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Jordyn Bugg
Jordyn Nishai Bugg (born August 11, 2006) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She signed with the Reign at the age of 17 in 2024. She has represented the United States from the under-16 to under-20 level, helping win bronze at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Early lifeBugg was raised in El Cajon, California, the oldest of five siblings. Her parents attended Eastern Kentucky University, where her father played college football and her mother played basketball. She is a cousin of NFL cornerback Terrion Arnold.[2] Bugg attended Christian Junior/Senior High School and played club soccer for San Diego Surf SC, which won the ECNL national championship in 2024.[3][4] She trained with NWSL team San Diego Wave FC during her junior and senior years of high school, where she learned from center backs Naomi Girma and Abby Dahlkemper and head coach Casey Stoney.[5] Club careerSeattle ReignBugg was signed by Seattle Reign FC through the NWSL's Under-18 Entry Mechanism on July 19, 2024, having begun training with the team the previous month.[6] The terms of her contract were guaranteed through 2026 with an option to extend for an additional year, which was applied.[4][7] She had previously committed to Florida State after switching from Stanford; she chose to turn professional instead after her time training with the San Diego Wave and the NWSL signings of several of her youth national teammates.[5] Bugg debuted for the Reign on July 28, 2024, in a 3–2 defeat to Club Tijuana in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup group stage. Despite the loss, head coach Laura Harvey said her performance was "exceptional".[8] After impressing in the Summer Cup, she made her regular-season debut in a 1–0 win over the North Carolina Courage on August 25, starting in the center back spot that had belonged to recently traded Alana Cook.[5][9] International careerBugg played in friendlies for the United States national under-16 team in 2022.[10] She joined the under-17 team as a replacement for an injured player at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India, where she appeared in three games.[5] She was the only player on the United States under-19 team to start all five games at the 2023 Pan American Games, where she won bronze playing against other countries' senior teams.[4] She trained with the under-20 team the following year and was selected to the roster for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[11][12] She played all but four minutes at the U-20 Women's World Cup, helping the United States finish in third place, the country's best result since 2012.[13] She was called up by Emma Hayes into Futures Camp, practicing alongside the senior national team, in January 2025.[14] Style of playBugg plays primarily as a center back but can also play as a fullback. She moved to the back line from midfield in high school.[5][8] She cites center back Naomi Girma, who mentored her in San Diego, as her "main inspiration".[5] Seattle general manager Lesle Gallimore said of her: "She is athletic, technically clean and has a good football IQ".[6] References
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