Shea Groom
American soccer player (born 1993)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shea Ellese Groom (born March 4, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent.
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Groom with the Chicago Red Stars in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Shea Ellese Groom[1] | ||
| Date of birth | March 4, 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Liberty, Missouri, United States | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Carolina Ascent | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2014 | Texas A&M Aggies | 84 | (41) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2017 | FC Kansas City | 54 | (17) |
| 2018 | Sky Blue FC | 21 | (2) |
| 2019 | Reign FC | 14 | (2) |
| 2020–2023 | Houston Dash | 46 | (4) |
| 2024–2025 | Chicago Stars | 31 | (2) |
| 2026– | Carolina Ascent | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2015–2016 | United States U23 | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:05, February 1, 2026 (UTC) | |||
Groom played college soccer for the Texas A&M Aggies, earning first-team All-American honors in 2014, and was drafted by FC Kansas City in the second round of the 2015 NWSL College Draft. She won the NWSL Championship as a rookie and was named in the NWSL Second XI in 2016. After FCKC ceased operations in 2018, she spent one season each with Sky Blue FC and Reign FC before joining the Houston Dash, winning the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. She signed with the Chicago Red Stars as a free agent in 2024.
Groom played for the United States under-23 team and was called up to the full national team in 2016.
Early life
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Born in Liberty, Missouri, to Kelly and Lesa Groom, Groom attended Liberty High School where she led the girls' soccer team to a state championship and was named Missouri's Player of the Year in 2010.[2] She was named Gatorade Missouri Player of the year twice in 2010 and 2011. Groom was a NSCAA High School Girls' All-America Soccer Team selection and named NSCAA State Player of the Year in 2010.[2] In 2011, she was named All-American by ESPN Rise.[3]
College career
Groom played collegiate soccer with Texas A&M Aggies. She capped a decorated college career with 16 goals and seven assists in 26 matches in 2014. She ranked third in the Southeastern Conference and 19th in the nation for goals, which helped her win the SEC Offensive Player of the Year award.[citation needed] She recorded 41 goals and 25 assists in 84 career matches for the Aggies.[4]
Club career
Groom was selected by FC Kansas City as the 12th overall pick of the 2015 NWSL College Draft.[5][6] She made her debut for Kansas City against Sky Blue FC on April 12, 2015.[7] She scored her first goal for Kansas City in a 0–2 win over Houston Dash on May 2, 2015.[8] Groom was named Player of the Week for week 13 of the 2015 National Women's Soccer League season after recording one goal and two assists against the Boston Breakers.[9] She was also named the team's rookie of the year for 2015.[10] Groom appeared in the 2015 NWSL Championship game as a second-half substitute, FC Kansas City won the Championship with a 1–0 win over the Seattle Reign.[11]
On December 29, 2017, it was announced that Utah Royals FC had traded Groom along with teammate Christina Gibbons to Sky Blue FC and the no. 4 overall selection in the 2018 NWSL College Draft. The New Jersey club has acquired the players in exchange for the defender Kelley O'Hara, midfielder Taylor Lytle and the no. 25 overall pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft.[12]
On January 15, 2019, Reign FC acquired Groom from Sky Blue FC.[13]
On February 3, 2020, Houston Dash acquired Groom, Megan Oyster, and a conditional draft pick from Reign FC in exchange for Sofia Huerta and Amber Brooks.[14]
Groom signed with the Chicago Red Stars (later named Chicago Stars FC) in January 2024.[15] She recorded 31 appearances and 2 goals across two seasons before departing from Chicago at the end of 2025.[16][17]
In January 2026, Groom signed with USL Super League club Carolina Ascent.[18] She made her club debut on January 31, coming on as a second-half substitute in a defeat at the hands of Sporting JAX to open up the second half of Carolina's season.[19]
International career
Groom has represented the United States at various youth levels. She played for the under-23 national team at the 2015 La Manga Tournament.[20] She started in all three matches and scored the first goal of the 2–0 victory over Norway.[21]
In October 2016, Groom received her first call-up to the United States women's national soccer team for a pair of friendlies against Switzerland. She did not play in either game.[22]
Personal life
Club statistics
- As of October 15, 2023
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Playoffs | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Kansas City | 2015 | 13 | 4 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 15 | 4 |
| 2016 | 19 | 8 | – | – | – | – | 19 | 8 | |
| 2017 | 22 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 5 | |
| Total | 54 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 17 | |
| Sky Blue FC | 2018 | 21 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 21 | 2 |
| Reign FC | 2019 | 15 | 2 | – | – | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| Total | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 4 | |
| Houston Dash | 2020 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 3 | – | – | 11 | 6 |
| 2021 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 28 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 7 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 12 | |
| Career total | 129 | 28 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 149 | 33 | |
Honors and awards
Texas A&M Aggies
- SEC women's soccer tournament: 2013, 2014
FC Kansas City
Houston Dash
Individual
- NWSL Second XI: 2016
- First-team All-American: 2014
- Third-team All-American: 2013
- First-team All-SEC: 2013, 2014
- Second-team All-SEC: 2012
- SEC tournament all-tournament team: 2013, 2014
