Ryan Connaughton
American soccer player (born 1998)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ryan Melissa Connaughton (née Gareis; born November 13, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Chicago Stars FC of the National Women's Soccer League. She played college soccer for the South Carolina Gamecocks before being selected in the 2022 NWSL Draft by the Houston Dash.
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Gareis with the Houston Dash in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Ryan Melissa Gareis | ||
| Date of birth | November 13, 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Naperville, Illinois | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Chicago Stars | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sockers FC | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 100 | (15) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2025 | Houston Dash | 47 | (1) |
| 2026– | Chicago Stars | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2013 | United States U15 | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:54, October 21, 2025 (UTC) | |||
Early life
Connaughton is originally from Naperville, Illinois.[1] She attended Neuqua Valley High School, where she scored the most goals for the team her freshman year. She was a member of Sockers FC and played in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and won U.S. Club Soccer's National Championship in 2012 & 2013.
In 2013, Connaughton attended a U15 Girls' U.S. Youth National Team Training Camp. Connaughton was a member of Illinois' Olympic Development Program (ODP) in 2010 and 2014. Connaughton played for the Illinois ODP team when they played in the National Championships in 2014.
College career
Connaughton played college soccer at South Carolina from 2017 to 2021. She was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after her rookie year. She went on to score 15 goals in exactly 100 games across her five-season college career.[2]
Club career
Houston Dash
In December 2021, Connaughton was selected by the Houston Dash in the fourth round of the 2022 NWSL Draft.[3] On February 18, 2022, Connaughton signed a two-year contract with Houston.[4] She made 20 appearances for the Dash in the 2022 season, and was named the club's Young Player of the Year.[5] In January 2023, she signed a contract extension with Houston.[6]
Connaughton scored her first NWSL goal on October 18, 2025, coming off the bench to score the lone goal in Houston's 1–0 win against the Kansas City Current that ending the Current's 17-game unbeaten streak.[7] At the end of 2025, Connaughton left Houston as a free agent.[8]
Chicago Stars
On December 3, 2025, the Chicago Stars announced that Connaughton had signed a three-year contract with the club through 2028.[9]
International career
She attended training camp with the United States under-15 team in 2013.[10]
Personal life
Career statistics
Club
- As of May 31, 2026
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Playoffs[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Houston Dash | 2022 | NWSL | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| 2023 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2025 | 19 | 1 | — | — | 19 | 1 | ||||
| Chicago Stars FC | 2026 | 11 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 64 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 1 | ||
- Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup
- Includes NWSL Playoffs
Honors
South Carolina Gamecocks
Individual
- SEC All-Freshman Team: 2017
- United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Third Team: 2021
- Houston Dash Young Player of the Year: 2022
