Kaitlyn Parks

Kaitlyn Parks
Parks with Michigan State in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-08-30) August 30, 2001
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Sporting JAX
Number 13
Youth career
2016–2019 Northern Patriots
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 29 (0)
2023–2024 Michigan State Spartans 42 (1)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025– Sporting JAX 15 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of March 14, 2026

Kaitlyn Parks (born August 30, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for USL Super League club Sporting JAX. She played college soccer for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Michigan State Spartans.

Early life and education

Parks attended Northern High School, where she was a four-year starter in goal. During her high school career, she was named second-team All-State and All-Met, Calvert County Player of the Year as a senior, and led Northern to a Maryland 3A state championship.[1]

College career

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Parks began her collegiate career at Wake Forest University in 2019, redshirting her freshman season due to injury. As a redshirt freshman during the 2020–21 season, she started eight matches and posted a 1.50 goals-against average and a .786 save percentage. She was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks, becoming the first player in conference history to do so.

In 2021, Parks earned United Soccer Coaches (USC) Second-Team All-American honors after recording nine shutouts and a 0.79 goals-against average. She was also named to the All-ACC Academic Team.[2]

Michigan State Spartans

Parks transferred to Michigan State University for the 2023 season. As a senior, she started all 22 matches, recording nine shutouts, 14 wins, a 0.99 goals-against average, and a .734 save percentage, helping lead the Spartans to the third round of the NCAA tournament.[3]

In 2024, as a graduate student, she appeared in 20 matches and recorded 12 wins and eight shutouts. She posted a 0.95 goals-against average and a .824 save percentage. Parks also became the first goalkeeper in Michigan State history to score a goal, converting a penalty kick in a match against Ohio State.[4] She was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week twice during the season and received multiple academic honors.[5][6][7]

Club career

Sporting JAX

On July 1, 2025, Parks signed her first professional contract with USL Super League club Sporting JAX.[8] She made her professional debut in the club's inaugural match against DC Power FC. On October 14, she completed Sporting JAX's first ever clean sheet in a rematch against DC Power FC, winning 1–0.[9] She won Save of the Month for a high-rising save made during the match.[10]

On December 3, 2025, Parks was named to the USL Super League Team of the Month for November 2025. During that period, she completed two consecutive clean sheets and helped lead Sporting JAX to their first-ever home win.[11]

In March 2026, Parks was named USL Super League Player of the Month for her contributions made during the month of February. She allowed only one goal and the team won three of four matches.[12]

Personal life

Parks is the daughter of Janet and Stephen Parks and has one older brother. Both of her parents were collegiate athletes at Gannon University. She earned a degree in Studio Art from Wake Forest and completed graduate coursework in Digital Media at Michigan State.[13]

Career statistics

College

Season Games Goalkeeping
GP GS Minutes Saves GAA Shutouts
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
2019 Injured – Did not participate
2020–21 9 8 781 43 1.50 4
2021 20 20 1,725 58 0.78 9
2022 19 19 1,663 49 0.87 8
Michigan State Spartans
2023 22 22 1,907 58 0.99 8
2024 20 20 1,806 89 0.95 8
Career
Career total 90 89 7,882 297 1.02 37

Professional

As of match played March 14, 2026
Club Season League Cup Playoffs Total
Division Apps CS Apps CS Apps CS Apps CS
Sporting JAX 2025–26 USLS 15 8 — — 15 8
Career total 15 8 — — 15 8

Honors and awards

Michigan State Spartans

Individual

References

  1. ^ "00 Kaitlyn Parks". MSUSpartans.org. Michigan State University. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  2. ^ "1 Kaitlyn Parks". GoDeacs.com. Wake Forest University. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  3. ^ LaPlante, Brad. "Michigan State women's soccer adds transfer goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks". Rivals.com. Rivals. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  4. ^ Michael, Trevor. "Michigan State women's soccer scores must see goal (Video)". SpartanAvenue.com. FanSided. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  5. ^ Kemnitz, Jessica. "Michigan State graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week". Impact89FM.org. Impact 89 FM. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  6. ^ Shubham, Satvik. "MSU women's soccer's Kaitlyn Parks named NCAA Player of the Week". TheStateNews.com. The State News. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  7. ^ Kandel, Jason. "Kaitlyn Parks named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week". Impact89FM.org. Impact 89 FM. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  8. ^ Bunker, Chase. "7 more join Sporting Jax inaugural roster". ActionNewsJax.com. Action News Jax. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  9. ^ "Sporting JAX takes down DC Power FC with help of Parks". SportingJAX.com. Sporting Club Jacksonville. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  10. ^ "Soaaaaarig flyyyyying ✈️ Gainbridge Super League Save of the Month - October - Kaitlyn Parks". YouTube.com. USL on YouTube. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  11. ^ GainbridgeSuperLeague.com Staff. "Gainbridge Super League Team of the Month – November". GainbridgeSuperLeague.com. USL Super League. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  12. ^ GainbridgeSuperLeague.com Staff. "Gainbridge Super League Team of the Month – February". Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  13. ^ "00 Kaitlyn Parks". MSUSpartans.org. Michigan State University. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
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