{{short description|American soccer player (born 1990)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Nikki Stanton | image = Nikki Stanton corner kick Perth Glory (48781070401) (cropped2).jpg | image_size = | caption = Stanton with Perth Glory in 2018 | fullname = Nicole Leslie Stanton<ref>{{NFF}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|10|26}} | birth_place = North Bend, Washington, United States | height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}} | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Vancouver Rise | clubnumber = 7 | college1 = Fairfield Stags | collegeyears1 = 2009–2013 | collegecaps1 = 79 | collegegoals1 = 6 | clubs1 = Seattle Sounders | years1 = 2012 | caps1 = | goals1 = | clubs2 = Sky Blue FC | years2 = 2014–2017 | caps2 = 41 | goals2 = 0 | clubs3 = ETG Ambilly FFC | years3 = 2015 | caps3 = | goals3 = | clubs4 = → Perth Glory (loan) | years4 = 2015–2019 | caps4 = 45 | goals4 = 0 | clubs5 = Chicago Red Stars | years5 = 2018–2019 | caps5 = 40 | goals5 = 0 | clubs6 = Klepp IL | years6 = 2020 | caps6 = 15 | goals6 = 2 | clubs7 = Chicago Red Stars | years7 = 2021 | caps7 = 14 | goals7 = 0 | clubs8 = Seattle Reign | years8 = 2022–2024 | caps8 = 35 | goals8 = 0 | clubs9 = Vancouver Rise | years9 = 2025– | caps9 = 19 | goals9 = 0<!--goal on July 19 was changed to an owngoal--> | pcupdate = 17 October 2025 }} '''Nicole Leslie Stanton''' (born October 26, 1990) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Vancouver Rise FC of the Northern Super League.
==Early life== Raised in North Bend, Washington about 40 minutes east of Seattle, Stanton attended Mount Si High School where she played for the girls varsity soccer team for four years.<ref name=fu_bio>{{cite web|title=Nikki Stanton|url=http://www.fairfieldstags.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32500&ATCLID=209367564|publisher=Fairfield University|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> As team captain during her senior year, she received the school's Female Athlete of the Year honors and was selected to the All-Star Select Team by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.<ref name=fu_bio/>
Stanton played club soccer for Crossfire Premier and helped lead the team to five state titles and a regional championship in 2006. She was also a member of the regional Olympic Development Program (ODP).<ref name=fu_bio/>
==Club career==
===Seattle Sounders, 2012=== Stanton played for the Seattle Sounders during the summer of 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mount Si grad Nikki Stanton is now playing for Sounders Women team|url=http://snovalleystar.com/2012/06/13/mount-si-grad-nikki-stanton-is-now-playing-for-sounders-women-team|publisher=Sno Valley Star|access-date=May 5, 2015|date=June 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505042606/http://snovalleystar.com/2012/06/13/mount-si-grad-nikki-stanton-is-now-playing-for-sounders-women-team|archive-date=May 5, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Ruhland|first1=Emilee|title=Era of excitement: Valley grad Nikki Stanton tapped to play with Sounders Women|url=http://www.valleyrecord.com/sports/164806226.html|publisher=Snoqualmie Valley Record|access-date=May 5, 2015|date=August 2, 2012}}</ref>
===Sky Blue FC, 2014–2017=== Stanton was signed by Sky Blue FC in June 2014 after playing for the team's reserve team and made 4 appearances in her rookie season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sky Blue FC Sign Midfielder Nikki Stanton|url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/home/819415.html|publisher=National Women's Soccer League|access-date=May 5, 2015|date=June 24, 2014|archive-date=June 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628171438/http://www.nwslsoccer.com/home/819415.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> She re-signed with Sky Blue on October 23, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.onceametro.com/2015/10/23/9603762/sky-blue-re-signs-stanton-sends-her-on-loan-to-australias-perth-glory|title=Sky Blue re-signs Stanton; sends her on loan to Australia's Perth Glory|access-date=March 26, 2019|date=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
