Jessie Scarpa

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Position:
Forward
Height:
5-7
Class:
Redshirt Junior
Hometown:
Lakeland, Fla.
High School:
George Jenkins

Jessie Scarpa
Dorrance on Jessie: For Jessie Scarpa, bless her heart, it is one catastrophic injury issue after another and I am just hoping she can get out there and give us 15 minutes a half of her at her best and at her best she is extraordinary. I still have hopes that she can return to form and eventually make the Canadian full team roster. Her mother is Canadian and I genuinely feel that if Jessie does all the right things and has a little bit of good luck, certainly to balance off the bad luck she’s had, she could be an elite professional. She could make the Canadian full team roster and I still think some of her best soccer years are ahead of her. I am hoping this year can be a bridge between all of her injuries and a successful professional career.
Redshirt Senior Year (2018): Was cleared to play on West Coast trip after missing first six games of season coming off two significant knee injuries (MCL and ACL) in 2017 • saw action against both Santa Clara and Stanford • has totaled 162 minutes in nine games after also seeing action against Clemson, Louisville, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Boston College and Miami • recorded her first points of the season while playing 21 minutes in match at Syracuse • assisted on Brianna Pinto’s goal in the 69th minute and then scored her first goal of the year in 85th minute on a rebound of an Annie Kingman shot.
Redshirt Junior Year (2017): Preseason All-ACC selection • named to Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI First Team • had two separate injury episodes in 2017 • missed the final five games of the season after tearing an ACL in Carolina’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal win versus Florida State • was injured just 10 minutes into the third game of the season at USF with MCL damage • returned to the lineup in Carolina’s game at Boston College after missing nine games • played 22 minutes against the Eagles and scored a spectacular goal just before halftime to put the Tar Heels up 3-0 • started three of the seven games she played in last year, totaling 220 minutes • scored the game-winning goal in UNC’s 2-1 overtime win against Duke in the season opener, tallying on a header in the 94th minute • delivered a brilliant corner kick that resulted in Bridgette Andrzejewski’s header goal with 15 second left in regulation in eventual 1-1 tie with Notre Dame • named to 2017-18 ACC Academic Honor Roll.
Junior Year (2016): Missed 2016 campaign as she was redshirting while playing for U.S. U20 Team competing in that fall’s World Cup in Papua, New Guinea • a Veteran Leader in the Carolina Leadership Academy.
Sophomore Year (2015): First-team All-ACC selection • Top Drawer Soccer third-team All-America choice • chosen first-team NSCAA All-Southeast Region • named to ACC Academic Honor Roll in 2015-16 school year • moved into the starting role at center forward after playing defense as a freshman • started all 21 games and played 1,300 minutes • Carolina’s second-leading scorer with 24 points • led Tar Heels in assists with eight and was second on the team in goals scored with eight • had an excellent outing in NCAA first round versus Liberty • scored game-winning goal in 47th minute and then assisted on Megan Buckingham’s insurance goal in the 62nd minute • named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week on September 14 after leading Carolina to wins over Nebraska and UCLA • had an insurance goal in the 63rd minute in UNC’s 3-0 win over the Cornhuskers • two days later she had a second half brace, scoring unassisted goals at 53:26 and 84:52 in the 3-1 win over the Bruins • assisted on Katie Bowen’s game-winning goal in 2-1 victory at #9 Virginia Tech • against Syracuse, she assisted on Dorian Bailey’s game-winning goal in the 30th minute and scored the insurance goal in the 59th minute • scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over #5 Clemson in the 77th minute • scored game-tying goal versus USC in 32nd minute in 2-1 win on September 6 • assisted on Alexa Newfield’s goal just 54 seconds into the Weber State match • also assisted on a Newfield goal in 29th minute of win over Fresno State • against UTSA, she scored her first career goal in the 72nd minute after assisting on two earlier tallies, including Summer Green’s game-winner in the fifth minute.
Freshman Year (2014): A talented newcomer who played all over the field • trained with the U.S. U20 National Team in spring and summer of 2015 following her freshman campaign at Carolina • named to ACC All-Freshman Team • also named to All-ACC Academic Team for women’s soccer • Soccer America second-team All-Freshman honoree • moved into the starting lineup for seven of the last nine games of the season at attacking center midfielder • started as the center back in 3-4-3 formation in win over South Dakota State • played the entire second half against Duke in the back line as Tar Heels went to a 4-2-3-1 after halftime in 3-0 win over Blue Devils • coming off an ACL injury during her senior year in high school, her minutes were limited early in the season • her play in the Duke Nike Classic was tremendous as she was named to the All-Tournament Team • totaled 1100 minutes in 18 appearances • played every minute of NCAA games against Colorado and South Carolina • played 77 minutes off the bench in win over #7 Penn State and 64 minutes versus Arkansas • missed the game at Notre Dame with a groin injury • played 79 minutes in the game at UCLA • played 94 minutes in Carolina’s game against #2 Florida State, helping the Tar Heels achieve a 1-1 tie against the eventual national champion • played an outstanding game versus Virginia, totaling 80 minutes and was on the pitch for 82 minutes versus South Dakota State • named to 2014-15 ACC Academic Honor Roll • graduated from high school a semester early and enrolled at Carolina in January 2014 • named to Dean’s List in spring semester of 2014.
High School: Attended George Jenkins High School where she graduated in December 2013 • three-sport athlete there in soccer, volleyball and track and field • missed her senior year on the pitch after suffering a torn ACL • served as a volunteer coach for the team as a senior • played three years of high school soccer, three years of high school volleyball as a middle front and competed in track as a freshman in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump and triple jump • led her high school soccer team to the state runner-up position her sophomore and junior years, serving as captain of both of those teams • her volleyball team was state finalist her junior year • 2013 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year • also named the Polk County Player of the Year in 2013 • had career totals of 90 goals and 45 assists in three years of high school soccer • had 18 goals and six assists as a freshman, 24 goals and 12 assists as a sophomore and 48 goals and 27 assists as a junior • student council member her freshman through senior years • executive board member and National Honor Society member her final two years • garnered 4.0 GPA recognition all four years.
Club: Competed for the VSI West Florida Flames U17 team as a junior after playing for the Lakeland Futbol Club U17 & U18 squads the previous two years • played on VSI West Florida Flames team which placed third at Nationals in 2013 • that team won Florida Cup and State Cup titles.
Personal: Full name is Jessie Eleanor Scarpa • the daughter of Glenn Scarpa and Karyn Scarpa • was born in May 1996 in Lakeland, Fla. • comes from a family with tremendous athletic gifts • her sister, Kacy, played soccer at Florida State and Vanderbilt • her father was a two-year All-America baseball player at Florida Southern College and played professionally in Europe • her mother is a barefoot waterskiing world champion and 12-time Canadian champion in the sport • her family owns a restaurant in Lakeland named Scarpa’s Italian • communication major • has a minor in journalism.