Jake LaCava (born January 21, 2001) is an American

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player who plays as a

forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People *Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Smal ...

for

San Antonio FC San Antonio FC is a professional soccer club based in San Antonio, Texas. It competes in the USL Championship, the second-highest level of the United States soccer league system, as a member of the Western Conference. History San Antonio FC ...

in the

USL Championship The USL Championship (USLC) is a men's professional association football, soccer league in the second tier of the United States soccer league system#Men's leagues, United States league system. It is organized by the United Soccer League (USL) a ...

Career

Youth

LaCava spent time with academy teams at the Barça Academy in Arizona,

LA Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Gal ...

and

New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional association football, soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conferenc ...

. He also spent time on trial with

Danish Superliga The Danish Superliga (, ) is a professional association football league in Denmark and the highest level of the Danish football league system. The league is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams relegated. It is the current ...

side

Hobro IK Hobro Idræts Klub (), commonly referred to as Hobro IK or HIK, is a professional football club based in Hobro, Denmark. The club currently competes in the Danish 1st Division, the second tier of the Danish football league system, and plays its h ...

in 2019.

New York Red Bulls II

On July 3, 2020, LaCava signed for

side

New York Red Bulls II New York Red Bulls II is an American professional Association football, soccer team based in Montclair, New Jersey. They are the reserve team of the New York Red Bulls and play in MLS Next Pro, the third tier in the American soccer pyramid. Hi ...

. He made his league debut for the club on July 17, 2020, appearing as a 67th-minute substitute in a 1–0 loss to

Hartford Athletic Hartford Athletic is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The club was founded in 2018 and started play in the USL Championship in 2019. It is the only pro soccer team in Connecticut (thoug ...

. On August 29, 2020, LaCava scored his first two goals as a professional in a 3–2 victory over

Loudoun United FC Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. After ownership changes, it ceased being ...

. On April 30, 2021, LaCava scored his clubs first goal of the season in a 3–2 loss to

. Following the 2021 season, LaCava's contract with New York expired.

New York Red Bulls

On January 20, 2022, it was announced that LaCava had signed a one-year

MLS Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanctioned by the United ...

contract with the

, with options for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons.

Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan)

Having signed an MLS contract with the New York Red Bulls, it was announced on January 20, 2022, that LaCava would spend an additional season in

, on loan to the

Tampa Bay Rowdies The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tie ...

Inter Miami

On November 11, 2022, LaCava was selected in the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft by

St. Louis City SC St. Louis City Soccer Club (stylized as St. Louis CITY SC) is an American professional association football, soccer club based in St. Louis. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Con ...

. The club immediately traded him to

Inter Miami CF Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (), commonly referred to as Inter Miami, is an American professional soccer club based in the Miami metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (M ...

in exchange for $150,000 of General Allocation Money. Miami declined LaCava's contract option following the 2023 season.

Return on loan to Tampa Bay

On June 9, 2023, LaCava returned to Tampa Bay Rowdies on loan for the remainder of the 2023 season. LaCava's loan concluded at the end of the 2023 season.

Charleston Battery

On December 22, 2023, it was announced that LaCava had joined USL Championship side

Charleston Battery The Charleston Battery are an American professional association football, soccer club based in Charleston, South Carolina, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 1993, the Battery are the oldest continuously operating professional socc ...

ahead of their 2024 season. LaCava appeared in 12 matches across all competitions for Charleston.

San Antonio FC

On June 3, 2024, LaCava joined

on a multi-year contract.

Career statistics

References

External links

*
Jake LaCava
at NYRB
Jake LaCava
at USL Championship {{DEFAULTSORT:LaCava, Jake 2001 births Living people People from New Milford, Connecticut Sportspeople from Litchfield County, Connecticut Soccer players from Connecticut American men's soccer players Men's association football forwards Charleston Battery players Inter Miami CF players Inter Miami CF II players MLS Next Pro players New York Red Bulls players New York Red Bulls II players San Antonio FC players Tampa Bay Rowdies players USL Championship players 21st-century American sportsmen