Ella Stevens

Ella Hendley Stevens (born December 11, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club NJ/NY Gotham FC. She played college soccer for the Duke Blue Devils before being drafted by the Chicago Red Stars in the 2020 NWSL College Draft.

Early life and college career
Stevens was born in Snellville, Georgia, to Chip Stevens and Celeste Baker, and has a younger brother. Her father played college soccer at Lander University. She played high school soccer for Grayson High School where she recorded 73 goals and 83 assists in four years. She played club soccer for Gwinnett Soccer Academy of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). She committed to play college soccer at Duke University in January 2014. In her senior year in 2015–16, she was named the national Gatorade Player of the Year as the country's best high school soccer player.

Duke Blue Devils, 2016–2019
Stevens led the Duke Blue Devils with 10 goals and added six assists in her freshman season, including two goals and two assists over the first four rounds of the 2016 NCAA tournament. She received All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) third team and ACC All-Freshman honors. In her sophomore year, scored five goals and led the team with 11 assists, helping Duke make the 2017 NCAA semifinals, and was second-team All-ACC. She was second in the ACC with 10 assists as a junior, adding one goal. In her senior year in 2019, she recorded eight goals and six assists, starting every game of the season, and was all-ACC for the fourth year in a row.

Chicago Red Stars, 2020–2023
Stevens was selected 24th overall in the 2020 NWSL College Draft by the Chicago Red Stars. She made her debut in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup on July 1, 2020, while on a short-term contract. She was signed to the roster on October 9.

Stevens made her first regular season start in the first game of the 2022 season, on April 30 against Racing Louisville, and scored her first professional goal in the first minute of the game. She recorded four goals and two assists in 19 appearances that season.

In the 2023 season, Stevens started 16 of 22 matches, scored four goals, and had one assist for the Red Stars, who finished the season at the bottom of the table.

NJ/NY Gotham FC, 2024–
On January 22, 2024, Stevens signed with NJ/NY Gotham FC on a two-year contract with an option for an additional year.

In the 2024 away game against the San Diego Wave, Stevens had a goal in the 1–1 draw. A week later, she netted the winner in the 90th minute against the Chicago Red Stars, making it 2–1. The next game, Stevens scored both goals in the 2–0 win over Bay FC. She scored again two weeks later in the 2–0 win over Racing Louisville.

International career
Stevens trained with the United States youth national teams at multiple age levels, starting at the under-14 level in 2011. She trained with the under-15 team in 2012 and the under-17 team in 2013. She was called up to the under-19 team in 2015. Later that year she represented the under-20 team at the 2015 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, contributing a goal in the group stage against Haiti as the United States went on to win the tournament. She played friendlies with the under-23 team against NWSL clubs in the 2018 preseason.