Kennedy Faulknor


Kennedy Jade Faulknor is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a centre-back for the UCLA Bruins and the Canadian national team. At the age of 16 she was the youngest centre-back to ever play for Canada.

Early life

Faulknor was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to Paula and Glen Faulknor, an assistant coach at Unionville Milliken SC. She also has Jamaican heritage as her maternal grandparents are Jamaican immigrants.

Club career

Unionville Milliken SC

Faulknor played with Unionville Milliken SC since the age of eight. In 2017, she managed to play two games before transferring to University of California, Los Angeles.

UCLA Bruins

In May 2017, Faulknor joined UCLA Bruins, playing with fellow international Jessie Fleming. She made her debut for UCLA on September 3, 2017, starting in the 2–0 victory over Weber State Wildcats.

International career

Faulknor was selected for Canada's under-15 squad for the 2014 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship. She started all 6 of Canada's matches, beating Puerto Rico 5–0 and Cuba 6–0, and drawing 1–1 with Haiti in the group stage. In the knock-out stage, she helped Canada beat Costa Rica 8–1 and Trinidad and Tobago 1–0, before beating Haiti 4–1 on penalties in the final to win the championship. At the conclusion of the tournament, Faulknor was named in the Best XI.
In December 2015, at the age of 16, Faulknor was first called up to the Canadian senior squad, being selected for the 2015 International Women's Football Tournament of Natal. She made her debut starting in the first match of the group stage, in which Canada beat Mexico 3–0. Her debut, along with fellow 16-year-old Deanne Rose, marked the first time two Canadian 16-year-olds debuted in the same match while also distinguishing her as the youngest centre-back to ever play for Canada. In the second match, a 4−0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago, she was brought on as a substitute at the beginning of the second-half, and started in the 2–1 loss to Brazil. Faulknor also started in the final against Brazil, which Canada lost 3–1, and took second place in the tournament. After the tournament, Faulknor was named Canadian U-17 Player of the Year, along with Kadin Chung.
In March 2016, Faulknor was selected for Canada's under-17 squad for the 2016 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship. She started in the 3–0 victory over Guatemala, started and scored her first international goal in the 7–0 victory over Grenada, and started in the 2–1 loss to Haiti.