TicketsCINCINNATI -- Former University of Cincinnati soccer star and 2020 Canadian gold medalist Vanessa Gilles is returning to the United States after signing with Angel City FC of the NWSL.
Angel City is in its inaugural season after first being announced in July 2020.
"We are delighted to welcome Vanessa Gilles to Angel City FC," said ACFC Sporting Director Eni Aluko per the team's release. "Vanessa has established herself as one of the leading central defenders globally with notably inspirational performances at the 2020 Olympics in Japan this past summer that helped lead Canada to a Gold Medal. Vanessa has a lot of experience playing in a strong league in France and will bring competitiveness, winning desire, experience, and leadership to Angel City. Vanessa's commitment to gender equity, pay equity, and female empowerment are also perfectly aligned with our club, and we are excited to get started."
Gilles heads to Los Angeles by way of FC Girondins de Bordeaux, where she has played since July 2018. She is the first Bearcat to join the NWSL, with two other teammates from her time in Clifton (Katy Couperus and Julie Gavorski) later playing in Australia and Iceland.
The Montreal native lettered from 2014-17 and earned the AAC's Defensive Player of the Year honor as a senior. She also helped the Bearcats to the 2015 AAC title. During Canada's run this summer to its first-ever women's soccer gold medal, she started every match but the first and was the team's defensive ace. Her most noteworthy moment was converting the game-winning PK against Brazil for a trip to the semifinals.
The NWSL season kicks off Saturday, March 19. Full schedules will be released at a later date.
Angel City is in its inaugural season after first being announced in July 2020.
"We are delighted to welcome Vanessa Gilles to Angel City FC," said ACFC Sporting Director Eni Aluko per the team's release. "Vanessa has established herself as one of the leading central defenders globally with notably inspirational performances at the 2020 Olympics in Japan this past summer that helped lead Canada to a Gold Medal. Vanessa has a lot of experience playing in a strong league in France and will bring competitiveness, winning desire, experience, and leadership to Angel City. Vanessa's commitment to gender equity, pay equity, and female empowerment are also perfectly aligned with our club, and we are excited to get started."
Gilles heads to Los Angeles by way of FC Girondins de Bordeaux, where she has played since July 2018. She is the first Bearcat to join the NWSL, with two other teammates from her time in Clifton (Katy Couperus and Julie Gavorski) later playing in Australia and Iceland.
The Montreal native lettered from 2014-17 and earned the AAC's Defensive Player of the Year honor as a senior. She also helped the Bearcats to the 2015 AAC title. During Canada's run this summer to its first-ever women's soccer gold medal, she started every match but the first and was the team's defensive ace. Her most noteworthy moment was converting the game-winning PK against Brazil for a trip to the semifinals.
The NWSL season kicks off Saturday, March 19. Full schedules will be released at a later date.