Western Sydney Wanderers have signed of Filipino-American defender Janae DeFazio for the upcoming Ninja A-League season.
DeFazio brings a wealth of international experience and versatility, having represented the Philippines national team and played in competitive leagues across the United States, Portugal and Philippines.
Born in Folsom, California, the 24-year-old developed her footballing skills through a strong collegiate career at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she made 37 appearances and contributed significantly to the Bruins’ midfield and defensive lines from 2019 to 2023.
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Her technical ability, tactical awareness, and work ethic stood out throughout her time at UCLA, laying a solid foundation for her professional career.
DeFazio made her professional debut with the Kansas City Current in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2024, before a short stint with Portugal’s Racing Power in the Campeonato Nacional Feminino. Most recently, she featured for Makati FC in the Philippines’ PFF Women’s League, where she continued to demonstrate her defensive prowess.
Internationally, DeFazio has been a proud member of the Philippines women’s national football team since 2024. She earned her first cap in a 3–0 victory over Jordan during the Pink Ladies Week tournament in Turkey, providing an early assist in the match. Since then, she has earned eight caps, contributing to the team’s rising profile on the international stage.
“I want to grow as a player from what I’ve seen so far, this is an amazing environment for me to grow and I’m hoping to achieve a lot of wins with this team and do really well in the A-Leagues,” she said.
She is the newest face at the Wanderers, who have brought in Nikkita Fazzari (promoted), Wang Ying, Yuan Cong and Brianna Edwards.
DeFazio added: “So there a few reasons why I chose to come to the Wanderers. I’ve heard such good things about this club, I know a couple of former players and they just had so many good things to say.
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“That was definitely a reason and I’m pretty early in my professional career, so I wanted a new challenge and I thought coming to Western Sydney was a good challenge for the next step in my career.
“I want to grow as a player and this is an amazing environment for me to grow in. I’m hoping to achieve a lot of wins with this team and do really well in the A-Leagues.”
Wanderers Ninja A-League head coach Geoff Abrahams said: “I’m excited to welcome Janae to the Western Sydney Wanderers.
“She brings international experience to our young squad and despite still being young, has already achieved a lot in football.”
Featured image: Janae DeFazio/Instagram
