Simone Charley

Charley was born to Sharon and Bobby Charley in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Hoover, Alabama. Her maternal family is originally from Montserrat.{{Cite web|url=https://vucommodores.com/my-game-simone-charley-2/|title=My Game: Simone Charley|quote=I moved to Alabama when I was 2 years old. I don't remember much. I still have family in Boston, as well, on my dad's side. My mom's side is actually from England, so that is where a lot of them live. Her parents live in Grenada right now. They were both born in Montserrat (a Caribbean island), and they moved to England when my mom was born.|date=February 17, 2014|accessdate=July 19, 2021|archive-date=July 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719192907/https://vucommodores.com/my-game-simone-charley-2/|url-status=live}} She was born into a sports family, her older sister Nicole having been a triple jumper at Auburn, her older brother Myles a triple jumper and long jumper at Troy and her cousin Damian an American football player at Vanderbilt. Charley is a natural athlete herself, and excelled at the high school and university level in both soccer and track and field.{{cite web|url=https://vucommodores.com/news/2013/2/22/2013_Soccer_signees_Simone_Charley.aspx|title=2013 Soccer signees: Simone Charley|date=February 22, 2013|access-date=June 2, 2019|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603031922/https://vucommodores.com/news/2013/2/22/2013_Soccer_signees_Simone_Charley.aspx|url-status=live}} During her high school career she won nine state championships in both sports, was named 2011 state Gatorade Player of the Year (soccer) and 2012 Birmingham News Female Athlete of the Year. She also excelled academically.{{cite web|url=http://highschoolsports.al.com/news/article/-5423967105517679165/2012-birmingham-news-female-athlete-of-the-year-simone-charley-spain-park/|title=2012 Birmingham News Female Athlete of the Year: Simone Charley, Spain Park|date=July 4, 2012 |access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://highschoolsports.al.com/news/article/-8638698054288776686/spain-parks-simone-charley-latest-in-long-string-of-girls-gatorade-soccer-winners/|title=Spain Park's Simone Charley latest in long string of girls Gatorade soccer winners|access-date=June 2, 2019|date=May 13, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://www.wbrc.com/story/21763046/spain-park-hs-senior-is-a-star-on-and-off-the-field/|title=Spain Park HS senior is a star on and off the field|access-date=June 2, 2019|date=March 22, 2013|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603031924/https://www.wbrc.com/story/21763046/spain-park-hs-senior-is-a-star-on-and-off-the-field/|url-status=live}}

Charley attended Vanderbilt University for five years. During that time she was a student-athlete for the Vanderbilt Commodores in soccer, indoor track and outdoor track.{{cite web|url=https://vucommodores.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3240|title=Simone Charley|date=May 22, 2019 |access-date=June 2, 2019|publisher=Vanderbilt Commodores}} Due to her prolific athletic career Charley was named to the 2019 Southeastern Conference Class of Women's Legends.{{cite web|url=https://vucommodores.com/news/2019/1/10/soccer-simone-charley-named-to-2019-womens-legends-class.aspx|title=Charley Named to 2019 Women's Legends Class|date=January 10, 2019|access-date=June 2, 2019|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603031920/https://vucommodores.com/news/2019/1/10/soccer-simone-charley-named-to-2019-womens-legends-class.aspx|url-status=live}} While at Vanderbilt University Charley earned a bachelor's degree with a double-majored in psychology and sociology and a master's degree in medicine, health and society.{{cite web|url=https://vucommodores.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3240|title=Simone Charley|date=May 22, 2019 |access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2019/06/01/under-the-radar-simone-charley-and-the-nwsls-little-known-training-players/|title=Under the radar: Simone Charley and the NWSL's little-known training players|access-date=June 2, 2019|date=June 1, 2019|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603031924/https://equalizersoccer.com/2019/06/01/under-the-radar-simone-charley-and-the-nwsls-little-known-training-players/|url-status=live}}

During her soccer career at Vanderbilt,Charley made 76 appearances and finished with 25 goals and 18 assists. Her 2013 freshman year saw her finish the year as the team's leader in points and goals. She was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll. Charley repeated her team leader in goals her sophomore year and was named to the First Team All-SEC team and Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll. Her 2015-year saw her named to the All-South Region First Team and Second Team All-SEC. Charley redshirted the 2016 season in soccer. She returned to the soccer team for her senior year in 2017. She finished the year as team leader in points. She was named to the Second Team All-SEC and All-Southeast Region and made the Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll.

