Leah Maryann Pais is a Canadian soccer player who plays for AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Leah Maryann Pais | ||
Place of birth | Mississauga, Ontario, Canada | ||
Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder, Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | AFC Toronto | ||
Youth career | |||
–2015 | Brampton Brams United | ||
2016–2018 | Vaughan Azzurri | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2019 | Albany Great Danes | 14 | (5) |
2020–2022 | Pittsburgh Panthers | 56 | (17) |
2023 | Florida State Seminoles | 17 | (2) |
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2017–2019 | Vaughan Azzurri | 21 | (13) |
2022–2023 | Vaughan Azzurri | 24 | (21) |
2024 | Þróttur | 15 | (2) |
2025– | AFC Toronto | 0 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 20, 2024 |
Early life
editPais began playing youth soccer at age five or six and played with the Ontario provincial team form age 14 to 16.[1] She played youth soccer with Brampton Brams United,[2] before later joining Vaughan Azzurri, winning the 2018 U18 Ontario Cup.[3]
College career
editIn 2019, Pais began attending the University at Albany, SUNY, where she played for the women's soccer team.[4] She made her collegiate debut on August 22 against the Oklahoma Sooners.[5] She scored her first career goal on September 25 in a 1-1 draw against the Siena Saints.[6] In late October 2019, she was named the America East Conference Rookie of the Week.[7] At the end of the season, she was named the America East Rookie of the Year and was named to the America East All-Rookie Team.[8][9]
In 2020, she transferred to the University of Pittsburgh to play for the women's soccer team.[10][11] She made her debut on September 10 in the season opener against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, scoring two goals and adding an assist in a 4-0 victory.[12] After scoring another goal in the next match, she was named the school's Student-Athlete of the Week.[13] In September 2022, she was again earned the school's top performer of the week honour.[14] In 2020 and 2022, she was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll and was named to the ACC All-Academic Team in 2022.[15]
In 2023, she transferred to Florida State University for her graduate year and played with the women's soccer team.[16][17] She scored her first goal on September 3 against the South Florida Bulls.[18] She won the 2023 National Title with the team.[19]
Club career
editFrom 2017 to 2019, she played with Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario. In 2019, she was named the league's Young Player of the Season and a First Team All-Star.[20][21] She returned to the side in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, she was named a Second Team All-Star and in 2023, she was named a First Team All-Star.[22][23]
In 2024, she signed with Icelandic club Þróttur (Thróttur Reykjavík) in the top tier Besta deild kvenna.[24]
In November 2024, she signed with AFC Toronto of the Northern Super League for the 2025 season.[25][26][27]
Career statistics
edit- As of August 25, 2024
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Vaughan Azzurri | 2017[28] | League1 Ontario | 8 | 4 | — | — | ? | ? | 8 | 4 | ||
2018[29] | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | ? | ? | 3 | 0 | |||
2019[30] | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 9 | ||||
2022[31] | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 10 | ||||
2023[32] | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 11 | ||||
Total | 45 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 34 | ||
Þróttur | 2024[33] | Besta deild kvenna | 15 | 2 | — | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 6 | |
Career total | 60 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66 | 40 |
Honours
editIndividual
References
edit- ^ Davidson, Neil (November 20, 2024). "After stints in U.S. and Iceland, Leah Pais stoked to be back home with AFC Toronto". Toronto Star.
- ^ Inscoe, Robin (September 16, 2015). "Rebels fall short in bid for Ontario Cup crown". Brampton Guardian.
- ^ "Vaughan Azzurri capture U-18 Girls Ontario Cup title". Ontario Soccer Association. July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Announces 2019 Recruits". Albany Great Danes. July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Leah Pais Albany profile". Albany Great Danes.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Ties Siena 1-1". Albany Great Danes. September 25, 2019.
- ^ "Harbinger, Pais Named Players of the Week". Albany Great Danes. October 28, 2019.
- ^ "Pais Named Rookie of the Year". Albany Great Danes. November 4, 2019.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Draws Eight All-Conference Selections". Albany Great Danes. November 1, 2019.
- ^ Krysinsky, John (February 13, 2020). "College SoccerPitt women add transfer Leah Pais". Pittsburgh Soccer Now.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Signs Transfer Leah Pais". Pittsburgh Panthers. February 13, 2020.
- ^ "Pitt Shuts Out App State 4-0 in Season Opener". Pittsburgh Panthers. September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Pais, Sibley Jr. Named Office Depot/Supra Student-Athletes of the Week". Pittsburgh Panthers. September 15, 2020.
- ^ "Gilman, Pais Named PNC Achievers of the Week". Pittsburgh Panthers. September 12, 2022.
- ^ "Leah Pais Pittsburgh profile". Pittsburgh Panthers.
- ^ "Soccer Adds Graduate Transfer Leah Pais". Florida State Seminoles. July 5, 2023.
- ^ Ferrante, Bob. "FSU soccer adds Pitt transfer Leah Pais". The Osceola.
- ^ "Four Noles Score in No. 2 FSU's 5-1 Win Over USF". Florida State Seminoles. September 3, 2023.
- ^ "Leah Pais FSU profile". Florida State Seminoles.
- ^ "Vaughan's Raposo, Pais named League1 young players of the year". Canadian Premier League. October 4, 2019.
- ^ "Men's And Women's 2019 First, Second And Third Team All-Stars". League1 Ontario. September 30, 2019.
- ^ "Simcoe skipper Cloey Uddenberg at the heart of the 2022 Women's Premier Division All-Star team". League1 Ontario. November 17, 2022.
- ^ "Triple award-winning goalkeeper Gurleen Toor selected in talented XI". League1 Ontario. November 28, 2023.
- ^ Þór Sæmundsson, Ingvi (April 19, 2024). "Besta-spáin 2024: Brakar í heila prófessorsins" [The best prediction of 2024: Cracks in the professor's brain]. Vísir (in Icelandic).
- ^ "AFC Toronto announce ex-Vaughan Azzurri forward Leah Pais as NSL club's second player signing". Waking the Red. November 20, 2024.
- ^ "AFC Toronto Adds Leah Pais". Northern Tribune. November 20, 2024.
- ^ "AFC Toronto Welcomes Leah Pais as the Club's Second Official Signing". Northern Super League. November 20, 2024.
- ^ "Leah Pais 2017 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Leah Pais 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Leah Pais 2019 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Leah Pais 2022 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Leah Pais 2022 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ Leah Pais at the Football Association of Iceland (in Icelandic)