Nicole Vernis
American soccer player (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nicole Marie Vernis (born January 15, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for USL Super League club Lexington SC. She played college soccer for the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs.
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Vernis with Georgia in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicole Marie Vernis[1] | ||
| Date of birth | January 15, 2001 | ||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lexington SC | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| FC Florida | |||
| Palm Beach Garden Predators | |||
| 2016–2019 | The Benjamin School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2021 | Florida Gators | 36 | (3) |
| 2022–2024 | Georgia Bulldogs | 44 | (9) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Lexington SC | 12 | (2) |
| 2025 | → Lazio (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 03:50, January 30, 2026 (UTC) | |||
Early life
Vernis grew up in North Palm Beach, where she attended The Benjamin School. As a youth player, she also played for FC Florida and the Palm Beach Gardens Predators. In high school, she earned All‑Palm Beach County honors and was named the 2019 Sun Sentinel Palm Beach 3A‑1A Player of the Year.[2][3]
College career
Florida Gators
Vernis began her collegiate career at the University of Florida, where she played in every match in the 2020‑21 and 2021 seasons, tallying 36 appearances and contributing 3 goals offensively. In 2022, she transferred to the University of Georgia and red‑shirted that season per transfer regulations.[2]
Georgia Bulldogs
During the 2023 season with Georgia, she started 23 matches, ranking first on the team in various offensive categories including shots and assists, and scored in the NCAA Tournament second round. In 2024 she was named team captain, tied for team lead in assists, and was honored with Second Team All‑Southeastern Conference (SEC) and United Soccer Coaches (USC) All‑Southeast Region Second Team awards.[3]
Club career
Lexington SC
On January 20, 2025, Vernis signed with Lexington SC of the USL Super League.[4] She made her professional debut on February 15, 2025 against Carolina Ascent FC, and in her first half‑season she started 12 matches, scored 2 goals, and played just over 1,000 minutes. For her contributions, she was named to the USL Super League Team of the Month for February 2025.[5] Her scoring includes a goal in the season finale against DC Power FC, which ended in a 3–3 draw. In June 2025, it was announced that she would return to Lexington SC for the 2025–26 season.[6]
Lazio loan
On August 13, 2025, Lazio of Serie A Femminile announced the acquisition of Vernis on loan from Lexington.[7][8] Two months into her loan spell, Vernis was reported by Lazio as having returned to the United States without authorization from the club.[9] Vernis' agent separately claimed she had an injury and hadn't received a salary since her arrival in Italy.[10]
Return to Lexington
On January 29, 2026, Vernis was officially recalled to Lexington; she had made four appearances across all competitions for Lazio.[11] Upon her return, she helped Lexington win the league championship and the Players' Shield, making them the first team to complete the league double.[12]
Honors and awards
Georgia Bulldogs
Lexington SC
Individual
- USL Super League Team of the Month: February 2025
- Second-team All‑SEC: 2024
