Alana Cook

Alana Simone Cook (born April 11, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for NWSL club Seattle Reign and the United States national team.[2]

Alana Cook
Cook with the Seattle Reign in 2024
Personal information
Full nameAlana Simone Cook[1]
Date of birth (1997-04-11) April 11, 1997 (age 27)
Place of birthWorcester, Massachusetts, United States
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)Defender
Team information
Current team
Seattle Reign FC
Number4
Youth career
The Pennington School
Match Fit Academy Colchesters
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2015–2018Stanford Cardinal93(5)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2021Paris Saint-Germain21(0)
2020OL Reign (loan)0(0)
2021–Seattle Reign65(0)
International career
2013United States U17
2014–2016United States U20
2017–2019United States U233(0)
2019–United States29(1)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  United States
CONCACAF W Championship
Winner2022 Mexico
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 28, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of October 29, 2023

Early life

Cook was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to parents Florence and Bryan Cook[3] and raised with sister Brianna in Worcester and Far Hills, New Jersey.[4][5][6] She attended The Pennington School, a boarding school in Pennington, New Jersey, and helped guide the varsity soccer team to regional and state titles.[7][8] Cook was named 2013 New Jersey Prep Player of the Year and 2015 NSCAA High School Scholar Player of the Year.[7]

Twice named NSCAA Youth All-American,[9] Cook played in the NSCAA High School All-America Game and earned Best XI honors.[7] She played club soccer for Match Fit Academy Colchesters and won the 2013 U.S. Youth Soccer National League title with the team.[10]

Cook began representing the United States on its youth national teams as a teenager.[7]

Stanford Cardinal

Cook attended the Stanford University from 2015 to 2018 where she earned a degree in symbolic systems and was a four-year starter for the Stanford Cardinal women's soccer team. She captained the team in her final two seasons. She was named Pac-12 Conference Defender of the Year and a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2018.[7]

Club career

Paris Saint-Germain, 2019–21

In January 2019, Cook elected to forgo the 2019 NWSL College Draft despite her first round draft grade[11] and instead chose to pursue opportunities in Europe, signing a three-year deal with French Division 1 Féminine team Paris Saint-Germain.[12]

OL Reign (loan), 2020

On June 16, 2020, Cook joined OL Reign on a short-term loan for the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.[13]

OL Reign, 2021–

On June 7, 2021, OL Reign signed Cook to a three-year contract with an option for an extra year on a permanent transfer from PSG.[14]

During the 2021 season, Cook was a starting defender in all 20 matches of the regular season.[2] The Reign finished in second place during the regular season with a 13–8–3 record.[15] After advancing to the NWSL Playoffs, they were eliminated by eventual champions Washington Spirit.[16] Cook was named to the league's Best XI.[17]

In 2022, Cook helped OL Reign finish in first place during the regular season winning the NWSL Shield.[2][18]

International career

Cook has competed for the United States under-17, under-20, under-23, and senior national teams.She captained the under-17 team and made the jump to the under-20 team in 2014 followed by the under-23 team in 2017.[19] She captained the under-23 squad in 2019.[20][21] She is eligible to represent England because of her British father and earned her first senior international call-up in September 2019 as a training player for England's friendlies against Portugal and Brazil.[22]

Cook with the U.S. national team and Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, July 2023

Cook received her first call-up to the United States national team on October 31, 2019.[23] In June 2023, she was named to the U.S. squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.[24]

Career statistics

Club

As of October 2, 2022[2][25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup[a]ContinentalOther[b]Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Paris Saint-Germain2018–19D1F30001040
2019–20D1F50204000110
2020–21D1F130004100171
Total210209100321
OL Reign (loan)2020NWSL3030
OL Reign2021NWSL19010200
2022NWSL1907100261
Total3801010010491
Career total5901219110812

International

As of match played October 29, 2023[2]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States201910
202000
202130
2022150
2023101
Total291
Scores and results list United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cook goal.
List of international goals scored by Alana Cook
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
1April 11, 2023St. Louis, Missouri  Republic of Ireland1–01–0Friendly

Honors

Stanford Cardinal
Paris Saint-Germain
OL Reign
United States U23
  • Nordic Tournament: 2019
United States

Individual

References