Stella Spitzer

Stella Spitzer
Spitzer with the Carolina Ascent in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth (2010-04-04) April 4, 2010
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Carolina Ascent
Number 70
Youth career
202?–2024 Solar SC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024 Sioux Falls City
2024– Carolina Ascent 3 (0)
International career‡
2026 United States U-16 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:29, June 4, 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 01:54, February 25, 2026 (UTC)

Stella Spitzer (born April 4, 2010) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent. She debuted for the Ascent at age 14, becoming the youngest player in the USL Super League, and signed professionally at age 15 in 2025.

Early life

Spitzer grew up in the Columbus suburb of Lewis Center, Ohio, the daughter of Alison, a teacher, and Joel, an attorney.[1] She began playing soccer when she was three, joining a recreational league and then a local club team.[1] When she was ten, she moved to Dallas, Texas alone, so she could play for the ECNL club Solar SC, where she competed against girls several age groups up and boys her age and several age groups up.[1] She was mentored by former United States international Eddie Johnson.[2] While at Solar SC, she attended Allegiance Academy in Euless, Texas.[3] At age 14, she joined Sioux Falls City in the amateur Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) in preparation for moving to the professional game.[4] She also signed contracts with Nike Hyundai and Wasserman at the time.[2]

Club career

Carolina Ascent FC announced on June 21, 2024, that Spitzer had joined the club on an academy contract (allowing her to retain college eligibility) before the inaugural season of the USL Super League.[5] Carolina head coach Philip Poole said of her: "The potential is there, the ingredients, the appetite, mindset, competitiveness is all there".[1] The 14-year-old became the USL Super League's youngest player when she made her debut on October 19, entering a 2–0 win against Brooklyn FC in stoppage time.[6] After the game, Poole said that "Stella's 99.9 percent going to miss out on college altogether. She's already at the professional level".[7] Spitzer made just one more appearance for the rest of the season as the Ascent won the Players' Shield.[8]

On July 25, 2025, the Ascent announced Spitzer had signed her first professional contract with the club on a long-term deal, making the 15-year-old the youngest professional in the league.[9] She made the only appearance of her first professional season on September 25, replacing captain Taylor Porter as a 66th-minute substitute in a 1–0 loss to the Spokane Zephyr.[10] During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, she was the only girl in a Hyundai advertisement featuring several teenagers from top clubs.[11]

International career

Spitzer was called into training camp with the under-15 team in 2024 and 2025, and the under-16 team in 2026 in Antalya, Turkiye.[12]

Honors and awards

Carolina Ascent

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Zietlow, Alex (November 1, 2024). "Carolina Ascent FC player with big dreams just made her pro debut. She's only 14". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Trent, Tyler (June 21, 2024). "Carolina Ascent FC signs 14-year-old US Youth National Team player Stella Spitzer". Topbin90. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  3. ↑ Carrick, Buzz (February 11, 2026). "DFW's Ward and Staats called into US U16 camp in Türkiye". 3rd Degree. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  4. ↑ Seamer, Cooper (July 23, 2024). "Stella Spitzer made her mark as youngest player with Sioux Falls City FC and in WPSL". Dakota News Now. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  5. ↑ "14-Year-Old Phenom Stella Spitzer Making the Move to USL; Signs USL Academy Contract with Carolina Ascent FC". Carolina Ascent FC. June 21, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  6. ↑ Tucker, Luke (October 23, 2024). "14-year-old soccer phenom makes history, debuts with Carolina Ascent". WBTV. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  7. ↑ "At 14, Carolina Ascent player becomes youngest to take pitch in league history". Queen City News. October 23, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Player Stats". USL Super League. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  9. ↑ "15-Year-Old Stella Spitzer Becomes Youngest Pro in the Gainbridge Super League".
  10. ↑ Stella Spitzer at Flashscore
  11. ↑ "In World Cup Ad, Hyundai Signals Its Future Ambitions With Players You Don't Know Yet". Adweek. June 1, 2026. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Under-16 and Under-15 Girls' National Teams Will Hold Concurrent Training Camp at Dignity Health Sports Park". United States Soccer Federation. July 18, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Carolina Ascent claims 2024/25 USL Super League Players' Shield". USL Super League. May 17, 2025. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
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