Macey Bader
American soccer player (born 2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Macey Elise Bader (born February 7, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent. She played college soccer for the Charlotte 49ers.
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Bader with the North Carolina Courage U23 in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Macey Elise Bader[1] | ||
| Date of birth | February 7, 2003[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Carolina Ascent | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| 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– | Carolina Ascent | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 10, 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.[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
Charlotte club Carolina Ascent announced on July 14, 2025, that Bader had signed her first professional contract with the club ahead of the USL Super League's second season.[8] She made her professional debut on October 10, coming on as a substitute for Riley Parker in stoppage time in a 1–1 draw with Lexington SC.[9]
Honors and awards
North Carolina Courage U23
Individual
- First-team All-AAC: 2024
- USL W League final MVP: 2024
- AAC tournament all-tournament team: 2023
- Conference USA tournament all-tournament team: 2022
