Nikayla Small
{{short description|Canadian soccer player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Nikayla Small
| fullname = Nikayla Desiree Small
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=2}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|3|24}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = AFC Toronto
| clubnumber = 4
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Pickering FC
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = NDC Ontario
| collegeyears1 = 2021–2024
| college1 = Wake Forest Demon Deacons
| collegecaps1 = 60
| collegegoals1 = 4
| years1 = 2022 | clubs1 = NDC Ontario |caps1 = 10 |goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2024 | clubs2 = Eagle FC |caps2 = 8 |goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2025– | clubs3 = AFC Toronto |caps3 = 1 |goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2018
| nationalteam1 = Canada U15
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2022
| nationalteam2 = Canada U20
| nationalcaps2 = 4
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| pcupdate = April 19, 2025
| ntupdate =
}}
Nikayla Desiree Small (born March 24, 2003) is a Canadian soccer player who plays for AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League.
Early life
Small began playing youth soccer at age four with Pickering FC.{{Canada Soccer player|id=4976}} She later joined the NDC Ontario program.{{cite web|url=https://torontoobserver.ca/2023/01/23/pro-womens-soccer-team-toronto/|title=A pro-level women’s soccer team in Toronto would be a game-changer: U-20 player|date=January 23, 2023|first=Aimi|last=Mayne|work=Toronto Observer}}
College career
In 2021, Small began attending Wake Forest University, where she played for the women's soccer team.{{cite web|url=https://godeacs.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/nikayla-small/8162|title=Nikayla Small Wake Forest profile|work=Wake Forest Demon Deacons}} On August 29, 2021, she scored her first collegiate goal in a victory over the Youngstown State Penguins.{{cite web|url=https://godeacs.com/news/2021/8/29/womens-soccer-wake-forest-downs-penguins-5-0|title=Wake Forest Downs Penguins, 5-0|date=August 29, 2021|work=Wake Forest Demon Deacons}} At the end of her first season, she was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team.{{Cite web|url=https://godeacs.com/news/2021/11/4/womens-soccer-smart-small-garner-2021-all-acc-honors|title=Smart, Small Garner 2021 All-ACC Honors|date=November 4, 2021|work=Wake Forest Demon Deacons}} She missed the entire 2022 season due to injury.{{Cite web|url=https://godeacs.com/news/2024/7/19/womens-soccer-small-thriving-on-and-off-the-pitch-as-a-wake-forest-student-athlete|title=Small Thriving On and Off the Pitch as a Wake Forest Student Athlete|date=July 19, 2024|work=Wake Forest Demon Deacons}}
Club career
In 2022, Small played with NDC Ontario in League1 Ontario.{{Cite web|url=https://league1ontario.sportngin.com/roster_players/55065093|title=Nikayla Small 2022 L1O Stats|work=League1 Ontario}}
In 2024, she played with Eagle FC in the USL W League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eagle-fc.com/wake-forest-small/|title=Eagle FC Women Wake Forest Small|date=February 2, 2024|work=Eagle FC}}
In January 2025, she signed a professional contract with AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League.{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/afc-toronto-nikayla-small-sign-2025/|title=AFC Toronto Announces Canadian Midfielder Nikayla Small|date=January 27, 2025|work=Northern Tribune|first=Rania|last=Elhilali}}{{cite web|url=https://www.afctoronto.ca/news/canadian-midfielder-nikayla-small-joins-afc-toronto|title=Canadian Midfielder Nikayla Small Joins AFC Toronto|date=January 27, 2025|work=AFC Toronto}}
International career
In August 2018, Small was called up for the first time to the Canada national program with the Canada U15 for the 2018 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship. She was named to the tournament Best XI.{{Cite web|url=https://godeacs.com/news/2021/7/12/wake-forest-announces-the-addition-of-16-newcomers|title=Wake Forest Announces the Addition of 16 Newcomers|date=July 12, 2021|work=Wake Forest Demon Deacons}} She later was called up to camps with the Canada U17 and represent the Canada U20 at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship and the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
In October 2021, she was called up to the Canada senior team for the first time for a training camp and set of friendlies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloggersodear.com/2021/10/14/22724542/nikayla-small-canadian-national-team-as-training-player-acc-wake-forest-demon-deacons-womens-soccer|title=News: Nikayla Small Called Up To Canadian National Team As Training Player|first=Chris|last=Del Metro|date=October 14, 2021|work=Blogger So Dear}}{{Cite web|title=Small Invited to Join Canadian Women’s National Team on Celebration Tour|date=October 12, 2021|url=https://godeacs.com/news/2021/10/12/womens-soccer-small-invited-to-join-canadian-womens-national-team-on-celebration-tour|work=Wake Forest Demon Deacons}}
References
{{reflist}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
{{AFC Toronto squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Small, Nikayla}}
Category:Women's association football midfielders
Category:Canadian women's soccer players
Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons women's soccer players
Category:League1 Ontario (women) players