| Full name | Macey Elise Bader[1] |
|---|---|
| Birth date | February 7, 2003 (age 23)[2] |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in |
| Position | Forward |
| Currentclub | Carolina Ascent |
| Clubnumber | 21 |
| Collegeyears 1 | 2021–2024 |
| College 1 | Charlotte 49ers |
| Collegecaps 1 | 73 |
| Collegegoals 1 | 17 |
| Years 1 | 2022–2025 |
| Clubs 1 | North Carolina Courage U23 |
| Caps 1 | 41 |
| Goals 1 | 18 |
| Years 2 | 2025– |
| Clubs 2 | Carolina Ascent |
| Caps 2 | 1 |
| Goals 2 | 0 |
| Club-update | October 10, 2025 |
Macey Elise Bader (born February 7, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent. She played college soccer for the Charlotte 49ers.
Early life
Bader grew up in Apex, North Carolina, the daughter of Lita and Dewan Bader.[2] Her father played indoor soccer professionally, and she has two younger siblings who played soccer in college.[3] She attended Apex Friendship High School, where she earned all-conference honors as a sophomore after leading the league in assists.[2] She played ECNL soccer for the North Carolina Courage Academy, twice serving as team captain.[2] She was called into virtual training camp for the youth national team in 2021.[2]
College career
Bader played in 73 games for the Charlotte 49ers, scoring 17 goals and dishing 12 assists.[4] In her sophomore year in 2022, she scored twice against top-seeded Rice in the Conference USA tournament was named in the all-tournament team.[2] In her junior year in 2023, with Charlotte's move to the American Athletic Conference, she scored twice against East Carolina in the AAC tournament and was named in the all-tournament team.[2] In her senior year in 2024, she earned first-team All-AAC honors after leading the 49ers in scoring.[2]
During college, Bader also played for the North Carolina Courage U23 in the amateur USL W League, scoring 18 goals in 41 games.[5] After losing in the national final in 2023, she helped the Courage win the national title in 2024.[6] She was named the championship MVP after providing a goal and an assist in the win over the Colorado Storm.[7]
Club career
Charlotte club Carolina Ascent announced on July 14, 2025, that Bader had signed her first professional contract with the club ahead of the USL Super League's second season.[8] She made her professional debut on October 10, coming on as a substitute for Riley Parker in stoppage time in a 1–1 draw with Lexington SC.[9]
Honors and awards
North Carolina Courage U23
Individual
- First-team All-AAC: 2024
- USL W League final MVP: 2024
- AAC tournament all-tournament team: 2023
- Conference USA tournament all-tournament team: 2022
References
- ^ "December 2024 UNC Charlotte Commencement Program". University of North Carolina at Charlotte. p. 10. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "Macey Bader". Charlotte 49ers. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ^ "Keanan Bader". UNC Greensboro Spartans. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ^ White, Herbert L. (2025-07-24). "Charlotte 49ers' Macey Bader signs with Carolina Ascent". The Charlotte Post. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ^ "NC Courage U23". USL W League. 2022. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
"NC Courage U23 Pre-Professional". USL W League. Retrieved 2025-07-26. - ^ Blackburn, Kelli (2024-10-06). "Charlotte women's soccer star Macey Bader emerges as an 'It Girl' for 49ers Athletics". Niner Times. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ^ USL W League (2024-07-20). "M. V. P. 🥳👏". No. 1814833147311210826. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
"NC Courage U23 claims 2024 USL W League title after second-half comeback". USL W League. 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2025-07-26. - ^ Clark, Harrison (2025-07-14). "UNC Charlotte Standout Macey Bader Joins Carolina Ascent". Carolina Ascent. Retrieved 2025-07-26.
- ^ "Macey Bader". flashscore.com. Retrieved 2025-11-03.