Filipinas defender Nya Harrison will become the first national team member to get into the top-flight football league.
Philippine women’s national football team defender Nya Harrison is set to make history as the first national team member to play in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), after signing a contract with San Diego FC.
Harrison, who was part of the Filipinas camp in February in Manila, was announced to have a short-term contract with the team until June 2025.
The Filipinas player is a San Diego native and competed with Stanford University, where she made 58 appearances for the Cardinals. She also started 34 times and helped the team capture the Pac-12 championship back in 2022.
In her senior year with Stanford, Harrison anchored the backline, recording 12 shutouts while keeping a 0.78 goals per game average in 2024.
Harrison becomes the first Filipina player in the top-flight league after Dominique Randle previously made the preseason roster of Angel City FC. Goalkeeper Kiara Fontanilla also entered the 2024 NWSL draft.
San Diego FC, who previously had USWNT superstar Alex Morgan at the helm, were champions of the NWSL Challenge Cup in 2024.
Canadian Kailen Sheridan captains the team.
Harrison and San Diego begin the 2025 NWSL season on Sunday, March 16 (US time), against Angel City FC.