Jahmali Waite

Jahmali Waite (born 24 December 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the USL Championship and the Jamaica national team.

Jahmali Waite
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-12-24) December 24, 1998
Place of birth Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Number 26
Youth career
2016–2017 Philadelphia Union
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Fairleigh Dickinson Knights 40 (0)
2020–2021 UConn Huskies 23 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Bethlehem Steel 0 (0)
2019 Reading United 8 (0)
2021 Ocean City Nor'easters 9 (0)
2022– Pittsburgh Riverhounds 47 (0)
International career
2015 Jamaica U17
2022– Jamaica 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 October 2023

Career

Youth

Waite played as part of the Philadelphia Union academy,[1] also appearing on the bench for the club's USL Championship side during their 2017 season.[2] He was persuaded to move to the club by fellow Jamaican Andre Blake.[3]

College & Amateur

In 2017, Waite attended Fairleigh Dickinson University to play college soccer. In three seasons with the Knights, Waite made 40 appearances. He was named to the Northeast Conference All-Rookie team as a freshman in 2017 and a First Team All-NEC selection in 2018. In his final year with the Knights, he was named the NEC Tournament MVP and helped guide Fairleigh Dickinson to the 2019 NCAA Tournament.[4]

2020 saw Waite transfer to the University of Connecticut, where he made a further 23 appearances.[5]

During his time at college, Waite also played in the USL League Two. He made eight regular season appearances and one playoff appearance for Reading United AC during their 2019 season.[6][7] In 2021, Waite appeared for Ocean City Nor'easters, playing nine times in the league and twice in the playoffs.[8][9]

Following college, Waite went undrafted in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, but joined Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire for their preseason training camp.[10] However, he did not sign for the club.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

On 25 March 2022, Waite signed his first professional contract, joining USL Championship club Pittsburgh Riverhounds.[11] He made his debut for the club in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on 5 April 2022.[12] In 2023, Jahmali Waite picked up a clean sheet against New England Revolution, leading the side to a 1-0 win.[13] Following this, Jahmali Waite was man of the match against the Columbus Crew, saving three shots and conceding zero in the 1-0 that allowed the Hounds to make it to Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup for the first time since 2001.[14] Jahmali Waite was man of the match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 1-0 win, saving the only shot on goal.[15]

International

Waite has represented Jamaica at under-17 level.[16] Waite made his senior international debut on November 10th versus Cameroon. [17] Waite made multiple appearances in friendlies for the Jamaica national team, and earned a call up to Jamaica's 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.[18] He started the 2023 Gold Cup game against Saint Kitts and Nevis, making two saves in the 5-0 win before coming of in the 82 minute.[19]

References
  1. Ralph, Matthew (November 15, 2019). "Union Academy grad Jahmali Waite saves three in PK shootout to lead FDU to conference final". Brotherly Game.
  2. "Jamaica - J. Waite - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  3. June 21, OneManWolfpack says; Pm, 2017 at 6:29 (June 21, 2017). "The grass roots: Notes from Bethlehem and the Union Academy".
  4. "Jahmali Waite - 2019 - Men's Soccer". Fairleigh Dickinson University Athletics.
  5. "Jahmali Waite - Men's Soccer". University of Connecticut Athletics.
  6. "United Add Four Union Academy Players to 2019 Roster". April 15, 2019.
  7. "Reading United AC | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  8. "Ocean City Nor'easters | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  9. "2021 USL League Two First Team roster". Ocean City FC. April 26, 2021.
  10. "Chicago Fire FC Announce Roster for Preseason Training Camp | Chicago Fire FC". chicagofirefc.
  11. "Goalkeeper Jahmali Waite signs for 2022 season".
  12. "Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Maryland Bobcats - 6 April 2022 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  13. Krysinsky, John (May 9, 2023). "FINAL: Riverhounds SC 1, New England Revolution 0 (US Open Cup – 4th Round)". Pittsburgh Soccer Now. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  14. "Cup run extended with shutout of Columbus Crew". Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  15. "Early Dikwa strike topples Tampa Bay". Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  16. "Jamaica sends T&T U-17s packing". www.guardian.co.tt.
  17. https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/cameroon-draw-something-to-build-on-says-boyz-coach/
  18. "Reggae Boyz Jamaica Gold Cup Squad". YardHype.
  19. A, Group. "Jamaica vs Saint Kitts and Nevis - July 02, 2023". FOX Sports. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
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