From Osprey standout to Sporting Jax pro

University of North Florida alum Zara Siassi ('25) has taken her game from the Osprey pitch to the professional level, joining the newly formed Sporting Club Jacksonville women's soccer team for its inaugural season as a defender.

A Lake Worth native, Siassi joined the Osprey women's soccer team in 2020. After talking with Eric Falcouner and the coaching staff, she realized that they cared about her success on and off the field and truly believed she could grow the program and leave a legacy.

"I felt like I was joining an environment where I was going to be valued as a person and a player," Siassi said.

She made the most of her opportunity, starting all 82 matches of her UNF career to set a D1 program record. The five-year veteran ended her career as a three-time All-ASUN honoree, including a pair of selections to the first team, to go with an ASUN All-Freshman recognition in the spring of 2021. She completed an illustrious collegiate career as a three-time ASUN Defensive Player of the Week recipient helping secure six clean sheets this past season, scoring her final goal of her career off a penalty kick on Senior Day.

Off the pitch, Siassi excelled in the classroom as a biomedical sciences major. She was twice named to the ASUN All-Academic Team and to the CSC Academic All-District Team, and was a four-time ASUN Academic Honor Roll recipient. It was challenging trying to balance classes with trainings, lifts and extra-curriculars.

"I think it fostered skills like time management, communication and discipline that will serve me well for the rest of my life."

Besides academics and athletics, Siassi also loved to bake. After sharing her culinary creations with her teammates, there was such a high demand that she opened up Rize and Grind for Ospreys to purchase her baked goods.

"It's been a super fun side quest that I enjoy doing during my time off the field."

This summer, Siassi was signed by Sporting Club Jacksonville, joining alumnae Carmel Oliveira, Thais Reiss and Karina Bermudez as UNF players currently on the professional circuit.

"I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to live my dream of playing professional soccer. The fact that my career can begin here in Jacksonville is icing on the cake."

After being awarded a franchise in 2022, Sporting Cub Jacksonville joined the MLS NEXT Pro's Jacksonville Armada to grow soccer in Duval, with their men's and women's teams playing in the USL Championship and Super League respectively. Their inaugural season is now underway following an exhilarating match last month at Hodges Stadium.

With over 7,000 minutes played in Hodges, Sporting JAX hopes Siassi will bring a young defensive energy to protect her home field.

"The coaches and support staff at Sporting Jax have been exceptional and it is a great environment to be a part of."

She described the chance to begin her professional journey on the same field as "a little surreal" and said she hoped to represent the Jacksonville community with pride.

"There has been so much buzz and excitement about this team, and I'm looking forward to being a part of all we accomplish as the club continues to grow."