On January 18, 2018, Stanton was traded to the Chicago Red Stars along with teammate Sam Kerr as part of a three-team trade.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/2018/1/18/16906504/mkot-red-stars-trade-christen-press-sam-kerr|title=Red Stars Blow Up The Roster on Draft Day, Everything Will (Probably) Be Okay |work=hottimeinoldtown.com|date=January 18, 2018|access-date=January 18, 2018|first=James|last=Gordon}}</ref>
====ETG Ambilly FFC, 2015==== Stanton spent two months with ETG Ambilly FFC in 2015 as part of the Play Football Abroad Program.<ref>{{cite web|title=Play Football Abroad Program Testimonials|url=https://www.playfootballabroad.com/testimonials/|publisher=Play Football Abroad Program|access-date=May 27, 2017|archive-date=April 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422193930/https://www.playfootballabroad.com/testimonials/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
====Loan to Perth Glory, 2015–2019==== Following the 2015 NWSL season, Stanton went on loan to Perth Glory for the 2015-16 W-League season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.w-league.com.au/article/perth-glory-sign-american-nwsl-star-nikki-stanton-for-201516-w-league-season/v0xredcc5w6b1k6yst5eqy6r5|title=Perth Glory sign American NWSL Star|publisher=Football Federation Australia|date=October 2, 2015}}</ref> Stanton returned to Perth for the 2016-17 W-League where she once again played every minute of the season. Perth advanced to the 2017 W-League Grand Final but lost to Melbourne City 2–0.
Stanton returned to Perth for the 2017-18 W-League season. She suffered a broken arm in a game on November 5, 2017, which forced her to miss a month of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.w-league.com.au/news/hat-trick-hill-sparks-glory-emphatic-win-over-roar|title=Hat-trick Hill sparks Glory to emphatic win over Roar|access-date=March 26, 2019|date=November 5, 2017|archive-date=April 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408120814/https://www.w-league.com.au/news/hat-trick-hill-sparks-glory-emphatic-win-over-roar|url-status=dead}}</ref> Stanton re-signed with Perth for the 2018-19 W-League season, her fourth season with the team. Perth returned to the Grand Final in 2019 but lost to Sydney FC 4–2.
===Chicago Red Stars, 2018–2019, 2021=== In her first season with Chicago, Stanton played in 20 games for the Red Stars. She advanced to the NWSL play-offs for the first time in her career as the Red Stars finished fourth and qualified for the play-offs.
===OL Reign / Seattle Reign, 2022–2024=== In 2022, Stanton won the NWSL Shield and The Women's Cup invitational tournament during her first season at OL Reign.
===Vancouver Rise, 2025–=== On January 9, 2025 it was announced that Stanton had signed with Vancouver Rise of Northern Super League<ref>{{cite web |title=Vancouver Rise add veteran NWSL midfielder Nikki Stanton to inaugural roster |url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/soccer/2025/01/09/vancouver-rise-add-veteran-nwsl-midfielder-nikki-stanton-to-inaugural-roster |website=WinnipegFreePress.com |publisher=Winnipeg Free Press |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Vancouver Rise add NWSL midfielder Nikki Stanton to inaugural roster |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/vancouver-rise-add-nwsl-midfielder-nikki-stanton-to-inaugural-roster/ |website=Sportsnet.ca |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> On July 19, 2025, Stanton came off the bench and was initially credited with scoring her first goal for the club in a 6-0 victory against Halifax Tides FC<ref>{{cite web|url=https://canadiansoccerdaily.com/2025/07/20/record-breaking-vancouver-rise-crush-halifax-tides-6-0-in-nsl-romp/|title=Record-breaking Vancouver Rise crush Halifax Tides 6-0 in NSL romp|date=July 20, 2025|work=Canadian Soccer Daily}}</ref> (however, later it was changed to an own goal). On November 15, 2025, she was substituted on in the inaugural NSL Final, replacing the injured Quinn, and took a corner which prompted an AFC Toronto own goal, helping the Rise to a 2–1 victory over AFC Toronto which won them the 2025 Diana B. Matheson Cup.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Davidson |first=Neil |date=November 15, 2025 |title=Northern Super League season closes in dramatic fashion with Vancouver comeback win |url=https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/quebec/northern-super-league-season-closes-in-dramatic-fashion-with-vancouver-comeback-win/article_1cda3567-b3ac-5b45-ab64-045a085ef0f3.html |access-date=November 16, 2025 |work=The Canadian Press}}</ref> Stanton was awarded the club's inaugural Together We Rise Award.