Ginger Fontenot
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 21, 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Texas, USA | ||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.62 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sporting JAX | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2020 | Eagles ECNL | ||
| 2016–2018 | Moorpark Musketeers | ||
| 2018–2020 | Adolfo Camarillo Scorpions | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | Penn Quakers | 44 | (1) |
| 2024 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 25 | (0) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025 | Brooklyn FC | 3 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | Spokane Zephyr FC | 24 | (2) |
| 2026–present | Sporting JAX | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Ginger Fontenot (/ˌfɑːntɛnoʊ/; born October 21, 2002) is an American soccer player who plays as a defender and midfielder for Sporting Club Jacksonville of the USL Super League.
Early life
Born in Texas, Fontenot moved with her family to Oxnard, California, where she began playing soccer at around four years old. She was inspired by her oldest sibling, Teresa, to play soccer. She played her first game at approximately age six. Fontenot attended Moorpark High School in Moorpark, California before transferring in her junior year to Adolfo Camarillo High School in Camarillo. She also competed in track and field through her junior year of high school.[1]
College years
Penn Quakers
Fontenot began her collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania in 2021, having missed the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally recruited as a forward, she moved to outside back during her second year before transitioning to center-back for her third season. The move proved successful, as she earned Second-Team All-Ivy League honors in 2022. During her fourth year, she started all 13 games in which she was available, played 1,079 minutes, and was Penn's only First-Team All-Ivy League selection. That season, Penn allowed just 0.81 goals per game, the third-best defensive mark in the Ivy League, while recording five shutouts and holding eight opponents to a single goal. All together, in her time at Penn, she played over 3,000 minutes.[2][3][4]
Penn State Nittany Lions
In 2024, Fontenot transferred to Penn State for her graduate season. She led the team in minutes played with 2,130 and was one of just five Penn State players to appear in and start all 25 matches. She played at least 90 minutes in 19 of those games and contributed to a defense that recorded 11 shutouts during the season. Her performances also earned national recognition, as she was named to TopDrawerSoccer's National Team of the Week in its November 25 release.[5]
Fontenot made an immediate impact in Penn State's season-opening 4–0 victory over Texas Tech, helping the Nittany Lions keep a clean sheet while contributing to one of the team's goals. At Princeton, she helped hold the Tigers' offense scoreless for 90 minutes while playing center-back. Her defensive contributions continued into the postseason, including Penn State's first-round Big Ten Tournament victory over Minnesota, where she anchored the back line in another shutout.[5]
Her strongest individual moment came in the NCAA Tournament second round against TCU. Fontenot produced a crucial second-half block that helped preserve Penn State's shutout and advance the Nittany Lions. Two days later, in the third round against Vanderbilt, she again played the full 90 minutes. She also recorded her first point as a Nittany Lion, providing an assist in Penn State’s 3–1 victory. She pursued a master's degree in Cinema and Media Studies while completing a Business Management Certificate.[5]
Professional career
Brooklyn FC
Fontenot signed her first professional contract with Brooklyn FC of the USL Super League in early April 2025. She made her debut on April 19, in a 1–1 draw against Lexington SC, playing the full 90 minutes.[6][7]
Spokane Zephyr FC
She later joined Spokane Zephyr FC, competing in the USL Super League, primarily as a defender and midfielder.[8] In November 2025, Fontenot started on the wing against her former club Brooklyn FC. She had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half as Spokane fell 1–0.[9] She was named to the USL Super League Team of the Month for her contributions made in March 2026.[10] The team folded after the 2025–26 season.[11]
Sporting JAX
In June 2026, she signed with USL Super League squad Sporting JAX. The move reunited her with Penn teammate Paige Kenton.[12]
Career statistics
College
| Season | Games | Scoring | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | G | A | PTS | SH | SOG | |
| Penn Quakers | |||||||
| 2021 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 4 |
| 2022 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions | |||||||
| 2024 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | |||||||
| Career total | 69 | 69 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 6 |
Club
- As of match played August 15, 2026
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Playoffs | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brooklyn FC | 2025 | USL Super League | 3 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Spokane Zephyr FC | 2025–26 | 24 | 2 | — | — | 24 | 2 | |||
| Sporting JAX | 2026 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 28 | 2 | — | — | 28 | 2 | ||||
Awards and honors
Professional
- USL Super League Team of the Month: March 2026[10]
College
Personal life
She was born to Angela and Patrick Fontenot and has two sisters. Her oldest sister, Teresa, played collegiate soccer for the South Dakota Coyotes.[5] Her favorite film is Gladiator starring Russell Crowe.[4]
References
- ↑ Christiansen, Tobias (January 27, 2020). "Scorps Spotlight 35: Ginger Fontenot". ACHSStinger.com. The Stinger. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ Allison, John (August 21, 2025). "Spokane Zephyr hope to start new season strong with interim coach and plenty of new players". Spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "20 Ginger Fontenot". PennAthletics.com. University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- 1 2 Johnson, Greg (December 13, 2023). "Reading the game with Ginger Fontenot". PennToday.UPenn.com. Penn Today. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ginger Fontenot #28". GoPSUSports.com. Penn State University. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ Orellana, Oscar (April 2, 2025). "Former Penn State Women's Soccer Defender Ginger Fontenot Signs With Brooklyn FC". OnwardState.com. Onward State. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ Horstman, Will (April 4, 2025). "Former Penn State women's soccer defender Ginger Fontenot signs with Brooklyn FC". PSUCollegian.com. The Daily Collegian. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Ivy League star defender Ginger Fontenot, fresh off a stint with Brooklyn, signs with Spokane Zephyr". USLSpokane.com. USL Spokane. July 23, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ Alleyne-Davis, Tyrese (November 24, 2025). "Brooklyn FC earn gritty 1-0 win over Spokane Zephyr". Hudson River Blue. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- 1 2 GainbridgeSuperLeague.com Staff (April 8, 2026). "Gainbridge Super League Team of the Month – March". GainbridgeSuperLeague.com. USL Super League. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ Clouse, Thomas; Howard, Megan (May 22, 2026). "Spokane's professional women's soccer ended with no explanation". Spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Sporting JAX adds two players to roster". PonteVedraRecorder.com. Ponte Vedra Recorder. July 1, 2026. Retrieved August 21, 2026.
- Living people
- 2002 births
- 21st-century American sportswomen
- Sportspeople from Ventura, California
- Moorpark High School alumni
- Adolfo Camarillo High School alumni
- Soccer players from Texas
- Soccer players from California
- American women's soccer players
- Women's association football midfielders
- Women's association football defenders
- Penn Quakers women's soccer players
- Penn State Nittany Lions women's soccer players
- USL Super League players
- Brooklyn FC players
- Spokane Zephyr FC players
- Sporting Club Jacksonville (women) players