While attending Vanderbilt Charley also competed in both indoor and outdoor seasons of track and field in the triple jump. Her freshman indoor season saw her post the second-best mark on Vanderbilt's all-time performance for the triple jump (41'8.50"). She broke her own school record in the 2014 outdoor season, setting a then lifetime best of (43'2.50"), missing qualification for the IAAF World Championship by one centimetre. She finished her freshman year named to the 2014 Outdoor NCAA Second-Team All-American and 2014 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. During her sophomore year she again broke both her own indoor and outdoor school record in the triple jump, with jumps of (43'5.25") and (43'8.55") respectively. Indoor she had a fifth best nationally at the time which earned her All-SEC honors. Charley also earned NCAA First-Team All-American honors for both her indoor and outdoor 2015 season. She repeated this double NCAA First Team All-American honors during her junior 2016 seasons. She also again repeated her breaking of her own person and school records with jumps of (44'0") in her indoor season and (45'2.75") during her outdoor season. Her final track season was the 2017 indoor season, where Charley again broke her school and personal record with a triple jump of (44'5.25"). She finished her last season earning a third consecutive indoor NCAA First Team All-American honor.{{cite web|url=https://vucommodores.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3909|title=Simone Charley|date=May 22, 2019 |access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/4631861.html|title=Simone Charley|access-date=June 2, 2019}}

Charley went undrafted in the 2018 NWSL College Draft. She was however picked up by the Portland Thorns FC, making the practice squad for 2018 as a non-roster invitee.{{cite web|url=https://www.timbers.com/post/2018/02/19/thorns-fc-re-sign-seven-players-ahead-2018-nwsl-season|title=Thorns FC re-sign seven players ahead of 2018 NWSL season|access-date=May 20, 2019|date=February 18, 2018|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109033155/https://www.timbers.com/post/2018/02/19/thorns-fc-re-sign-seven-players-ahead-2018-nwsl-season|url-status=dead}} She was signed by the team in May 2019 as a supplemental player.{{cite web|url=https://www.timbers.com/post/2019/05/08/thorns-fc-sign-three-players-supplemental-roster|title=Thorns FC sign three players to supplemental roster|publisher=Thorns FC|access-date=June 2, 2019|date=May 9, 2019|archive-date=May 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509005134/https://www.timbers.com/post/2019/05/08/thorns-fc-sign-three-players-supplemental-roster|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/simone-charley|title=Simone Charley|publisher=NWSL|access-date=June 2, 2019|archive-date=June 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603031918/http://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/simone-charley|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland-thorns/2019/06/contract-in-hand-simone-charley-is-making-the-most-of-opportunity-with-portland-thorns.html |title=Contract in hand, Simone Charley is making the most of opportunity with Portland Thorns |date=June 20, 2019 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |work=The Oregonian |first=Jamie |last=Goldberg}} Charley made her first start for Thorns FC on May 25, 2019, against Sky Blue FC. She provided two assists during her second start against the Chicago Red Stars.{{cite web|url=https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2019/6/2/18649777/thorns-dominate-the-red-stars-in-their-home-opener-nwsl-midge-purce-simone-charley|title=Thorns dominate Red Stars in home opener|date=June 2, 2019 |publisher=SBNation|access-date=June 2, 2019}}

