Women's Soccer Augsburg University Sports Information Department

Augsburg's Jayla Ponce signs with Iceland pro soccer team

Jayla PonceMINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg University women's soccer player Jayla Ponce (SR, Kuna, Idaho/Kuna HS) recently signed a contract to play professional soccer in Iceland for Vestri FC, and will begin playing for the club in March. Vestri FC is a club located in Ísafjarðarbær, a city in northwest Iceland. The team plays in the 2. deild kvenna, the third tier of Iceland's women's professional soccer leagues, and plays during the summer months.

Ponce finished her collegiate career as one of the best players in Augsburg women's soccer history. She earned United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) All-Region second team honors in 2025, becoming the third player in Augsburg women's soccer history to earn All-Region honors three or more times. Ponce earned fourth-team honors last year and second-team honors in 2023.

This year's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Ponce became the third Auggie in program history to earn All-MIAC honors four times -- one of 22 MIAC women's soccer players ever to achieve the feat. Ponce again shined as a forward for the Auggies, leading the team with 16 goals and five assists for 37 points -- tied for the MIAC's goal-scoring and points lead, while tied for 11th in assists. Among NCAA Division III players nationally, Ponce finished tied for 24th in total goals and tied for 31st in total points. Starting all 19 games and playing 1,464 minutes (77.1 minutes per-game), Ponce had a goal or assist in 11 games, with five multi-goal games, including a four-goal, 10-point effort in Augsburg's 10-0 win over Bethany Lutheran on Sept. 6.

Playing in four seasons as an Auggie after spending her first season at Division II Fort Lewis State (Colo.), Ponce recorded four hat tricks and 12 multi-goal games in her career. In 74 Augsburg career games (5,918 minutes, 80.0 minutes per-game) and 80 overall career games (6,181 minutes, 77.3 minutes per-game), Ponce finished her career with 45 goals and 29 assists for 119 points on 158 shots on-goal, with 19 career game-winning goals and seven penalty kick goals. She finished her career in third place in school history in goals, tied for third in assists and tied for second in total points.

Academically, Ponce was named to the College Sports Communicators Division III Academic All-America Team as a first-team honoree in 2025. A master's of business administration graduate student with a 4.00 grade-point average, Ponce also named to the CSC Academic All-District squad for the third straight year in November, and will earn her third Academic All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honor this season.