Ryan Melissa Gareis Bio
Ryan Melissa Gareis (born November 13, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Chicago Stars FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). A graduate of the University of South Carolina, she began her professional career in 2022 after being selected by the Houston Dash in the NWSL Draft. Across her early professional years, she built a reputation as a developing forward with a sharp eye for goal, eventually earning the Houston Dash Young Player of the Year award in 2022.
Born and raised in Naperville, Illinois, Gareis developed her game through top youth club soccer, elite national development programs, and a five-season college career with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Her path from Illinois youth soccer to a senior NWSL contract reflects steady progress at every level of the American women’s soccer pyramid.
Early Life and Background
Ryan Melissa Gareis was born on November 13, 1998, in Naperville, Illinois. She grew up in the western Chicago suburbs and attended Neuqua Valley High School, where she led the team in goals during her freshman season. Her early performances quickly marked her as one of the more promising young attackers in the region.
Outside of high school soccer, Gareis played club soccer for Sockers FC and competed in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). With Sockers FC, she won U.S. Club Soccer’s National Championship in both 2012 and 2013, providing her with significant national-level experience before her college years.
Gareis also represented Illinois in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) in 2010 and 2014, and she played for the Illinois ODP team at the National Championships in 2014. In 2013, she was invited to a U.S. Youth National Team Training Camp with the United States under-15 squad, signaling her standing within the broader American player pool.
Path to Professional Soccer
After completing her high school career, Gareis committed to the University of South Carolina, where she played for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2017 to 2021. The five-season college run gave her the opportunity to refine her attacking play against some of the strongest competition in NCAA Division I women’s soccer.
Her college development was recognized early. Following her freshman year, she was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, a notable honor in one of the country’s most competitive conferences. By the end of her South Carolina career, she had scored 15 goals in exactly 100 appearances, finishing as a reliable contributor across multiple seasons.
With her college eligibility complete, Gareis declared for the 2022 NWSL Draft. In December 2021, the Houston Dash selected her in the fourth round, launching her professional career in the top tier of American women’s club soccer.
Ryan Melissa Gareis Career
Early Career (2022)
Gareis signed a two-year professional contract with the Houston Dash on February 18, 2022, formally beginning her NWSL career. The transition from collegiate soccer to the professional ranks demanded adjustment, but she earned regular playing time during her debut season.
Across the 2022 NWSL season, Gareis made 20 appearances for the Houston Dash. Her contributions in her first professional year were recognized when she was named the club’s Young Player of the Year, an award that highlighted her growth and her potential as a long-term contributor for the team.
Houston Dash Breakthrough (2023–2025)
In January 2023, Gareis signed a contract extension with the Houston Dash, reflecting the club’s confidence in her continued development. She remained part of the Dash’s attacking rotation over the next several seasons, gradually expanding her role within the squad.
Her most memorable moment with the Dash came on October 18, 2025, when she came off the bench and scored her first NWSL goal. The strike was the lone goal in Houston’s 1–0 victory over the Kansas City Current, a result that ended the Current’s 17-game unbeaten run. The performance announced her arrival as a goal-scoring threat at the professional level.
At the conclusion of the 2025 season, Gareis departed the Houston Dash as a free agent, closing a four-year chapter with the organization that had drafted her in 2022.
Chicago Stars Era (2026–Present)
On December 3, 2025, the Chicago Stars FC announced that Gareis had signed a three-year contract with the club, keeping her under contract through 2028. The move marked a new chapter in her career and placed her within a club seeking to re-establish itself in the NWSL.
Gareis wears the number 24 jersey for the Chicago Stars and continues to be deployed as a forward. Her arrival in Chicago adds a developing NWSL goal scorer to the Stars’ attacking group and signals the club’s long-term investment in her as a roster cornerstone.
Playing Style and Strengths
Gareis is an attacking player who has developed her game through a combination of club, ODP, college, and professional environments. Her path has emphasized finishing, movement in the final third, and the ability to contribute meaningful minutes whether starting or coming off the bench. Her late-game impact against the Kansas City Current in 2025 highlighted her composure in front of goal.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her standout career moments, Gareis’s first NWSL goal on October 18, 2025 stands out as a signature performance, breaking a long league unbeaten streak in a single decisive strike. Earlier in her career, she earned the Houston Dash Young Player of the Year award in 2022 and helped Sockers FC claim two U.S. Club Soccer National Championships in 2012 and 2013.
Ryan Melissa Gareis Career Wins
Across her professional and youth career, Gareis has built a resume that includes individual recognition at the club level and team championships at the youth level. Her competitive achievements reflect consistent progression from regional play in Illinois to the NWSL.
NWSL Highlights
Gareis has recorded a number of NWSL appearances for the Houston Dash since her 2022 debut, including a 20-appearance debut season. She was named the Houston Dash Young Player of the Year in 2022 and scored her first NWSL goal on October 18, 2025, a 1–0 match-winning finish against the Kansas City Current.
Other Performances and Youth Titles
Beyond the NWSL, Gareis won U.S. Club Soccer’s National Championship with Sockers FC in 2012 and 2013, competed in the ECNL, and represented Illinois in the ODP, including the 2014 National Championships. She was also invited to a U.S. under-15 youth national team training camp in 2013.
Ryan Melissa Gareis Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Gareis grew up in Naperville, Illinois, and has credited her Illinois roots and family environment with supporting her development as a young athlete. Her time with Illinois ODP and Sockers FC was an important part of her formative soccer experience.
In her personal life, Gareis and professional basketball player Pat Connaughton publicly announced their relationship in June 2023. The couple announced in January 2024 that they were expecting a child, and Gareis and Connaughton got engaged in February 2024, with their son born in May 2024.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NWSL season represented a defining year for Gareis with the Houston Dash. She continued to feature for the club across the campaign, building on her prior seasons with the team.
Her standout moment arrived on October 18, 2025, when she came off the bench and scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against the Kansas City Current, ending the Current’s 17-game unbeaten run. The performance gave Gareis her first NWSL goal and provided one of the headline results of her time with the Dash.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, Gareis departed the Houston Dash as a free agent, setting the stage for her move to Chicago Stars FC on a three-year contract announced in December 2025.