30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics
By Nick Villano
16. Jaedyn Shaw
Soccer
There was shock when the U.S. Women’s team named their soccer roster and legend Alex Morgan was not on it. It was clear that this team was not going to live off its legacy. After a massive disappointment at the most recent Women’s World Cup, the U.S. is giving the reigns to its youth.
The best of that youth could possibly be 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw. She’s the first player in team history to score a goal in her first five starts. She’s this amazing mix between on-field intelligence and pure strength that allows her to always find herself in the right position to utilize her talents to score.
Her dominance translated to the international stage, winning tournament MVP at the CONCACAF W Gold Cup. She helped the United States shake off their disappointing World Cup to get back to gold. She’s hoping to do the same thing at the Olympics.
It’s been awhile and the World Cup disappointment takes the cake, but the women’s national team disappointed in Tokyo, as well. They lost in the semi-finals to Canada. That team, on average, was north of 30 years old. There’s a clear pivot to keep up with these fast teams. They can’t rest on their laurels anymore. The players know there will always be a target on the U.S., and players like Shaw will take them into their next era.