JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State soccer has added the final piece to the 2022 club with the addition of Vanessa Mejia, who joins the program after two seasons at Santa Clara University.

Mejia, from the bay area of California, Hayward, California, will add depth of high-level competition to the Gamecocks' scoring attack. In two seasons with the Broncos, who are a perennial national championship contender, Mejia saw action in 13 matches.
A look at a different part of the country drew her attention the JSU and the opportunity to face new challenges with the program facing ASUN competition and wit JSU's move to Conference USA for the 2023 season.

"I wanted change since I had grown up in the bay area and Santa Clara being 30 minutes from home and I am also pursuing my masters in biology. I want do something in the medical field. One thing that drew my attention is that the coaches at JSU have many connections to professional soccer overseas."

Mejia has already made the move to the state of Alabama and training ahead of JSU's official report date of August 1 in preparation for the 2022 season.

"It has helped already being in the environment, waking up early and getting my workouts done. I try to get out of my dorm as much as possible to get accustomed to the summer weather in the state of Alabama."

She got her first taste of intercollegiate soccer in 2018 with action on the pitch against TCU.

Another selling point for JSU with her was head coach Neil Macdonald's playing style.

"I think he likes to play more indirect and I see myself fitting in that kind of system very well", added Mejia.

A multi-sport athlete in high school at James Logan High School, participating in cross country and track. As a junior and senior, she was named team captain. Mejia was team MVP as a sophomore, junior, and senior. She was named first team all-conference. JLHS was league champions each of her final three years in high school.

On the club level, Mejia played for Pleasanton Rage ECNL, which won the U17 Northwest Bay Area Conference. She also played for Northern California and Region IV ODP state team.