Amber Nguyen Bio
Amber Katherine Nguyen (born February 26, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for USL Super League club Lexington SC. A creative midfielder listed at 5 feet 3 inches, she wears jersey number 9 for Lexington and previously represented the North Carolina Courage on a short-term contract during the 2025 preseason.
Before turning professional, Nguyen played college soccer for the Vanderbilt Commodores from 2020 to 2023 and then transferred to the Georgia Bulldogs for her graduate season in 2024. She is also a former United States youth international, having trained with the under-16, under-18, and under-20 national team programs.
Early Life and Background
Amber Katherine Nguyen was born on February 26, 2002, in Macon, Georgia, and grew up in Snellville, Georgia. She is the daughter of Don and Tonya Nguyen and has two older brothers. Her upbringing in the Atlanta metro area introduced her to youth soccer at an early age through the competitive club circuit.
She attended Shiloh High School in Snellville, where she starred for the girls soccer program. She also played DA club soccer for Tophat Soccer Club, earning United Soccer Coaches All-American honors three times and being named the DA Best Midfielder in 2019. Her performances at Tophat established her as one of the top midfield recruits in her class.
Nguyen initially committed to play college soccer at the University of Tennessee before changing her commitment to Vanderbilt later in her senior year. That decision set the stage for a successful four-year run in the Southeastern Conference.
Path to Professional Soccer
Nguyen entered the Vanderbilt Commodores program in 2020 as a freshman, a year disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She made all but one of her appearances off the substitute bench and won the SEC tournament title in her first season, an early signal of her ability to contribute on a competitive roster.
During her sophomore year in 2021, she broke into the starting lineup and produced 1 goal and a career-high 5 assists across 16 games. Her increased responsibility reflected a growing comfort with the pace and physicality of SEC play and positioned her as a regular starter for her junior season in 2022, when she added 3 goals and 2 assists in 18 games.
After exhausting her four years of eligibility at Vanderbilt, Nguyen transferred to the Georgia Bulldogs in 2024 to use the NCAA’s additional year of eligibility as a graduate student. She appeared in all 21 matches for Georgia, starting all but two, and finished with 2 goals.
Amber Nguyen Career
Early Career at Vanderbilt (2020–2023)
Nguyen’s freshman season with the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2020 ended with an SEC tournament championship, an impressive opening chapter to her college career. Limited primarily to substitute appearances, she still absorbed the daily demands of a top-flight conference program and learned under an experienced coaching staff.
Across her next three seasons in Nashville, she became a fixture in the starting eleven, finishing her senior year in 2023 with 18 starts, 2 goals, and another full SEC campaign. Her cumulative production and durability helped Vanderbilt reach the SEC tournament semifinals in 2022 and the second round of the NCAA tournament that same year.
Georgia Bulldogs and Graduate Year (2024)
Seeking a fresh start and an extra season of development, Nguyen transferred to the Georgia Bulldogs for the 2024 campaign as a graduate student. She immediately became a central figure in the midfield, playing in all 21 games and starting 19 of them.
She scored 2 goals for Georgia and provided veteran leadership to a younger roster. Her graduate season sharpened her defensive reading of the game and prepared her for the transition to the professional ranks.
North Carolina Courage Preseason (2025)
Following her college career, Nguyen joined the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL as a non-roster trialist during the 2025 preseason. The opportunity allowed her to train alongside established professionals and test her skills against top-tier opposition.
Her strong preseason showing earned her a short-term contract with the Courage covering March through April 2025. That stint bridged her college career and her eventual signing with Lexington SC later in the year.
Lexington SC Era (2025–Present)
On July 1, 2025, Lexington SC announced that the club had signed Nguyen ahead of the USL Super League’s second season. The move placed her on a rising franchise in a league seeking to expand the professional pathway for American women’s soccer players.
She made her professional debut on October 10, 2025, entering as a late substitute for Sarah Griffith in a 1–1 draw with the Carolina Ascent. In her first professional season with Lexington, she helped the club capture both the USL Super League championship and the Players’ Shield, becoming part of the first team in league history to complete the league double.
Driving Style and Strengths
Nguyen operates as a creative central midfielder whose strengths include distribution, set-piece delivery, and reading of the game in tight spaces. Her experience as a five-year college player, including SEC competition and NCAA tournament minutes, has produced a player comfortable in possession under pressure and capable of linking defense to attack.
Notable Events and Milestones
Her standout milestones include an SEC tournament championship in her 2020 freshman season at Vanderbilt, a DA Best Midfielder award in 2019, and a league double with Lexington SC in 2025. Her professional debut on October 10, 2025, marked the official start of her senior club career.
Amber Nguyen Career Wins
Nguyen’s verified career honors include the 2020 SEC tournament title with the Vanderbilt Commodores and the 2025 USL Super League championship and Players’ Shield with Lexington SC. These team trophies represent her most significant collective achievements to date.
Lexington SC Highlights
In her first season with Lexington SC in 2025, Nguyen helped the club win the USL Super League championship and the Players’ Shield, making Lexington the first team in league history to complete the double. Her contributions in midfield supported both a title-winning regular season and a successful playoff campaign.
College Highlights
Nguyen won the SEC tournament championship with Vanderbilt in her 2020 freshman year. Across her four seasons in Nashville and her graduate season at Georgia, she combined for 8 goals and multiple assists while starting the majority of her appearances.
Amber Nguyen Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Amber Katherine Nguyen is the daughter of Don and Tonya Nguyen and grew up in Snellville, Georgia, with two older brothers. Her family supported her early commitment to competitive club soccer with Tophat Soccer Club, where she rose to national recognition.
Personal Life
Nguyen is an American national who resides in the United States and remains closely connected to her family in Georgia. She continues to pursue her professional soccer career with Lexington SC.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Amber Nguyen’s transition from elite college soccer to the professional ranks. She began the year on a short-term contract with the North Carolina Courage from March to April, gaining her first exposure to a full NWSL preseason and regular-season environment.
On July 1, 2025, she signed with Lexington SC ahead of the USL Super League’s second season and made her professional debut on October 10, 2025, as a substitute in a 1–1 draw with Carolina Ascent. She quickly established herself in the midfield rotation as Lexington pushed toward both regular-season and playoff success.
Her first professional season concluded with a league double, as Lexington captured the USL Super League Players’ Shield and championship, becoming the first team in league history to achieve the feat. The 2025 campaign positioned Nguyen as an emerging contributor in a championship midfield and set the stage for further development in her sophomore professional season.