“Her ability with her range of pass is exceptional and always has been exceptional”: Ainsley McCammon proves to be an impact player in Reign FC’s midfield

Ainsley McCammon has quietly become a star in Seattle Reign FC’s midfield.

She first signed with the Reign in July 2024, as the youngest player in club history at just 16 years old and it was immediately clear she had all the attributes to find success at the highest level.

She arrived in Seattle with lofty goals to elevate her game and help Reign FC to hunt down their first-ever NWSL Championship – and had plenty of quality experience to back those goals. While signing with Reign FC marked her first professional contract, she had a strong foundation of both skill and leadership, as she served as the captain for the U.S. U-17 WYNT during its run to the Concacaf U-17 Championship title and in 2022, won the Concacaf U-15 Championship with the U.S. U-15 WYNT.

Despite being the youngest player in club history, McCammon carries the poise of someone twice her age. She’s embraced the hard work required to adapt to the NWSL ranks.

Her ascent to stardom wasn’t instant, but it was steady.

McCammon’s skillset includes an incredibly vast knowledge of the game. From her place in the center of the pitch, she’s an expert at distributing the ball, even when the correct pass might not be obvious.

Her first season in the league saw her make two regular season appearances and the following season, she went on to make 16 regular season appearances and play in a playoff match for the Reign.

In 2026, McCammon has once again reached new heights, earning her place as a staple in Seattle’s lineup with 13 appearances and 11 starts across the 15 matches thus far. The box-to-box midfielder provides support in both the attack and defense, dominating on both sides of the ball.

The Texas native is no stranger to providing quality service to her teammates, as she became the youngest player in club history to record an assist on March 28 and hasn’t slowed down since. She now leads the team in assists in the 2026 season with four.

“I think her ability with her range of pass is exceptional and always has been exceptional,” said Reign FC Head Coach Laura Harvey. “What she's really learning over time is the pass doesn't need to be perfect. You just need to put it in an area where people can get onto the end of that whether it be, you know, the ball in behind for Ryanne Brown against Portland – she didn't need to find Ryanne, she just needs to put it in the space, and she did that again today a few times,” said Laura Harvey, highlighting McCammon’s ability to retain feedback and refine her game.

“Then the time she needed to just put it in a really dangerous area and hope that someone got on the end of it, she did that too, you know, with the Maddie Mercado goal.”

Another part of McCammon’s game that stands out is her ability to step up in big moments as a leader. Though she was part of the first wave of young players to grace the Reign’s roster, she’s been on the forefront of holding the squad to a higher standard with each passing game.

This week, her talent garnered league-wide recognition, as she was nominated for NWSL Assist of the Week and NWSL Player of the Week. As the team begins to look toward their next match in San Jose on Saturday, McCammon will be a key player is replicating the success the team produced in San Diego.

“I think she's at her growth has been great. I think I said to Ainsley in the summer break, the big challenge for her is lasting 90 minutes.”

Harvey added, “She's played the last two 90s and above and been great, so yeah, I'm really, really happy with her development.”