Jaelin Howell
FullnameJaelin Marie Howell[1]
Birth dateNovember 21, 1999 (age 26)
Birth placeWindsor, Colorado, United States
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
PositionMidfielder
CurrentclubGotham FC
Clubnumber7
Youthclubs 1Real Colorado
Collegeyears 12018–2021
College 1Florida State Seminoles
Collegecaps 190
Collegegoals 110
Years 12022–2024
Clubs 1Racing Louisville
Caps 150
Goals 10
Years 22024
Clubs 2Seattle Reign
Caps 28
Goals 20
Years 32025–
Clubs 3Gotham FC
Caps 325
Goals 34
Nationalyears 12015–2016
Nationalteam 1United States U17
Nationalcaps 121
Nationalgoals 11
Nationalyears 22017–2018
Nationalteam 2United States U20
Nationalcaps 226
Nationalgoals 22
Nationalyears 32020–
Nationalteam 3United States
Nationalcaps 36
Nationalgoals 31
Club-updateNovember 22, 2025
Nationalteam-updateDecember 1, 2025

Jaelin Marie Howell (born November 21, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She played college soccer for the Florida State Seminoles, winning the Hermann Trophy in two consecutive seasons (2020 and 2021). She won national championships in 2018 and 2021.

Racing Louisville selected Howell second overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft, and she became Racing's captain the following year. In 2024, she was traded midseason to the Seattle Reign. She then joined Gotham and won the 2025 NWSL Championship in her first season with the Bats.

After playing at the under-17 and under-20 levels, Howell made her senior debut for the United States in 2020.

Early life and college career

Howell played youth club soccer for Real Colorado [2] and attended Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Colorado. She was named an NSCAA All-American in 2015.[3] Howell was youth club and high school teammates with USWNT teammate Sophia Wilson[4]

Howell played college soccer for Florida State Seminoles.[5][6] She was awarded the Hermann Trophy in 2020, honoring the United Soccer Coaches National Players of the Year in NCAA Division I women's soccer. She again won the Hermann Trophy in 2021 for the second consecutive season.[7]

Club career

On January 21, 2022, Howell signed a three-year contract with Racing Louisville FC after being selected second by the team in the 2022 NWSL Draft.[8]

Howell made her Racing Louisville debut on March 18 in the NWSL Challenge Cup opener, starting in midfield against the Kansas City Current.[9] The midfielder was second in the NWSL in minutes played last season among rookies, only trailing her Racing teammate Savannah DeMelo. Howell had two assists for the year.

Howell was named Racing's captain before the 2023 season.[10]

On August 19, 2024, Howell was traded to Seattle Reign FC along with $50,000 in allocation money in exchange for Bethany Balcer.[11] She made her debut for Seattle against North Carolina Courage on August 25th, 2024 as she was substituted on in the 75th minute.[12]

On December 20, 2024, Howell joined Gotham FC as part of a trade that also saw Cassie Miller and Lynn Williams move to Seattle.[13] On May 25, 2025, she started in the 2025 CONCACAF W Champions Cup final against Tigres, where Gotham won 1–0 to become the inaugural winners of the competition.[14]

International career

Howell was named to the 2016 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship Best XI.[15] The same year, she was the starting center midfielder for the U-17 team at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. On March 29, 2017, she was called up to the U.S. women's national soccer team.[15][16]

After being a part of the USA U-20 Squad that finished runner up at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, Howell was named to the USA U-20 roster for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[17]

She made her debut for the United States November 27, 2020, coming on as a substitute for Sam Mewis in the 89th minute against the Netherlands.

Howell scored her first senior national team goal in a 9–1 win over Uzbekistan.[18]

Personal life

Jaelin's father, John, was an NFL safety who was part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup[a]Playoffs[b]Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Racing Louisville FC2022NWSL22051—271
202316050—210
202412030—150
Seattle Reign202480——80
Career total58013100711
  1. ^ Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup and the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
  2. ^ Includes NWSL Playoffs

International

National TeamYearAppsGoals
United States202010
202110
202231
202300
202400
202510
Total61
Scores and results list United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Howell goal.
List of international goals scored by Jaelin Howell
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
1April 9, 2022Columbus, OhioUzbekistan7–09–1Friendly[m 1]

Honors

Florida State Seminoles

Gotham FC

United States

Individual

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018 – List of Players: USA U20 (women)". FIFA. July 26, 2018. p. 16. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  2. ^ "Wall of Fame - Players - Real Colorado". Real Colorado. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  3. ^ Lytle, Kevin (September 1, 2014). "Freshman soccer player chasing U.S. national team dream". Coloradoan. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  4. ^ "From Kindergarten to the U.S. Women’s National Team, two Colorado soccer players grew up together on the pitch". The Denver Post. 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
  5. ^ "U.S. Soccer Bio". U.S. Soccer. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  6. ^ "Jaelin Howell Florida State Bio". seminoles.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  7. ^ "Jaelin Howell Wins MAC Hermann Trophy For the Second Straight Season". seminoles.com. January 7, 2022. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  8. ^ "Racing signs No. 2 draft pick Howell to multi-year deal". Racing Louisville FC. January 21, 2022. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "Kizer scores the opener — again — as Racing draws KC Current". Racing Louisville FC. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  10. ^ "Jaelin Howell named Racing captain". Racing Louisville FC. 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  11. ^ "Seattle Reign FC Acquires Midfielder Jaelin Howell and Allocation Money in Trade with Racing Louisville FC". Seattle Reign FC. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  12. ^ "Match Recap: Seattle Reign FC Wins 1-0 In Stoppage Time". Seattle Reign FC. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "Seattle Reign FC Acquires Forward Lynn Williams and Goalkeeper Cassie Miller in Trade with NJ/NY Gotham FC". ReignFC.com. Seattle Reign. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Gotham FC Crowned Champions of Inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup". Gotham FC. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  15. ^ Garza, Daniel (April 3, 2017). "16-year-old called in to replace Tobin Heath for Russian friendlies". MLS Multiplex. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  16. ^ "HORAN RULED OUT OF APRIL MATCHES; HOWELL EARNS CALL-UP". U.S. Soccer. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  17. ^ "USA ROSTER NAMED FOR 2018 FIFA U-20 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP". July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  18. ^ Jardy, Adam. "Racing Louisville's Jaelin Howell scores first international goal to power USWNT to win". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  19. ^ Dure, Beau (2025-11-22). "NWSL Championship: Washington Spirit v Gotham FC – live". The Guardian. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  20. ^ "Tigres UANL vs. Gotham FC 0 - 1". Soccerway. 2025-05-24.[dead link]
  21. ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Rolls to Title at 2021 SheBelieves Cup, Presented by Visa, With Dominant 6–0 Victory Against Argentina". U.S. Soccer. February 25, 2021.
  22. ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Defeats Iceland 5–0 to Win Third Consecutive and Fifth Overall SheBelieves Cup Title, Presented by Visa". U.S. Soccer. February 23, 2022.

Match reports

  1. ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Defeats Uzbekistan 9–1 as Forward Sophia Smith Records First Career Hat Trick". U.S. Soccer. April 9, 2022.