Jade Pennock, Meg Hughes, Davi Vaka, Grace Phillpotts, Kaitlyn Parks, Helena Errington and Sophie Jones bring world-class experience to North Florida’s first women’s pro soccer club
With the club’s inaugural training camp beginning next week, Sporting JAX has bolstered its Gainbridge Super League roster with seven more standout players, including proven international talent and rising American stars. Joining the club are forwards Jade Pennock and Meg Hughes, defenders Davi Vaka and Grace Phillpotts, goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks, and midfielders Helena Errington and Sophie Jones, forming a diverse and high-caliber group that boosts the club’s roster to 20 talented players, pending league and federation approval. These exciting additions mark another major milestone as Jacksonville’s first women’s professional soccer club builds toward its historic debut season.
“This group brings exactly what we’ve been building toward, with the talent, grit and the hunger to compete at the highest level,” said Sporting JAX Head Coach Stacey Balaam. “They’ve played on big stages all over the world, and now they’ll help set the standard on the First Coast. Our fans are going to love the energy and quality they bring to the pitch.”
Jade Pennock, from Pontefract, England, reunites with Balaam, who coached Pennock in college at the University of North Georgia. Pennock spent time with the Leeds Youth Academy and played for Doncaster Belles, Sheffield United and Birmingham City in England. Most recently, she helped guide the Central Coast Mariners to their first-ever A-League women’s title. Her attacking flair and leadership will be crucial as Sporting JAX taxes the field for the first time.
Meg Hughes, from Rochester, Massachusetts, began her college career at Providence, where she scored 23 goals in 70 games over four seasons with the Friars. At Providence, she earned all-conference honors every year. She was named Big East Freshman of the Year and received first-team all-Big East honors twice. She transferred to Michigan State for her graduate season, where she scored seven goals and added six assists in 22 games. She was also named to the All-Big Ten second team and arrives in Jacksonville ready to make an immediate impact up front.
Davi Vaka, a native of Sandy, Utah, played last season for Fort Lauderdale United alongside her twin sister after a college career at Brigham Young University and the University of Florida. During two seasons in Gainesville, Vaka started 33 matches, played 2,766 minutes and averaged over 83 minutes per match. She has also represented Tonga in international play, showcasing the global reach of the Sporting JAX roster.
Grace Phillpotts, from Fenton, Michigan, played at Kentucky before signing with the Gainbridge Super League team Brooklyn FC in January. In her final college season at Kentucky, she started all 21 matches, logged a career-high 1,799 minutes and scored her first collegiate goal. Phillpotts also tied her career-best of four assists for the fourth straight season, earned All-SEC First Team honors and was named to the United Soccer Coaches Southeast Region First Team. Now, she brings her trademark consistency and grit to the First Coast.
Kaitlyn Parks, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, began her college career at Wake Forest before playing at Michigan State for two seasons. While at Wake Forest, she was a second-team All-America selection as a sophomore. At Michigan State, she won 26 games in two seasons, including 14 as a senior, the second most in program history and was a third-team All-Big 10 selection in 2024, solidifying her talent between the posts for Sporting JAX.
Helena Errington, a native of New Zealand, made her professional debut for the Wellington Phoenix FC. She was the top scorer at the Oceania U-20 World Cup qualifiers. She was an all-star in the National Premier League Women in Australia and played in Portugal with Sporting CP before signing with Wellington Phoenix. Her attacking creativity and international flair will be a strength for Sporting JAX’s midfield.
Sophie Jones, from Menlo Park, California, represented the United States on the U-17 and U-20 teams, as well as the U-23 youth national team. As a star at Duke before being drafted by the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL, she started all 75 matches, which was the fifth-longest consecutive start streak in program history. Jones brings her talent to be ready to marshal Sporting JAX’s midfield.
The countdown to kickoff continues as Sporting JAX hosts two historic preseason friendlies at UNF’s Hodges Stadium. The club will host its first home match on Saturday, August 2, welcoming the reigning Scottish Women’s Premier League champions, Hibernian FC Women, to the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. One week later, on Sunday, August 10, the club will host Wrexham AFC Women, the rising Welsh club whose story captivated global audiences thanks to celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in the hit FX/Hulu documentary, Welcome to Wrexham. Both matches will kick off at 7 p.m. EST.
