Kennedy Faulknor

Kennedy Jade Faulknor (born June 30, 1999) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a centre-back for the UCLA Bruins and the Canadian national team. At the age of 16 she was the youngest centre-back to ever play for Canada.

Kennedy Faulknor
Personal information
Full name Kennedy Jade Faulknor
Date of birth (1999-06-30) June 30, 1999
Place of birth Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position(s) Centre-back
Club information
Current team
 UCLA Bruins
Number 6
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017– UCLA Bruins 41 (5)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2017 Unionville Milliken SC
National team‡
2014 Canada U-15 6 (0)
2016 Canada U-17 3 (1)
2015– Canada 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 5, 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of October 16, 2017

Early life

Faulknor was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to Paula and Glen Faulknor,[1] an assistant coach at Unionville Milliken SC.[2][3] She also has Jamaican heritage as her maternal grandparents are Jamaican immigrants.[4]

Club career

Unionville Milliken SC

Faulknor played with Unionville Milliken SC since the age of eight.[5] In 2017, she managed to play two games before transferring to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[6]

UCLA Bruins

In May 2017, Faulknor joined UCLA Bruins,[7] playing with fellow international Jessie Fleming.[8] She made her debut for UCLA on September 3, 2017, starting in the 2–0 victory over Weber State Wildcats.[9][10]

International career

Faulknor was selected for Canada's under-15 squad for the 2014 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship.[11] She started all 6 of Canada's matches, beating Puerto Rico 5–0[12] and Cuba 6–0,[13] and drawing 1–1 with Haiti in the group stage.[14] In the knock-out stage, she helped Canada beat Costa Rica 8–1[15] and Trinidad and Tobago 1–0,[16] before beating Haiti 4–1 on penalties in the final to win the championship.[17] At the conclusion of the tournament, Faulknor was named in the Best XI.[18]

In December 2015, at the age of 16, Faulknor was first called up to the Canadian senior squad, being selected for the 2015 International Women's Football Tournament of Natal.[19] She made her debut starting in the first match of the group stage, in which Canada beat Mexico 3–0. Her debut, along with fellow 16-year-old Deanne Rose, marked the first time two Canadian 16-year-olds debuted in the same match while also distinguishing her as the youngest centre-back to ever play for Canada.[20] In the second match, a 4−0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, she was brought on as a substitute at the beginning of the second-half,[21] and started in the 2–1 loss to Brazil.[22] Faulknor also started in the final against Brazil, which Canada lost 3–1,[23] and took second place in the tournament.[24] After the tournament, Faulknor was named Canadian U-17 Player of the Year, along with Kadin Chung.[25]

In March 2016, Faulknor was selected for Canada's under-17 squad for the 2016 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship.[26] She started in the 3–0 victory over Guatemala,[27] started and scored her first international goal in the 7–0 victory over Grenada,[28] and started in the 2–1 loss to Haiti.[29]

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References
  1. "Kennedy Faulknor". UCLA Bruins. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  2. "Soccer girls kick up storm". Markham Economist and Sun. September 10, 2008.
  3. Reed, Jeffrey (July 29, 2017). "Team Ontario Beats League1 Ontario All-Stars". London Ontario Sports.
  4. Fanfair, Ron (June 15, 2016). "Soccer star cleared to begin training after concussion". Share. Paula Faulknor, whose parents are Jamaican immigrants, concurred.
  5. "Match Preview: Aurora FC v Unionville Milliken S.C." League1 Ontario. May 5, 2017.
  6. "Unionville Milliken S.C. - 2017 Regular Season - Roster - Kennedy Faulknor". League1 Ontario. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  7. "UCLA Soccer Signs Standout Recruiting Class". UCLA Bruins. May 3, 2017.
  8. "Defender Faulknor to join Canadian teammate Fleming at UCLA". The Sports Network. May 3, 2017.
  9. "UCLA vs Weber State". UCLA Bruins. September 3, 2017.
  10. "No. 1 UCLA Heads to Virginia for Top-10 Matchup". UCLA Bruins. September 6, 2017. Faulknor made her UCLA debut in a starting role at Weber State
  11. "Canada to compete in inaugural CONCACAF Girls' Under-15 Championship". Canadian Soccer Association. July 30, 2014.
  12. "Canada vs Puerto Rico". Canadian Soccer Association. August 7, 2014.
  13. "Canada vs Cuba". Canadian Soccer Association. August 9, 2014.
  14. "Canada vs Haiti". Canadian Soccer Association. August 11, 2014.
  15. "Canada vs Costa Rica". Canadian Soccer Association. August 13, 2014.
  16. "Canada vs Trinidad and Tobago". Canadian Soccer Association. August 15, 2014.
  17. "Canada vs Haiti". Canadian Soccer Association. August 17, 2014.
  18. "TSG announces CGU15 Best XI". CONCACAF. August 18, 2014. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  19. "Canada's Women's National Team release Natal 2015 Roster and schedule change". Canadian Soccer Association. December 7, 2015.
  20. "Canada vs Mexico". Canadian Soccer Association. December 9, 2015.
  21. "Canada vs Trinidad and Tobago". Canadian Soccer Association. December 13, 2015.
  22. "Canada vs Brazil". Canadian Soccer Association. December 16, 2015.
  23. "Canada vs Brazil". Canadian Soccer Association. December 20, 2015.
  24. "Canada takes second at Natal 2015 Four Nations Tournament". Canadian Soccer Association. December 21, 2015.
  25. "Ontario's Kennedy Faulknor Named U-17 Canadian Player Of The Year". Ontario Soccer Association. December 14, 2015.
  26. "Final 20-Player Rosters Announced for CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship Grenada 2016". CONCACAF. March 2, 2016. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  27. "Canada vs Guatemala". Canadian Soccer Association. March 3, 2016.
  28. "Canada vs Grenada". Canadian Soccer Association. March 5, 2016.
  29. "Canada vs Haiti". Canadian Soccer Association. March 7, 2016.
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