalkeeper Lydia Williams enjoyed a brief stint, going on to join the Boston Breakers in 2011, the home club of Taryn Hemmings who so impressed during a one-year spell with Canberra last season.
At international level Washington was a member of the victorious United States team that won the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, playing 65 minutes of the final against North Korea and went on to play for the under-23 national team the following season.
Washington landed in Canberra yesterday (Thursday 29th November) for training with the squad ahead of the team-s crucial Westfield W-League clash away to Sydney FC on the weekend.
STATISTICS
Name: Nikki Washington
Position: Midfield/Forward
Date of Birth: 1 August 1988
Place of Birth: Mesquite, Texas, USA
Clubs: Dallas Texans, North Carolina, Pali Blues, magicJack, Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Saint Louis Athletica, Sky Blue FC, Los Angeles Sol
Representative Honours: United States (under-16), United States (under-17), United States (under-20), United States (under-23)
Notes: 3-time NCAA National Champion, 4-time ACC Champion, 2007—ACC Player of the Year, Pan American Silver Medalist, 2008—under-20 World Cup winners (captain)