Macey Bader

Macey Bader
Bader with the North Carolina Courage U23 in 2024
Personal information
Full name Macey Elise Bader[1]
Date of birth (2003-02-07) February 7, 2003[2]
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Viktoria Plzeň
Number 23
Youth career
North Carolina Courage
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2024 Charlotte 49ers 73 (17)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2025 North Carolina Courage U23 41 (18)
2025–2026 Carolina Ascent 2 (0)
2026– Viktoria Plzeň 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of August 22, 2026

Macey Elise Bader (born February 7, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Czech Women's First League club Viktoria Plzeň. She played college soccer for the Charlotte 49ers. She began her professional career with USL Super League club Carolina Ascent in 2025.

Early life

Bader grew up in Apex, North Carolina, the daughter of Lita and Dewan Bader.[2] Her father played indoor soccer professionally, and she has two younger siblings who played soccer in college.[3] She attended Apex Friendship High School, where she earned all-conference honors as a sophomore after leading the league in assists.[2] She played ECNL soccer for the North Carolina Courage Academy, twice serving as team captain.[2] She was called into virtual training camp for the youth national team in 2021.[2]

College career

Bader played in 73 games for the Charlotte 49ers, scoring 17 goals and dishing 12 assists.[4] In her sophomore year in 2022, she scored twice against top-seeded Rice in the Conference USA tournament was named in the all-tournament team.[2] In her junior year in 2023, with Charlotte's move to the American Athletic Conference, she scored twice against East Carolina in the AAC tournament and was named in the all-tournament team.[2] In her senior year in 2024, she earned first-team All-AAC honors after leading the 49ers in scoring with 5 goals, matching her career high from the previous season.[2]

During college, Bader also played for the North Carolina Courage U23 in the amateur USL W League, scoring 18 goals in 41 games.[5] After losing in the national final in 2023, she helped the Courage win the national title in 2024.[6] She was named the championship MVP after providing a goal and an assist in the win over the Colorado Storm.[7]

Club career

Carolina Ascent FC announced on July 14, 2025, that Bader had signed her first professional contract with the club, remaining in Charlotte for the second season of the USL Super League.[8] She made her professional debut on October 10, coming on as a stoppage-time substitute for Riley Parker in a 1–1 draw with Lexington SC.[9] She made 2 appearances for the club.[9]

On August 21, 2026, Bader was announced at Czech club Viktoria Plzeň.[10] She debuted for the club the following day, making her first professional start in a 1–0 defeat to the Prague Raptors.[9]

Honors and awards

North Carolina Courage U23

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "December 2024 UNC Charlotte Commencement Program" (PDF). University of North Carolina at Charlotte. p. 10. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Macey Bader". Charlotte 49ers. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Keanan Bader". UNC Greensboro Spartans. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  4. ↑ White, Herbert L. (July 24, 2025). "Charlotte 49ers' Macey Bader signs with Carolina Ascent". The Charlotte Post. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  5. ↑ "NC Courage U23". USL W League. 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
    "NC Courage U23 Pre-Professional". USL W League. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  6. ↑ Blackburn, Kelli (October 6, 2024). "Charlotte women's soccer star Macey Bader emerges as an 'It Girl' for 49ers Athletics". Niner Times. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  7. ↑ USL W League [@USLWLeague] (July 20, 2024). "M. V. P. 🥳👏" (Tweet). Retrieved July 21, 2024 – via X (formerly Twitter).
    "NC Courage U23 claims 2024 USL W League title after second-half comeback". USL W League. July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  8. ↑ Clark, Harrison (July 14, 2025). "UNC Charlotte Standout Macey Bader Joins Carolina Ascent". Carolina Ascent. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 "Macey Bader". flashscore.com. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  10. ↑ Viktoriánské ženy [@fcviktoria_zeny]; (August 21, 2026). "Na západ Čech přichází americká útočnice Macey Bader 🇺🇸" (in Czech). Retrieved August 22, 2026 – via Instagram.
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