Toronto, ON (January 30, 2025) - AFC Toronto is thrilled to announce Canadian defender Ashley
Cathro as its latest player signing ahead of the 2025 Northern Super League season. The 25-yearold,
who spent the last six years at the University of Illinois, is another example of AFC Toronto’s
commitment to helping Canadians kickstart their professional careers through new pathways.
Originally from Victoria, B.C., Cathro moved to Vancouver during high school to participate in the
Vancouver Whitecaps Girls Elite REX program on a full-time basis. It was here where she
developed her skills en route to representing Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team at the U-
17 and U-20 level, including the U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Cathro later earned to two
invitations to training camps with the senior national team.
For five seasons, Cathro was an integral part of the women’s soccer program at the University of
Illinois excelling as a left full-back or playing on the left side of a back three. Her reliability led to
her breaking the record for the most Big Ten starts (48) in program history. Cathro later played for
Racing Louisville in the USL W League, the United States’ premier pre-professional women’s
soccer circuit. Now with AFC Toronto, she returns to Canada to be a part of women’s sport history.
“My soccer career was slightly on hold so I was pursuing my PhD at the University of Illinois, but
when this opportunity presented itself, it was one I couldn’t turn down. A professional women’s
soccer league in Canada was always in the talks for a long time coming, but seeing it come to
fruition is extremely exciting,” said Ashley Cathro on signing with the club.
“AFC Toronto hands me an opportunity to be part of the city’s rich sport history and help push
women’s soccer forward in Canada. It’s certainly a project I wanted to be a part of and I can’t wait
to get started. I want to show the next generation that there is a pathway in Canada now.”
“Ashley is someone who had a fantastic collegiate career at Illinois and is someone who was
highly regarded by the Canada Soccer program,” added AFC Toronto Sporting Director, Billy
Wilson.
“Left-sided defenders are notoriously difficult to find, and as a team who wants to be in possession
and build from the back, we believe Ashley will provide us with natural balance. She developed a
great foundation with the Whitecaps and we were able to tap into some people we trust who
worked with her at youth national team level. We know we are getting a player with a lot of upside
and are excited to bring someone with her pedigree to the club.”
Alongside the U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Cathro represented Canada in the U-17 Concacaf
Championships, CFA International Women’s Youth Football Tournament and U-20 Concacaf
Championships alongside other competitions.
AFC Toronto will continue to announce additional player signings in the near future.