NJ/NY Gotham FC is proud to share the news that Midge Purce has been named by Forbes to its annual 30 Under 30 list, recognizing “athletes, founders, and executives blazing new trails in the sports world. 

As fans of Gotham FC and the U.S. National Team know, Midge is very deserving of this honor. In its article, Forbes says the following: 

“Midge Purce, playing for NJ/NY Gotham FC, was named to the National Women’s Soccer League’s Best XI in 2021. Off the field, she helped the U.S. Women’s National Team close its landmark collective bargaining agreement, serves as the youngest member of Harvard University’s Board of Overseers, and cofounded the non-profit Black Women’s Player Collective to create a more beautiful game.” 

Among Purce’s fellow honorees are Sabrina Ionescu of the WNBA’s New York Liberty, Sarah Nurse of the Canadian Olympic hockey team, U.S track and field star Sydney McLaughlin, and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Purce has been an invaluable leader for Gotham FC. In 2021, she led the team in scoring with nine goals, finished second in the NWSL’s Golden Boot race, earned a spot on the NWSL Best XI, and was an MVP finalist. Off the field, she gives of her time to the club’s charitable efforts and works to advance soccer as a sport for everyone. She also served as a commentator and on air-personality for CBS’s 2022 NWSL Championship and FIFA Men’s World Cup coverage. 

As Forbes cited, Purce is a Founding Board Member of the Black Women’s Player Collective. The BWPC is made up of women in soccer “who have come together to transform the game we see today for generations to come. We understand that when we play the game, the world watches, and by changing the game for black women we can change the world.” 

On the BWPC website, Purce shares a quote from her 2021 speech at the White House on Equal Pay Day: “You would never expect a flower to bloom without water, but women in sport who have been denied water, sunlight and soil are somehow expected to blossom.” A full transcript of her speech can be found here.

“Through her efforts on and off the field, Midge Purce is making a difference,” said Gotham FC GM and Head of Soccer Operations Yael Averbuch West. “The entire Gotham FC family congratulates Midge on earning this recognition she justly deserves as a member of the Forbes 30 Under 30.”