Charley scored her first professional goal during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, and scored a second goal during the 2020 NWSL Fall Series.{{cite news |url=https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2021/1/29/22256608/portland-thorns-fc-re-signs-simone-charley-to-two-year-deal-challenge-cup-nwsl-sky-blue-fc |title=Portland Thorns FC re-signs Simone Charley to two-year deal |date=January 29, 2021 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |work=Stumptown Footy |first=Kyle |last=Garcia |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412000307/https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2021/1/29/22256608/portland-thorns-fc-re-signs-simone-charley-to-two-year-deal-challenge-cup-nwsl-sky-blue-fc |url-status=live }} On October 30, 2020, Thorns FC announced that the club had offered Charley a new contract.{{cite news |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland-thorns/2020/10/portland-thorns-pick-up-club-options-on-6-players-offer-new-contracts-to-8-others.html |title=Portland Thorns pick up club options on 6 players, offer new contracts to 8 others |date=October 30, 2020 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |work=The Oregonian |first=Joel |last=Odom}} On January 29, 2021, Thorns FC announced that the club had signed Charley to a two-year contract.

Charley scored five goals in 19 appearances in the 2021 season, tied for second most on the team with Christine Sinclair.{{cite news |url=https://justwomenssports.com/reads/simone-charley-thanks-thorns-after-trade-to-angel-city/ |title=Simone Charley thanks Thorns after trade to Angel City |date=December 12, 2021 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |work=Just Women's Sports |first=Clare |last=Brennan |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412000308/https://justwomenssports.com/reads/simone-charley-thanks-thorns-after-trade-to-angel-city/ |url-status=live }}

After the 2019 season, Thorns FC loaned Charley to Australian W-League club Canberra United FC, where Charley scored five goals in 11 appearances.{{cite news |url=https://keepup.com.au/news/best-internationals-201920-simone-charley/ |title=Best internationals of 2019/20 – Simone Charley |date=March 25, 2020 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |work=Keep Up. |first=Samuel |last=Green}}

On December 8, 2021, Thorns FC traded Charley and forward Tyler Lussi to Angel City FC in exchange for $100,000 in allocation money, a second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, and immunity from Angel City in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft.{{cite news |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland-thorns/2021/12/portland-thorns-trade-simone-charley-tyler-lussi-to-angel-city-fc.html |title=Portland Thorns trade Simone Charley, Tyler Lussi to Angel City FC |date=December 8, 2021 |work=The Oregonian |access-date=December 8, 2021 |first=Joel |last=Odom |archive-date=December 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209004436/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland-thorns/2021/12/portland-thorns-trade-simone-charley-tyler-lussi-to-angel-city-fc.html |url-status=live }}

In her 2022 season, Charley scored two regular-season goals and one Challenge Cup goal in 23 total appearances.{{cite news |url=https://www.angelsonparade.com/2022/11/12/23453781/angel-city-fc-2022-player-postmortem-simone-charley |title=Angel City FC 2022 Player Postmortem: Simone Charley |date=November 12, 2022 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |work=Angels on Parade |first=Alicia |last=Rodriguez |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412000308/https://www.angelsonparade.com/2022/11/12/23453781/angel-city-fc-2022-player-postmortem-simone-charley |url-status=dead }} She also drew two penalties.

On April 11, 2023, Angel City announced that Charley had ruptured an Achilles tendon in her left foot during a match against Orlando Pride on April 2 and placed her on the team's season-ending injury list.{{cite press release |url=https://www.angelcity.com/news/article/angel-city-places-simone-charley-on-season-ending-injury-list |title=Angel City Places Simone Charley on Season-Ending Injury List |date=April 11, 2023 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |publisher=Angel City FC}} On January 22, 2024, Angel City announced that Charley would not be returning to the club.{{Cite web |last=Angel City FC |first=Angel City FC |date=2024-01-22 |title=Always part of the ACFC family. Thank you, @SimoneCharley |url=https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1749572483471098136 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=twitter.com |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123200208/https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1749572483471098136 |url-status=live }}

