Class of 2023 Heat FC ECNL defender Taylor Folk signs with Nevada

RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada soccer program has added Las Vegas native Taylor Folk to its 2023 roster, head coach Vanessa Valentine announced.

Folk, who was also recruited by Tennessee, UNLV, Saint Mary’s and Long Beach State, is a 5-foot-4-inch center back who led Faith Lutheran High School to the state championship in 2022.

She is the second player on Nevada’s roster to come out of Faith Lutheran High School (Serene Gronauer).

“Taylor is a great addition to our program and will bring added depth to the center back position,” Valentine said. “She brings a winning mindset every day in her training, matches and off the field and will blend in nicely with the culture we are building at Nevada. We cannot wait to have Taylor in Reno this fall.”

The 2022 5A Division Mountain League Defensive Player of the Year finished her high school career as a two-time All-Conference player. Guiding her team to a state runner-up finish in 2021, Folk was captain of Faith Lutheran’s team in her final two years.

At the club level, Folk competed for Heat FC and went to the ECNL Final Four in 2019. She also helped her club team to the ICC Bowl championship in that same year. In addition to being a two-time Surf Cup champion, Folk played in the National Selection Game in 2022.

Folk is the second player in her family to play collegiate soccer at the Division I level, with her older sister Mackenzie being a former soccer player at Evansville.

Nevada Soccer will begin its new era under Valentine’s leadership Aug. 17 at Virginia, a 2022 NCAA Quarterfinalist. The Pack open play at Mackay Stadium Sept. 3 against UC Riverside.