Mackenzie Pluck

Mackenzie Pluck (born April 12, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Brooklyn FC of the USL Super League. She has previously played for Angel City FC and NJ/NY Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League. Pluck played collegiately for the Duke Blue Devils, where she set the program record for most appearances.

Early life

Pluck was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in North Wales. She went to high school at Germantown Academy, where she scored 80 goals and tallied 41 assists. Pluck also was a co-captain for Germantown and helped the team reach a state championship in 2015. In high school, Pluck was also a two-year letterwinner in volleyball. Outside of school, Pluck played club soccer with FC Bucks before switching to Player Development Academy in 2015 in order to maximize college recruitment chances. In 2018, Pluck was named to the All-American East Best XI.

College career

After committing to Duke University in high school, Pluck started playing with the Blue Devils in 2018. She scored her first college goal on August 16, 2018, tallying just two minutes into the second half in a 2–0 victory over Ohio State. In her seasons as a junior, senior, and grad student, Pluck helped lead the team to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. She starred in 16 NCAA matches across the three tournaments, the fifth-highest of any Duke player. She played in all of Duke's matches in three of her five seasons, racking up a program-leading 107 games. She also scored 21 goals and tallied 29 assists in her time as a Blue Devil. During her career at Duke, Pluck was twice named to the All-ACC Academic Team and was recognized on the ACC Honor Roll on four separate occasions.

Club career

Angel City FC

Pluck registered for the 2023 NWSL Draft but went undrafted. She later received an invite to Angel City FC's preseason camp. After two weeks of training with the team as a trialist, Pluck signed a one-year contract with Angel City. She made her professional debut on April 20, 2023, in an NWSL Challenge Cup game against the OL Reign. Pluck later went on to make 4 other Challenge Cup appearances, all of which as a substitute. She made her only National Women's Soccer League regular season appearance on May 13, coming in as a substitute for Claire Emslie in the 89th minute of a loss to the Washington Spirit. At the end of the 2023 season, Angel City opted not to renew Pluck's contract.

Following her stint at Angel City, Pluck joined Racing Louisville FC as a non-roster invitee during 2024 preseason. She did not sign a contract with the club.

NJ/NY Gotham FC

In February 2024, Pluck was named as a non-roster invitee on NJ/NY Gotham FC's roster, her third time as an NWSL NRI in two years. After training with Gotham throughout 2024, she signed a national team replacement contract on July 18. Two days later, Pluck made her club debut in an NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup game against the Chicago Red Stars. Gotham's next match, a Summer Cup fixture against the Washington Spirit, drew large support from Pluck's friends, family, and fans, due to Subaru Park's proximity to Pluck's hometown. She ended up entering the match as a substitute for former Duke teammate Ella Stevens and was able to play in front of her home crowd. Pluck made one more Summer Cup appearance before her short-term contract with Gotham expired.

Brooklyn FC

On August 26, 2024, Pluck signed with USL Super League team Brooklyn FC ahead of the club's inaugural season. After leading the league in duels won and having recorded two assists, she was named to the league's October Team of the Month, alongside teammate Samantha Kroeger.

International career

Pluck has represented the United States internationally at U-14 and U-16 levels. She was called into U14 camps three times in 2014 and U16 camps at the beginning of 2015.

Personal life

Pluck is an avid artist. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched a graphic illustration business on Instagram called Scribble Bird. In 2023, Pluck gave handmade drawings to each of her teammates on Angel City FC who attended the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, depicting the players representing their respective national teams.