On January 24, 2024, Orlando Pride announced that they had signed Charley to a two-year contract.{{Cite web |last=orlandocitysc |title=Orlando Pride signs free agent Simone Charley through 2025 Season |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/pride/news/orlando-pride-signs-free-agent-simone-charley-through-2025-season |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=orlandocitysc |archive-date=March 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302035550/https://www.orlandocitysc.com/pride/news/orlando-pride-signs-free-agent-simone-charley-through-2025-season |url-status=live }} On March 10, 2024, Orlando Pride announced that Charley had been placed on the season-ending injury list for the 2024 season after rupturing her Achilles tendon for the second time within a year, this time in her right foot, during preseason training.{{Cite web |title=Orlando Pride Forward Simone Charley Ruled Out for 2024 NWSL Season |url=https://www.orlandocitysc.com/pride/news/orlando-pride-forward-simone-charley-ruled-out-for-2024-nwsl-season |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=orlandocitysc}}

Charley was elected as the vice president of the NWSL Players Association in 2024.{{cite tweet|number=1788989207215763545|user=nwsl_players|author=NWSLPA|author-link=NWSL Players Association|title=We are thrilled to announce ...|date=2024-05-10|access-date=2024-08-22}}

{{updated|January 24, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/simone-naomi-charley/stats |title=Simone Charley |publisher=National Women's Soccer League |access-date=April 11, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://fbref.com/en/players/78400c25 |title=Simone Charley |publisher=FBref.com |access-date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412000306/https://fbref.com/en/players/78400c25 |url-status=live }}

{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

Portland Thorns FC

• International Champions Cup: 2021{{cite web |first=Tyler |last=Snipes |title=The Portland Thorns are WICC Champions! |url=https://www.internationalchampionscup.com/news/wicc-tournament-recap |date=August 22, 2021 |website=International Champions Cup |access-date=October 5, 2021 |archive-date=October 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005212904/https://www.internationalchampionscup.com/news/wicc-tournament-recap |url-status=dead }}
• NWSL Shield: 2021{{cite news |url=https://www.columbian.com/news/2021/oct/17/portland-thorns-clinch-nwsl-shield-with-win-at-houston/ |title=Portland Thorns clinch NWSL Shield with win at Houston |date=October 17, 2021 |access-date=April 11, 2023 |work=The Columbian |first=Micah |last=Rice}}
• NWSL Challenge Cup: 2021

Orlando Pride

• NWSL Shield: 2024{{Cite web |last=NWSL |date=2024-10-07 |title=Orlando Pride Claims 2024 NWSL Shield |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/orlando-pride-claims-2024-nwsl-shield-presented-by-carmax |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=NWSL |archive-date=October 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007133918/https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/orlando-pride-claims-2024-nwsl-shield-presented-by-carmax |url-status=live }}
• NWSL Championship: 2024{{Cite web |date=2024-11-25 |title=Orlando Pride win 2024 NWSL Championship, bringing first professional, major league trophy to the City of Orlando |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/orlando-pride-win-2024-nwsl-championship-bringing-first-professional-major-league-trophy-to-the-city-of-orlando |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=NWSL}}

{{reflist}}

• {{sports links}}
• [http://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/simone-charley National Women's Soccer League player profile]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20190509005205/https://www.timbers.com/players/simone-charley Portland Thorns FC player profile]
• [https://www.angelcity.com/club/roster/simone-charley Angel City FC player profile]

• {{instagram|simonecharley}}
• {{twitter|simonecharley}}

{{Orlando Pride squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charley, Simone}}

Category:Living people

Category:1995 births

Category:American women's soccer players

Category:Vanderbilt Commodores women's soccer players

Category:Vanderbilt Commodores women's track and field athletes

Category:National Women's Soccer League players

Category:Soccer players from Massachusetts

Category:Soccer players from Birmingham, Alabama

Category:Women's association football forwards

Category:Portland Thorns FC players

Category:Canberra United FC players

Category:American expatriate women's soccer players

Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in Australia

Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Australia

Category:African-American soccer players

Category:American people of Montserratian descent

Category:Angel City FC players

Category:Orlando Pride players

Category:21st-century American sportswomen