Paige Nielsen

Defender • Age 33 • #14

Paige Kathleen Nielsen is an American professional soccer defender who currently plays for Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League.

228 Appearances

20 Goals

1 Trophies

1 Awards

Fun Facts about Paige

Quirky facts. Inspired by her game.

She is a passionate LGBTQ+ advocate who strives to promote inclusivity, educate others, and create a more accepting environment, especially after experiencing cultural differences in Houston.

She was the first Nebraska native to be drafted by an NWSL team when she was selected by Seattle Reign in 2016.

She plays in honor of her mother, Kathy, who passed away from Hodgkin lymphoma during her senior year of college.

She wears cleats with her late mother’s initials and a wristband in her honor.

She underwent emergency surgery for a blood clotting condition in 2022.

She puts a lot of focus on strength training and even offers personal trainer services.

She was featured in the documentary series Angel City (2023) and the reality show The Offseason (2024), which followed NWSL players training before the season.

She has played professional soccer on four different continents: North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

She has a degree in Business Investment Banking from UNC and also studied Sports Marketing at Columbia University.

She led her high school basketball team.

She married Jennifer Riservato in 2022.

She helped design Team USA Olympic soccer merchandise for Budweiser in 2020.

She grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and proudly supports the Cornhuskers.

Paige's book, titled Struggle the Grace, shares her journey through grief and self-discovery, with a focus on finding identity and navigating life in different countries.

She came out to her family during her senior year of college when her girlfriend decorated her room with sticky notes in the shape of a heart, expressing love and memories.

She decided at age five that she would play soccer at the University of North Carolina and made that dream a reality by walking on to the team in high school.

Paige’s all-time favorite sport, besides soccer, is basketball. She was a point guard in high school and almost went to college for both soccer and basketball.