EDINBURGH – Villanova Women's Soccer alumna
Jackie Richards has signed a one-year deal to play with Heart of Midlothian Football Club in Edinburgh, Scotland, as announced by the team on Friday.
"My time at Villanova has been something special to say the least," Richards said. "Coming to a new school for my grad year brought many different challenges but gave me so many different experiences and perspectives I can take when looking ahead to Hearts. I can't thank my teammates and coaches enough as they have been so supportive and respect the growth we are trying to make within the program. Coach Samar especially has been so impactful for me, both as a person and a player in the short amount of time we've worked together. I genuinely believe I wouldn't be the player I am without crossing paths with her.
"The mindset Villanova has here on getting better each day is something I look to carry with me throughout my career and I can't wait to see what lies ahead for the future of the program. I'm really excited for Hearts and what's next, but I will always cherish my time as a Wildcat because this place and these people have done so much for me on my journey."
Richards is now the third former Wildcat to currently be playing with a professional team, joining former teammate
Payton Woodward who signed with HK Kópavogur in Iceland back in April and Samantha Rosette who signed with France's Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace in July 2023. She joins a Hearts FC side that is one of Scotland's top women's professional teams, currently sitting at fourth on the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) table. Richards' one-year deal also includes the option for a further year.
"Jackie is one of the most committed players I've had the opportunity to coach," Villanova head coach
Samar Azem said. "She has a pure passion for the game, for being the best, and for playing at a high level for as long as possible. Fortunately, she has the talent and the drive to do both. She had a number of opportunities and eyes on her but decided to choose one that made sense for her personally."
The Reading, Pa. native closed out her collegiate career by coming to the Main Line for her fifth and final season, earning All-BIG EAST Second Team and Philly-SIDA Academic All-Area status by year's end. She started in all 18 games for the 'Cats this past season, totaling 1318 minutes of action on the pitch. Richards led Villanova's offensive charge with a team-high 13 points and six goals, landing 22 of her 56 shot attempts on goal, also a team best. She had a season-best outing in a 3-1 win over George Mason on September 3, scoring four points on two goals. She was a two-time BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll selection and led the conference with 3.11 shots per game.
"Jackie has the versatility to be an attacking threat from a number of positions and the speed and athleticism to threaten at any level," Azem said. "She's going to be an extraordinary player at Hearts, one of Scotland's premier women's sides. This is just the beginning for her – we'll be seeing a lot more of her in the soccer world.
"I'm grateful for everything she's poured into her career since I have known her and for bringing that passion and talent to Villanova University. In a short time, she made an exceptional impact on our program's rebuild, as well as an extraordinary influence on the people around her– we're all better because she's been a part of our program, myself included."
