Ashley Sanchez

Ashley Nicole Sanchez (born March 16, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She played collegiate soccer for the UCLA Bruins and broke several school records in the three years she played.

In 2016, Sanchez was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. She was drafted by the Washington Spirit in the 2020 NWSL draft. That year, she was named the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Future Legend. In 2021, she helped the Spirit win the NWSL Championship.

Early life and education
Born in Pasadena, California in the Los Angeles region to Julie and Ralph Sanchez, Ashley was raised in the nearby city of Monrovia. She is of Mexican descent, with roots in Jalisco.

As a high schooler, Sanchez attended Mountain Park School for three years and Monrovia High School for one year. She played for the varsity team in 2013 and began participating in national team camps the same year. As a senior in 2016, she was named NSCAA Youth Girls All-American Player of the Year. She competed in regional Olympic Development Programs as well.

Sanchez played youth soccer for Santa Anita SC, Legends FC, and So Cal Blues. She was named Cal South Youth Female Player of the Year in 2016 as well as U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.

College career
Sanchez attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and played for the Bruins from 2017 to 2019. She committed to UCLA in eighth grade, having also considered Los Angeles rival University of Southern California.

As a freshman in 2017, Sanchez's 12 assists set a new all-time record for Bruin freshmen that ranked fourth all-time in a single-season. The 24 points she notched (six goals, including 3 game-winners, and 12 assists) ranked third on the team. During the Bruins' eight-game win streak, she notched a goal or assist in each consecutive game elevating UCLA to be ranked sixth in the nation. Sanchez earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week, Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week honors and was named to Pac-12 All-Freshman, First-team All-West Region, and All-Pac-12 teams. During the 2017 NCAA College Cup, her four assists (tied for third-most in UCLA record books) helped lead the team to the Championship where they were eliminated by Stanford Cardinal 3–2.

During the 2018 season, Sanchez led the Bruins in goals (10), assists (15), and points (35). Her assists ranked second nationwide. She set new school records to single-game assists, consecutive games with a goal or assist, assists at the NCAA College Cup, and career NCAA Tournament assists. She also tied the previous school record for assists in a single season. Sanchez was named a Hermann Trophy semifinalist, first-team All-American by United Soccer Coaches, and earned first-team All-West Region and All-Pac-12 honors for the second time.

In what ended up being her final season with the Bruins in 2019 (before turning professional), Sanchez tied her own season record for assists with 15. Her seven goals and 29 points ranked second on the team. She was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week as well as Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week, and earned first-team All-Pac-12 and second-team All-Pacific Region honors. Her 42 career assists broke UCLA's record despite her only playing three seasons.

Washington Spirit (2020–2023)
Sanchez was drafted by the Washington Spirit in January 2020. She made her professional debut for the Spirit during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. At age 21, she was the youngest player on the squad. She was a starter in four of the team's five matches and created the highest number of chances and key passes, with 8 and 7 respectively. Her performance earned her the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Future Legend Award. During the NWSL Fall Series (a modified season due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Sanchez was a starter in all four of the team's matches. The Spirit finished in third place with a record.

During the 2021 season, Sanchez played a total of 25 games (starting in 24) and recorded 5 goals, displaying her versatility as an attacking player. Her vision and ability to create scoring opportunities were evident throughout the season, as she helped the Spirit push for a playoff spot. The Spirit finished the regular season in third place with a record advancing to the NWSL Playoffs where they defeated the North Carolina Courage 1–0 in extra time. Sanchez scored the game-winning goal in the team's second playoff match against OL Reign to advance to the championship final. The Spirit went on to beat the Chicago Red Stars 2–1 in extra time to clinch their first championship title.

An offensive force, Sanchez led the Spirit in assists as well as shots and shots on goal during the 2022 season. In her 19 appearances (16 starts), she also scored three goals. Her first goal of the season was a "stunning" strike that opened the door to a 2–1 win over OL Reign in Seattle.

North Carolina Courage (2024–present)
Sanchez was traded to the North Carolina Courage during the 2024 NWSL Draft, in return for the No. 5 pick and US$250,000 in allocation money. She scored three goals in three wins in a row going into the July international break, including the only goal of the match at her former club, the Washington Spirit, on June 29.

Youth
Sanchez has represented the United States on the under-14, under-15, under-17, under-20, under-23, and senior national teams. She captained the United States at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and played at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup as well as the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. In 2016, Sanchez became the first player in United States history to play in multiple World Cups in the same year.

Senior
Sanchez received her first call-up to the senior national team in March 2016 at the age of 17. She earned her first cap on November 30, 2021, at the age of 22. In 2022, she scored three goals and notched three assists in the 731 minutes she played. She scored her first goal for the senior national team during a friendly match against Uzbekistan on April 9, 2022, followed by a second goal at their next match on April 12. These were two of four goals that she scored over a two-week stretch in four consecutive matches (the other two were with the Spirit in the 2022 Challenge Cup).

In June 2023, Sanchez was named to the U.S. squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, but did not get any playing time.

Personal life
Sanchez has two older siblings named Evan and Sierra. Her grandfather, John Shirk, played football for the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans.

Endorsements
Sanchez has an endorsement deal with Adidas. In 2022, she was featured in a commercial for Taco Bell. The campaign ran until the final day of the men's 2022 FIFA World Cup on a variety of platforms and channels.

International

 * Scores and results list United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sanchez goal.

Honors
Individual
 * U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year
 * 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Future Legend Award

Washington Spirit United States
 * NWSL Championship: 2021


 * CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2022
 * SheBelieves Cup: 2022, 2023