Former Canada under-20 captain Nikayla Small has signed with AFC Toronto, staying close to home in the new Northern Super League.
The 21-year-old midfielder from Pickering, Ont., arrives from Wake Forest University, where she appeared in 60 games, including 53 starts, with four goals and 15 assists. However, an ankle injury sidelined her at the 2024 NCAA women’s soccer tournament, where the Demon Deacons lost 1-0 to North Carolina in the championship game.
Small played for Pickering Soccer Club before joining the National Development Centre (NDC) Ontario. She has represented Canada at the under-15, U-17 and U-20 levels. While former Canada coach Bev Priestman called her into camp twice in late 2021, she has yet to earn a senior cap.
“Nikayla is a player we are very familiar with having watched her develop while playing with the National Development Centre and youth national teams,” AFC º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøsporting director Billy Wilson said in a statement. “Not only is she an outstanding talent who will offer us something different in central areas, she is a quality person who aligns with our values.”
In other NSL news, Ottawa Rapid FC signed former Canadian youth international winger Stella Downing and defender/midfielder Ellen Gibson, a former Swedish youth international. And the Calgary Wild signed 17-year-old twins Keelyn and Taegan Stewart.
Small is the latest local player to sign with Toronto.
“Being from Toronto, Nikayla knows what this club represents for our supporters and the next generation of young players,” said Wilson. “I have no doubt that she will have a huge influence at our club as we continue developing our project.”
Small said pro soccer has always been her goal.
“But growing up, you never really saw anyone return to Canada to play soccer after university; everyone was always going overseas,” she said. “Now, having a chance to be part of this project with AFC Toronto, I know there’s nothing that can take away our part in history … Walking out at our home stadium for the first time is going to be surreal and I can’t wait to represent this city.”
Small missed her entire sophomore season at Wake Forest due to an injury that worsened while playing for Canada at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica.
Downing split her collegiate soccer between Memphis, Mississippi and Creighton. The 22-year-old from Vancouver made her Canadian youth debut at 14 as a member of the under-17 team.
“Stella Downing is the epitome of a player who combines technical skill with incredible speed and a natural rhythm on the ball,” Ottawa technical director Kristina Kiss said in a statement. “Her bravery on the pitch allows her to make bold, game-changing decisions, which will push the team forward in moments of pressure.”
Downing made her debut in the Canadian youth program at the age of 14 in 2017 as a member of the U17 Canadian National Team. Her first international cap was a start against the USA in the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U17 Championship. She earned a bronze in the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U17 Championship. Downing is the second Memphis Tiger to sign with Ottawa, joining Miranda Smith who played there from 2014 to 2016.
Downing is an alumnus of the Whitecaps FC Girls Elite REX Program, where she played with Rapid teammate, Jazmine Wilkinson. She has ties to other Ottawa players, having roomed with Liv Scott while at an under-17 youth team camp and she played against Florence Belzile while she was with Creighton and Belzile was at Nebraska.
The 28-year-old Gibson, who can play both centre back and central midfielder, joined Hammarby IF’s youth academy at the age of four and began her senior career with the club in 2011.
The Stockholm-born player spent most of her career at Hammarby, except for a two-year stint at Santa Clara University (2015-16). Gibson made 230 appearances across all competitions for Hammarby.
Gibson captained the Swedish side that was runner-up at the UEFA European Women’s U-17 Championship in 2012-13.
The Stewart sisters, Grade 12 students in Calgary, are both midfielders who trained in Spain and Germany and represented Canada at the under-15 level
Through their mother’s bloodlines, they have also spent time with the Wales under-20 team.
—-
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 27, 2025.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation