Marcus Jackson (soccer)

Marcus Jackson
Personal information
Full name Marcus Jackson
Date of birth (2008-03-29) March 29, 2008
Place of birth West Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
 UCLA Bruins
Number 19
Youth career
2021–2023 Red Raiders
2024–2026 Ironbound SC
2023–2026 West Orange Mountaineers
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2026– UCLA Bruins 0 (0)

Marcus Jackson (born March 29, 2008) is an American soccer player who plays college soccer for UCLA. Jackson is the 2026 recipient of the Gatorade High School Soccer Player of the Year Award, an annual award for the best high school athletes in the nation.

Career

Youth and high school

Jackson was raised in Essex County, New Jersey, where he played club soccer in MLS Next Pro for Red Raiders FC and Ironbound SC. In addition to club soccer, Jackson also played high school soccer for his alma mater, West Orange High School. During his senior year of high school, Jackson captained the Mountaineers and led the program to a 22–2–0 season record that culminated with NJSIAA Group IV state championship, the high school's first state title in boys' soccer since 2013.[1] Jackson scored 18 goals and added five assists across all competitions during the fall 2025 season.[2]

Jackson was awarded the Gatorade High School Soccer Player of the Year Award in June 2026.[3]

College

Ahead of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's soccer season, Jackson signed a National Letter of Intent to play collegiate soccer for UCLA.[4][5]

References

  1. ↑ Duffy, Tyler (November 22, 2025). "No. 2 West Orange celebrates winning the Group 4 state title". NJ.com. Advance Publications. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  2. ↑ Clark, Travis (June 18, 2026). "Marcus Jackson Named Gatorade National POTY". TopDrawer Soccer. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Marcus Jackson: 2025 - 2026 Player of the Year | National Boys Soccer". Gatorade. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Meet soccer phenom Marcus Jackson, the future of the USMNT". Yahoo!. June 29, 2026. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  5. ↑ "UCLA commit Marcus Jackson named 2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year". SoccerWire.com. June 17, 2026. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
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