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dias |first=Fleur |date=December 3, 2026 |title=Vancouver Rise mark historic achievement at NSL debut |url=https://runnermag.ca/2025/12/vancouver-rise-mark-historic-achievement-at-nsl-debut/ |access-date=March 4, 2026 |work=The Runner}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=Anna |date=November 20, 2026 |title=Northern Super League Champions Vancouver Rise FC celebrate victory with fans |url=https://aldergrovestar.com/2025/11/20/northern-super-league-champions-vancouver-rise-fc-celebrate-victory-with-fan/ |access-date=March 4, 2026 |work=Aldergrove Star}}</ref> On March 2, 2026, Stanton was named to the Rise's preseason roster ahead of the 2026 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 2, 2026 |title=Vancouver Rise FC Announce 2026 Preseason Roster |url=https://www.vanrisefc.com/news/vancouver-rise-fc-announce-2026-preseason-roster |access-date=March 3, 2026 |website=Vancouver Rise FC |language=en-CA}}</ref>
==Honors== * The Women's Cup: 2022<ref>{{cite web |title=OL Reign Claim 2022 Women's Cup Title with 2-1 Win over Louisville |url=https://www.king5.com/article/sports/ol-reign-claim-2022-womens-cup-title-with-2-1-win-over-louisville/281-02e341dc-0186-4c81-b6a1-50662c2a15a7 |publisher=King 5 |access-date=7 October 2022 |date=20 August 2022}}</ref> * NWSL Shield: 2022<ref>{{cite web |last1=Azzi |first1=Alex |title=OL Reign wins 2022 NWSL Shield, Gotham denies Thorns |url=https://onherturf.nbcsports.com/2022/10/02/ol-reign-wins-2022-nwsl-shield-gotham-denies-thorns/ |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=7 October 2022 |date=2 October 2022}}</ref> * Diana B. Matheson Cup: 2025<ref name=":0" />
==Personal life == She was previously in a relationship with former Perth Glory and Chicago Red Stars teammate Sam Kerr.<ref name="News.com.au">{{cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/sam-kerr-confirms-relationship-with-us-football-star/news-story/5f3a240613a1ee9c1e97782874410c09|title=Samantha Kerr confirms relationship with U.S. football star|date=9 August 2021|access-date=11 August 2021|publisher=News.com.au}}</ref>
In 2024, Stanton appeared in the first season of ''The Offseason'', a reality television series following a group of NWSL players training before the new season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/the-offseason-episode-one-draws-2-5-million-views-within-24-hours|title=The Offseason Episode One Draws 2.5 Million Views Within 24 Hours |date=2024-10-19|publisher=National Women's Soccer League|access-date=2024-01-04}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{commons category}} * {{NWSL player|nicole-leslie-stanton|Nikki Stanton}} * [https://www.reignfc.com/nikki-stanton Nikki Stanton #7] at Seattle Reign FC * [https://fairfieldstags.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/nikki-stanton/1254 Nikki Stanton #7] at Fairfield Stags *{{soccerway|nikki-stanton/340273}}
{{Vancouver Rise FC squad}} {{2018–19 W-League PFA Team of the Season}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanton, Nikki}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:American women's soccer players Category:National Women's Soccer League players Category:Seattle Sounders Women players Category:Gotham FC players Category:Perth Glory FC (women) players Category:Fairfield Stags women's soccer players Category:Women's association football midfielders Category:Soccer players from King County, Washington Category:Chicago Red Stars players Category:People from North Bend, Washington Category:American lesbian sportswomen Category:LGBTQ people from Washington (state) Category:Klepp IL players Category:American expatriate women's soccer players Category:Expatriate women's footballers in France Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in Australia Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Norway Category:American expatriate sportspeople in France Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Australia Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Norway Category:Seattle Reign FC players Category:American LGBTQ soccer players Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in Canada Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Canada Category:Northern Super League players Category:Vancouver Rise FC players