Ivy Younce

Ivy Younce
Younce with the North Carolina Courage U23 in 2024
Personal information
Birth name Ivy Chanel Garner[1]
Date of birth (2003-05-07) May 7, 2003[1]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)
Team information
Current team
 North Carolina Courage
Number 6
Youth career
North Carolina Courage
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2025 Liberty Flames 81 (34)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Oak City United – (–)
2024–2025 North Carolina Courage U23 29 (12)
2026– North Carolina Courage 0 (0)
International career
2022 Puerto Rico U-20
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ivy Younce (née Garner; born May 7, 2003) is a professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born in the mainland United States, she has represented Puerto Rico at the youth international level. She played college soccer for the Liberty Flames and was named the Conference USA Player of the Year in 2025.

Early life

Younce grew up in Hillsborough, North Carolina.[2] She played high school soccer at Cedar Ridge High School as a freshman in 2018, leading the team with 18 goals.[3] She was also the top tennis player at the school.[4] After her freshman year, she transferred to Eno River Academy and played club soccer for the North Carolina Courage Academy.[5] She also played for Oak City United in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL).[3] She committed to play college soccer for the NC State Wolfpack late in her junior year.[5] She later de-committed to try out for the North Carolina Tar Heels, but performed poorly at their spring camp, and ended up without offers from either program.[6] She decided to quit soccer and was accepted into Liberty University.[6]

College career

Younce soon found the desire to play soccer again and walked on to the Liberty Flames, with head coach Lang Wedemeyer telling her she "didn't need a tryout" and saying "we already know who you are".[6] She scored 3 goals as a freshman in 2022, being named second-team All-ASUN Conference, as the Flames went undefeated in the conference to win the regular-season title, losing in the ASUN tournament final.[7] She then helped Liberty win the Conference USA tournament in their first season in the conference as a sophomore in 2023.[8] She scored 6 goals and was named first-team All-CUSA for the first of three consecutive seasons.[2]

Younce scored 9 goals in her junior year in 2024, winning a share of the CUSA regular-season title and finishing runner-up in the CUSA tournament.[2] In her senior year in 2025, she exploded for 16 goals (second-most in program history) and was named the CUSA Player of the Year and CUSA Offensive Player of the Year.[6] She had five goals in the CUSA tournament and was named tournament MVP after winning the tournament title for the second time in three years.[9] She scored in seven consecutive games to end her career as the Flames lost in the NCAA tournament first round.[2] Younce was one of the most productive players in Liberty history, scoring 34 goals and tallying 23 assists (both second-most all-time) in 81 games.[6]

While in college, Younce also played for the North Carolina Courage U23 in the USL W League. She helped the Courage become undefeated national champions in 2024, assisting on Macey Bader's winning goal in the final,[10] and was named in the USL W League Team of the Year.[11] In 2025, she played for the Courage–sponsored team at the Soccer Tournament and helped return to the USL W League final.[12]

Club career

Younce joined the North Carolina Courage first team as a non-roster invitee in the 2026 preseason.[13] On March 10, the Courage announced that they had signed Younce to her first professional contract on a short-term deal through June.[14]

International career

Younce represented Puerto Rico at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship,[15] scoring twice as the squad finished fourth and narrowly missed qualifying for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[16]

Personal life

Younce is one of six children born to Tom and Punky Garner.[17] Several of her brothers, including Eli Garner, played college soccer.[6] She married Gavin Younce in December 2025.[18]

Honors and awards

Liberty Flames

North Carolina Courage U23

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b "National team roster - 2022 Women's Under 20 Championship - Puerto Rico" (PDF). CONCACAF. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ivy Garner". Liberty Flames. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Hamlin, Jeff (May 23, 2019). "With Talley's leadership, Cedar Ridge women's soccer looks to return to the state playoffs". The News of Orange County. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  4. ^ Hamlin, Jeff (September 8, 2017). "Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Ivy Garner". HillsboroughSports.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  5. ^ a b Hamlin, Jeff (March 31, 2021). "Alumni Update: Berini has first base hit for East Carolina in win over UNC". HillsboroughSports.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Ivy Garner: From Leaving the Game to Leaving a Legacy". Liberty Flames. February 2, 2026. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  7. ^ Hamlin, Jeff (October 26, 2022). "Alumni Update: Garner named to Atlantic Sun All-Freshman team for Liberty women's soccer". HillsboroughSports.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  8. ^ "Liberty Wins Conference USA Women's Soccer Title With a 2-1 Victory over New Mexico State". Liberty Flames. November 5, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  9. ^ Hamlin, Jeff (November 17, 2025). "Alumni Update: Garner named Offensive MVP as Liberty wins Conference USA Women's Soccer Championship". HillsboroughSports.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  10. ^ Hamlin, Jeff (August 1, 2024). "Alumni Update: Former Cedar Ridge soccer player Garner wins USL W League Championship". HillsboroughSports.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  11. ^ "USL W League announces 2024 Team of the Year". February 3, 2026.
  12. ^ Hamlin, Jeff (August 16, 2025). "Alumni Update: Garner scores in Liberty women's soccer season-opening win over East Carolina". HillsboroughSports.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  13. ^ "NC Courage Announce Preseason Roster". North Carolina Courage. February 3, 2026. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  14. ^ "Courage Sign Defender Ivy Younce to Short-Term Contract". North Carolina Courage. March 10, 2026. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  15. ^ "Ivy Garner Named to Puerto Rico U20 National Team". Liberty Flames. February 28, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  16. ^ "Canada top Puerto Rico to clinch World Cup place". CONCACAF. March 12, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  17. ^ "Eli Garner". UNC Greensboro Spartans. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  18. ^ Garner, Ivy [@ivychanelgarner]; (November 14, 2025). "One month until I get to marry my best friend ❤️". Retrieved February 3, 2026 – via Instagram.
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