Zara Siassi
American soccer player (born 2002)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zara Siassi (/ˈzɛərəsiˈɑːsi/ ZAIR-uh si-AHS-ee; born January 31, 2002) is an American-British professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Sporting JAX of the USL Super League. She played college soccer for the North Florida Ospreys, where she became the program's all-time leader in appearances and starts.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | January 31, 2002 | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sporting JAX | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2018 | Boca United ECNL | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2024 | North Florida Ospreys | 82 | (2) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Sporting JAX | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of August 27, 2025 | |||
Early life
Siassi attended Park Vista Community High School in Lake Worth, Florida. She played club soccer with Boca United ECNL and Weston FC Development Academy and was involved in U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program's state and regional camps.[1]
College career
Siassi played college soccer at the University of North Florida (UNF) from 2020 to 2024, making 82 appearances and starts — the most in program history. In her senior season in 2024, she led the team in assists (3) and helped the defense achieve six clean sheets. She also scored her second collegiate goal on Senior Day via penalty kick. Following her graduate season, Siassi was named the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in UNF history to receive the honor.[2]
She was named a United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-American in 2024.[3]
She played over 7,000 minutes across five seasons, including the COVID-19-impacted 2020 campaign.[4]
Club career
Sporting JAX
On June 3, 2025, Siassi signed her first professional contract with Sporting JAX, an expansion team in the newly launched USL Super League. She was one of the first signings announced by the club ahead of their inaugural season. Sporting JAX is set to play its home matches at Hodges Stadium, on the campus of the University of North Florida.[5][6]
Siassi joined preseason training on July 8, 2025, ahead of the club’s friendly against Scottish side Hibernian W.F.C. on August 2 and its league debut against DC Power FC on August 23.[6]
Having played extensively at Hodges Stadium during her college career, Siassi described the chance to begin her professional journey on the same field as "a little surreal" and said she hoped to represent the Jacksonville community with pride.[6]
She acknowledged the challenge of adapting to the professional level, citing the faster speed of play and tactical demands. "The speed of play always increases... it's just a natural progression," she said.[6]
In 2026, Siassi was named a brand ambassador for Gainbridge, joining eight other players from the USL Super League. As part of her role, she participates in promotional appearances and creates content on behalf of Gainbridge, who sponsors the league[7].
Personal life
Siassi, a biomedical sciences major at UNF, comes from a notably athletic family, including an uncle who competed in track and field and a cousin who ran collegiate cross country. She is the only child of Tony Siassi and Susan Bierster. Off the soccer field, she has her own baking company called 'Rize & Grind' and often shares her creations with her teammates. A Christian, Siassi also holds dual citizenship through her father, who was born in the United Kingdom.[8]
Career statistics
College
| Season | Games | Scoring | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | G | A | PTS | SH | SOG | |||
| North Florida Ospreys | |||||||||
| 2020 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2022 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 4 | ||
| 2023 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 8 | ||
| 2024 | 20 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 5 | ||
| Career | |||||||||
| Career total | 82 | 82 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 46 | 19 | ||
Honors
- ASUN Defensive Player of the Year (2024)[2]
- United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-American (Fourth Team, 2024)[3]
- USC Scholar All-American First Team (2024)[3]
- USC All-South Region First Team (2024)[3]
- All-ASUN First Team (2021 [spring], 2024)[2]
- All-ASUN Second Team (2023)[2]
- College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Third Team (2023, 2024)[3]
- ASUN Academic All-Conference Team (2022, 2024)[2]
- ASUN Academic Honor Roll (2020–2024)[2]