American center back Sarah Clark, fresh off a season in Australia’s top-tier A-League and previously with the NWSL’s North Carolina Courage, is the latest addition to the Spokane Zephyr FC roster.
Clark was named to the Big Ten All Freshman team in 2017 while at Purdue, before transferring to play her final three years at the University of Virginia. She appeared in 61 matches in three seasons for the Cavaliers, and in 2021 was among the defenders who helped the team record 13 shutouts on the season.
“I love the vision for this club,” Clark said. “The environment and culture they hope to create on and off the field is something I really wanted to be part of. I’m excited to be surrounded by a good group of people that will challenge me daily.”
Clark joins a roster that already includes highly touted midfielders Marley Canales and Taylor Aylmer. Canales was signed by the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Seattle Reign in 2022, and has earned 23 caps across several levels of the Women’s National Team system. Aylmer won a national championship with the NWSL’s Washington Spirit in 2021, and has international experience with the premier Finnish women’s league.
After college, Clark signed on with the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League for the 2023 season. In December 2023, she signed with Canberra United of Australia’s top-tier Liberty A-League. There she appeared in 16 matches and scored one goal. Clark brings both poise and experience to Zephyr’s backline.
“She has been a really consistent performer,” said Katie Harnetiaux, President of USL Spokane and principal of Aequus Sports, LLC. “She has a ton of talent. We can see that she is going to be able to manage our backline very well. She’ll be a great asset to our locker room and to the community. We’re so excited to have Sarah in Spokane!”
Clark, 25, was born in North Carolina and raised in Michigan. She comes from a soccer family. Her older brother, Will, played soccer at University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her uncle, Mike Clark, was one of the founding players of Major League Soccer, playing eight seasons for the Columbus Crew from the league’s inception in 1996. He was a two-time MLS All-Star.
Spokane Zephyr FC will play their first match Aug. 17 at ONE Spokane Stadium in downtown Spokane, Wash., as part of the new Division One USL Super League, a professional women’s league that sits atop the women’s soccer pyramid in the United States. In addition to Zephyr, the inaugural season of the USL Super League will include Brooklyn FC, Carolina Ascent FC, Dallas Trinity FC, Fort Lauderdale United FC, Lexington FC, Tampa Bay Sun FC, and DC Power FC, with eight more clubs joining in 2025 and beyond.
Season tickets are now on sale for this historic season that will change the landscape of women’s professional soccer in Spokane, America, and worldwide.