Naya Simone Cardoza (born November 2, 2004) is a footballer who plays for Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League. Born in Canada, she plays for the Jamaica national team.
.jpg) Cardoza in 2026 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 November 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Ajax, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Halifax Tides FC | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Pickering FC | |||
| Woodbridge Strikers | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2025 | Brown Bears | 65 | (13) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2019 | Durham United FA | 4 | (1) |
| 2021 | Woodbridge Strikers | 2 | (2) |
| 2023–2024 | Vaughan Azzurri | 9 | (2) |
| 2024 | → Vaughan Azzurri B | 1 | (1) |
| 2025 | Pickering FC | 8 | (7) |
| 2026– | Halifax Tides FC | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024– | Jamaica | 8 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 December 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of June 29, 2025 | |||
Early life
editCardoza played youth soccer with Pickering FC and Woodbridge Strikers and also played with the Ontario provincial team.[1][2]
College career
editIn 2022, Cardoza began attending Brown University, where she played for the women's soccer team.[3] On September 1, 2022, she scored her first collegiate goal in a 1-0 victory over the Central Connecticut Blue Devils.[4] On October 31, 2022, she was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year.[5] At the end of her freshman season, she was named to the All-NEWISA Second Team, TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI Second Team, and All-Ivy League Honorable Mention.[6][1] In October 2024, she was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week.[7] At the end of 2024, she was again named an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention.[1] In September 2025, she was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks and to the TopDrawerSoccer’s National Team of the Week.[8][9][10] At the end of her senior season, she was named to the All-Ivy League First Team, All-East Region First Team, All-NEWISA First Team, and the Ivy League All-Tournament Team.[11][1] She was also named to the NEWISA Senior Bowl.[12]
Club career
editCardoza played in League1 Ontario with stints with Durham United FA, Woodbridge Strikers, Vaughan Azzurri, and then returning to Pickering FC (who re-branded from Durham United).[13]
In February 2026, Cardoza signed with Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League.[14]
International career
editCardoza played with the Jamaica U17 team.[1]
In the spring of 2024, Cardoza was called up to a camp with the Jamaica national team.[15] She made her debut in February 2024 against Chile.[16] On February 26, 2025, she scored her first international goal in a match against Peru.[17]
Career statistics
edit- As of December 31, 2025
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Durham United FA | 2017[18] | League1 Ontario | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2018[19] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2019[20] | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Woodbridge Strikers | 2021[21] | League1 Ontario | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 2 | ||
| Vaughan Azzurri | 2023[22] | League1 Ontario | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| 2024[13] | League1 Ontario Premier | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Total | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | ||
| Vaughan Azzurri B | 2024[13] | League2 Ontario | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||
| Pickering FC | 2025[13] | League1 Ontario Championship | 8 | 7 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 9 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 24 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 13 | ||
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 "Naya Cardoza Brown profile". Brown Bears.
- ↑ McNair, Brian (16 May 2019). "Durham soccer players off to Spain for Gatorade 5v5 global tournament". Pickering News Advertiser.
- ↑ Hendry, Glenn (16 February 2022). "Pickering soccer star commits to Brown University on scholarship".
- ↑ "Women's soccer blanks CCSU in home opener". Brown Bears. 1 September 2022.
- ↑ "Cardoza named Ivy Rookie of the Week". Brown Bears. 31 October 2022.
- ↑ "Raphino, Cardoza named to TopDrawerSoccer Best XI teams". Brown Bears. 20 December 2022.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza Named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week". Brown Bears. 28 October 2024.
- ↑ "Cardoza Named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week". Brown Bears. 15 September 2025.
- ↑ "Cardoza Named to TopDrawerSoccer's National Team of the Week". Brown Bears. 17 September 2025.
- ↑ "Okonye and Cardoza Named Ivy League Players of the Week". Brown Bears. 22 September 2025.
- ↑ "Joy Okonye Named Ivy Offensive Player of the Year, Unanimous First Teamer alongside Naya Cardoza". Brown Bears. 5 November 2025.
- ↑ "Cardoza, Shell Selected to the NEWISA Senior Bowl". Brown Bears. 1 December 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Naya Cardoza L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ↑ "Halifax Tides FC sign Canadian-Jamaican defender Naya Cardoza". Halifax Tides FC. 12 February 2026.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza Selected for Jamaican National Team Camp". Brown Bears. 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Buckley, Shaneil (24 November 2024). "Busby opening doors for young Reggae Girlz". Jamaica Gleaner.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza with her first international goal for Jamaica! – Jamaica vs Peru - Feb 26, 2025". Reggae Football Fanz. 18 March 2025.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza 2017 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza 2019 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza 2021 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ↑ "Naya Cardoza 2023 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.