Foundational signings mark the beginning of a bold new chapter for women’s sports in Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 21, 2025) – Sporting Club Jacksonville, the United Soccer League’s expansion franchise, has announced its first two player signings — Georgia Brown and Ashlyn Puerta — as the club prepares for its historic debut season in the top-tier Gainbridge Super League. These young standout athletes have strong local connections to the First Coast and will form the foundation of Sporting JAX’s inaugural roster as the team makes history by bringing professional women’s soccer to the First Coast.
“These exceptional players set the tone for the type of team we want to be – competitive, disciplined and proud to represent Jacksonville,” said Sporting JAX Head Coach Stacey Balaam. “We’re building something special for this club and this community. Each of these players brings leadership, a relentless work ethic and a genuine commitment to the game.”
Georgia Brown, a 6’2,” 22-year-old center back from Highworth, England, and a standout at the University of South Florida, set a school record at USF by scoring four goals in a single game and earned First Team All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2024. A two-time Academic All-America selection, she most recently excelled for Florida Elite, where she was named USL W League Defender of the Year in 2024, led her team to a #1 national ranking last season, and scored 11 goals. Brown also played for Oxford United Women’s First Team in England for three years in the FA Women’s National League. Additionally, she has been called up for international duty to the Scotland Women’s U23 national team for two matches against Iceland and qualified for selection through grandparent nationality.
From San Diego, CA, midfielder/forward Ashlyn Puerta has been part of the US women’s youth pool since she was 14. She made an immediate impact at Florida State University this past season, played in all 21 games, scored four goals and five assists during her freshman year, which included a goal and an assist in FSU’s NCAA Tournament victory over Samford. The 18-year-old was also a member of the US Youth U-15 national team that won the Concacaf Championship in 2022, scoring five goals with three assists and receiving invitations to U-16 and U-17 national team camps. She has just been selected for the 2025 CONCACAF Championship USWNT U-20 squad. Puerta previously received an offer to play for NWSL Gotham FC when she was 15 and has trained with European giants Benfica (Portugal) and Real Madrid (Spain) at the ages of 16 and 17.
The Sporting JAX pro team will take the field for its home opener against DC Power FC on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium,with all regular and postseason soccer matches streaming live on Peacock. The club will announce its preseason home schedule and local broadcast schedule in the coming weeks.
The 2025/26 season marks a historic milestone, not just for the club but also for the city and region, as it introduces professional women’s team sports to the First Coast for the first time. Sporting JAX will play a 28-match regular season from August 2025 through May 2026, divided into a Fall and Spring schedule with a mid-season Winter break, while competing in the nine-team USL Super League.
This announcement follows the club’s recent unveiling of its adidas home and away kits last week. The complete 2025/26 schedulewas also released to provide fans with the full slate of matchups to mark on their calendars.
Season ticket packages and group ticket deposits are now on sale, starting at just $10 per match. Fans can also receive a complimentary inaugural season scarf (while supplies last). Visit www.sportingjax.com/tickets or call (904) 863-KICK to be part of this historic season from the beginning.
For the latest Sporting JAX news, matchday updates and behind-the-scenes access, follow @Sporting_JAX across all social media platforms.