{{short description|American soccer player (born 2001)}} {{BLP primary sources|date=August 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Use American English|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jake LaCava | image = | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|1|12}} | birth_place = New Milford, Connecticut, United States | height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.intermiamicf.com/players/jake-lacava/ |title=Jake LaCava |publisher=Inter Miami CF |access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref> | currentclub = New Mexico United | clubnumber = | position = Forward | youthyears1 = 2017–2018 | youthclubs1 = Barça Residency Academy | youthyears2 = 2018–2019 | youthclubs2 = LA Galaxy | youthyears3 = 2019–2020 | youthclubs3 = New York Red Bulls | years1 = 2020–2021 | clubs1 = New York Red Bulls II | caps1 = 46 | goals1 = 11 | years2 = 2022 | clubs2 = New York Red Bulls | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2022 | clubs3 = → Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan) | caps3 = 34 | goals3 = 13 | years4 = 2023 | clubs4 = Inter Miami | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2023 | clubs5 = Inter Miami CF II | caps5 = 6 | goals5 = 1 | years6 = 2023 | clubs6 = → Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan) | caps6 = 21 | goals6 = 3 | years7 = 2024 | clubs7 = Charleston Battery | caps7 = 10 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 2024–2025 | clubs8 = San Antonio FC | caps8 = 33 | goals8 = 2 | years9 = 2026– | clubs9 = New Mexico United | caps9 = 0 | goals9 = 0 | club-update = January 21, 2026 }} {{Portal|Association football}} '''Jake LaCava''' (born January 21, 2001) is an American soccer player who plays as a forward for New Mexico United in the USL Championship.
==Career== ===Youth=== LaCava spent time with academy teams at the Barça Academy in Arizona, LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/players/jake-lacava|title=Jake LaCava | New York Red Bulls|accessdate=June 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://glxy.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=7444696&player=679943692|title=LA Galaxy|website=glxy.ussoccerda.com|access-date=July 18, 2020|archive-date=July 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718133912/http://glxy.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=7444696&player=679943692|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also spent time on trial with Danish Superliga side Hobro IK in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hikfodbold.dk/hobro-reserver-tilkaempede-sig-et-point-i-randers-n2-2083?id=2083|title=Hobro-reserver tilkæmpede sig et point i Randers|website=hikfodbold.dk|access-date=July 18, 2020|archive-date=July 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718131941/http://hikfodbold.dk/hobro-reserver-tilkaempede-sig-et-point-i-randers-n2-2083?id=2083|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===New York Red Bulls II=== On July 3, 2020, LaCava signed for USL Championship side New York Red Bulls II.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/new-york-red-bulls-ii-sign-academy-product-jake-lacava|title=New York Red Bulls II Sign Academy Product Jake LaCava|first=New York Red|last=Bulls|website=New York Red Bulls}}</ref> He made his league debut for the club on July 17, 2020, appearing as a 67th-minute substitute in a 1–0 loss to Hartford Athletic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/newyorkredbullsii-hartfordathletic-2092925|title=New York Red Bulls II vs. Hartford Athletic - July 17, 2020 | USLChampionship.com|website=www.uslchampionship.com}}</ref> On August 29, 2020, LaCava scored his first two goals as a professional in a 3–2 victory over Loudoun United FC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/loudoununitedfc-newyorkredbullsii-2092906|title=Loudoun United FC vs. New York Red Bulls II - Aug 29, 2020|website=www.uslchampionship.com}}</ref>
On April 30, 2021, LaCava scored his clubs first goal of the season in a 3–2 loss to Hartford Athletic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/newyorkredbullsii-hartfordathletic-2197938|title=New York Red Bulls II vs. Hartford Athletic - April 30, 2021 | USLChampionship.com|website=www.uslchampionship.com}}</ref>
Following the 2021 season, LaCava's contract with New York expired.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/new-york-red-bulls-ii-announce-end-of-year-roster-decisions|title=New York Red Bulls II Announce End of Year Roster Decisions | New York Red Bulls|website=nysoccer}}</ref>
===New York Red Bulls=== On January 20, 2022, it was announced that LaCava had signed a one-year MLS contract with the New York Red Bulls, with options for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons.<ref>{{cite web |title=New York Red Bulls Sign Red Bulls II Forward Jake LaCava |url=https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/new-york-red-bulls-sign-red-bulls-ii-forward-jake-lacava |website=NewYorkRedBulls.com |access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref>
====Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan)==== Having signed an MLS contract with the New York Red Bulls, it was announced on January 20, 2022, that LaCava would spend an additional season in USL Championship, on loan to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.<ref>{{cite web |title=ROWDIES ACQUIRE NEW RED BULLS JAKE LACAVA ON LOAN |url=https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1204443 |website=RowdiesSoccer.com |access-date=20 January 2022 |archive-date=January 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120212819/https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1204443 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Inter Miami=== On November 11, 2022, LaCava was selected in the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft by St. Louis City SC. The club immediately traded him to Inter Miami CF in exchange for $150,000 of General Allocation Money.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stlcitysc.com/news/2022-mls-expansion-draft-recap|title=St. Louis CITY SC Selects Five, Makes Two Trades in 2022 MLS Expansion Draft | St. Louis SC|first=St Louis CITY|last=SC|website=St. Louis CITY SC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/inter-miami-acquire-forward-jake-lacava-in-expansion-draft-trade|title=Inter Miami acquire forward Jake LaCava in Expansion Draft trade | MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer}}</ref> Miami declined LaCava's contract option following the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inter Miami CF Announces 2023 Roster Decisions |url=https://www.intermiamicf.com/news/inter-miami-cf-announces-2023-roster-decisions |website=InterMiamiCF.com |publisher=Inter Miami |access-date=8 November 2023}}</ref>
====Return on loan to Tampa Bay==== On June 9, 2023, LaCava returned to Tampa Bay Rowdies on loan for the remainder of the 2023 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.intermiamicf.com/news/inter-miami-cf-loans-jaka-lacava-to-the-tampa-bay-rowdies|title=Inter Miami CF Loans Jake LaCava to the Tampa Bay Rowdies | Inter Miami CF|website=intermiamicf|accessdate=June 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1276147-rowdies-bring-back-familiar-face-jake-lacava-on-loan-from-inter-miami-cf|title=Rowdies bring back familiar face Jake LaCava on loan from Inter Miami CF|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=June 9, 2023|website=USL Championship|accessdate=June 9, 2023}}</ref> LaCava's loan concluded at the end of the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rowdies Announce Roster Update |url=https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news/2023/11/07/rowdies-announce-roster-update/ |website=Rowdies |publisher=Tampa Bay Rowdies |access-date=8 November 2023}}</ref>
===Charleston Battery=== On December 22, 2023, it was announced that LaCava had joined USL Championship side Charleston Battery ahead of their 2024 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news/2023/12/22/battery-add-forward-jake-lacava-on-multi-year-contract/|title=Battery add forward Jake LaCava on multi-year contract}}</ref> LaCava appeared in 12 matches across all competitions for Charleston.
===San Antonio FC=== On June 3, 2024, LaCava joined San Antonio FC on a multi-year contract.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Nicholas |title=San Antonio acquires forward Jake LaCava via transfer from Battery |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1311591 |website=USLChampionship.com |date=June 3, 2024 |publisher=USL Championship |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref>
===New Mexico United=== On January 21st, 2026, LaCava joined New Mexico United for their 2026 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=USLChampionship com |date=2026-01-21 |title=New Mexico United signs winger Jake LaCava |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1353883-new-mexico-united-signs-winger-jake-lacava |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=USL Championship |language=en-us}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|June 8, 2021}}<ref>{{soccerway|omar-sowe/595180}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Playoffs !colspan="2"|Domestic Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total |- !Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |-
|rowspan="2"|New York Red Bulls II |2020 |15||5||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||15||5 |- |2021 |31||6||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||31||6 |- !colspan="2"|Career total !46!!11!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!46!!11 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{soccerway|jake-lacava/510078}} *[https://www.newyorkredbulls.com/players/jake-lacava Jake LaCava] at NYRB *[https://www.uslchampionship.com/jake-la-cava Jake LaCava] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719030229/https://www.uslchampionship.com/jake-la-cava |date=July 19, 2020 }} at USL Championship
{{New Mexico United squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:LaCava, Jake}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:People from New Milford, Connecticut Category:Sportspeople from Litchfield County, Connecticut Category:Soccer players from Connecticut Category:American men's soccer players Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Charleston Battery players Category:Inter Miami CF players Category:Inter Miami CF II players Category:MLS Next Pro players Category:New York Red Bulls players Category:New York Red Bulls II players Category:San Antonio FC players Category:New Mexico United players Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies players Category:USL Championship players Category:21st-century American sportsmen