Midfielders

NSU University School 16-year-old Taylor Smith signed her first academy contract with Fort Lauderdale United FC.

Smith took the lead of her team as captain during her freshman season, firing on all cylinders as a forward with 17 goals and 24 assists. Smith was the key to her team reaching the state championship for the first team in her school’s history, awarding her to the Broward County 5A-2A girls’ soccer first team.

Smith had a career-high of 81 points in her sophomore season, scoring 24 goals and making 33 assists. She averaged 1.6 goals per game and 5.4 points per game. For the second consecutive year, Smith led her team to the state final four.

In only three years spent playing for the Sharks varsity team, Smith has recorded 54 goals and 62 assists, adding up to 170 points. Her extraordinary success has also ranked her as number four in the nation in assists (33) and number one in her district in points (81). Smith earned the prestigious award of the Miami Herald’s Broward 4A-2A Girls Soccer Player of the Year, celebrating her decorated and impactful career for the Sharks so far.

Smith shone not only on her varsity team but has also been key player for the ECNL Girls League.

From London, England, Komani began her collegiate career at the University of West Alabama. In her debut season on American soil, Komani became the Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year and received multiple awards, including First Team All-GSC, Second Team D2CCA All-Region and United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team.

Komani’s ability to seamlessly connect passes, read the field and create opportunities at the net placed her second on her team in shots (55), points (21) and goals in her sophomore year. She earned D2CCA First-Team South All-Region, United Soccer Coaches South All-Region Second Team and First Team All-Conference.

Komani was also awarded to the UWA Women’s Soccer Team of the Decade and GSC Women’s Soccer Team of the Decade as an honorable mention, as well as making the First Team-All Conference and D2CCA Second Team All-Region.

Honing in on her craft, Komani transitioned to the professional stage with Kdz Ereglispor in Turkey, Hapoel Petah Tikva in Israel, Clube De Albergaria in Portugal and Chelsea in England.

Since her collegiate debut, Knox has redefined the essence of midfield mastery at the University of Alabama, where she earned prestigious titles such as the 2022 All-American and SEC Midfielder of the Year. Knox also holds her university’s records for both single-season and career assists, ranking her seventh nationwide in career assists. 

Her standout collegiate career was followed by her selection to Angel City FC in the 2024 NWSL draft.

Knox is poised to be the cornerstone of Fort Lauderdale United FC’s midfield.

Nia Christopher arrives from Towson University with a career showered in success.

Christopher became the first Towson player since 2014 to make the All-CAA first team in 2021, having the third-highest goal-scoring season in Towson history. She was also awarded the College Soccer News National Player of the Week and CAA Offensive Player of the Week. 

The former Bermuda National team player broke multiple collegiate records for Towson such as setting the program’s single-game record. In 2022, Christopher was named All-CAA First Team, United Soccer Coaches All-East Region, and CAA All-Tournament Team.

Rajaee was the heart of her team as a UCF Knight. Her ability to pivot effortlessly between defense and offense awarded her the American Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Year and First Team All-Conference.

Rajaee was also named to the American Athletic First-Team All-Conference for the second consecutive season and landed on the Preseason All-Conference Team and Top Drawer Soccer’s Top 100 players list in 2022.

Having flourished her talents with FFC Turbine Potsdam in the Bundesliga and SF Damaiense in Portugal for the Liga BPI, Rajaee holds extensive and diverse experience.

McCain first made her footprint as a sharpshooter and prolific scorer for Texas A&M.

As just a rookie, McCain earned the SEC All-Freshman recognition and Texas A&M Newcomer of the Year.  McCain also left her imprint in 2018 as the Texas A&M Most Improved Player and Midfield MVP, and United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Second Team and All-SEC Second Team recognition. In 2020, she was awarded SEC Midfielder of the Year and to the All-SEC First Team. 

Her consistent scoring ability led her to be drafted as the 17th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL draft by the Kansas City Current.