The San Diego Wave have announced signing 18-year-old Jaedyn Shaw to a new contract through the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League season. Shaw joined the Wave midway through last season and immediately made an impact, scoring a goal in each of her first three appearances and setting a new record for the NWSL’s youngest goalscorer.
“I had an amazing first year,” Shaw told the media Thursday afternoon. “I feel like I’ve grown so much. I’ve learned a lot from the coaches and my teammates. So I feel like it was just a great environment for me to continue to grow and just be the best version of myself and I feel like it’s an environment where I can make mistakes and then I can ask questions and all that so I feel like it was just a good environment.”
Head coach Casey Stoney also spoke of Shaw, “[a]t just 18, Jaedyn has proven to be one of the best in the league, and we’re excited to help her develop both on and off the field.” Stoney continued, “her vision and ability on the ball is some of the best I’ve seen in the game and she’s yet to even hit her ceiling.”
Before the season even started Stoney said that she expected Jaedyn to be a key player for the Wave, and thus far that role has grown. Shaw has earned 12 starts in the 15 matches and had impactful minutes in the matches where she came in as a game-changer.
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Shaw’s contract was set to expire at the end of the 2023 NWSL season, so locking the young forward into the league’s maximum contract length of three years with an option year is a good move for the Wave’s future. It is essentially a four-year contract as once Shaw plays in her next regular season match for the Wave on Aug. 19, the option will be exercised, making the contract extend until the end of the 2026 season.
“Jaedyn is a top, young attacking talent and has an exciting future ahead of her in San Diego,” said San Diego Wave FC General Manager Molly Downtain. “She’s been central to so many key moments for the club and we look forward to creating more of those moments for years to come.”
Outside of the NWSL, Shaw was also named the 2022 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year, after impressive showings with the U-20’s throughout the year and during the 2022 U-20 FIFA World Cup. She would’ve likely been at the 2023 U-20 Concacaf Championship had it not overlapped with the Wave’s regular season matches.
