Mimi Van Zanten

Amelia Donna "Mimi" Van Zanten (born January 25, 2005) is a professional soccer player who plays as a full back for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born in the United States, she plays for the Jamaica national team. She played college soccer for the Florida State Seminoles, winning two national championships. She is the sister of soccer player Kiki Van Zanten.

Early life

Van Zanten was raised in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. She attended Stevenson High School, where she was named the conference player of the year in 2022. She started every round in the NCAA tournament and helped keep clean sheets through the first five games. She returned for her junior year in 2025, playing in 19 games with 18 starts and scoring 1 goal, and was named third-team All-ACC for the second time, though she missed several games with a broken toe. In the NCAA tournament, she had a goal and assist against Georgetown in the third round and played a complete match in the 1–0 shutout win over the nation's top offense in Stanford in the final, winning her second national championship. After her junior season, she announced that she would give up her remaining college eligibility and turn pro.

Club career

The NWSL's San Diego Wave announced on December 29, 2025, that they had signed Van Zanten to her first professional contract on a two-year deal with options to extend another two years. She made her professional debut with the start in a season-opening 1–0 loss to her sister's Houston Dash on March 14, 2026. On May 9, she scored her first pro goal, the game-winning header against Southern Californian rivals Angel City FC.

International career

Van Zanten trained with the United States youth national team from the under-14 to under-17 level. She was one of the youngest players selected to the under-15 squad that won the 2018 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship.

Van Zanten represented Jamaica at the 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, scoring one goal in a 4–1 win over Panama in the group stage. She received her first call-up to Jamaica's senior team in May 2024. She made her senior international debut for Jamaica on June 4, 2024, coming on as a second-half replacement for Florida State teammate Jody Brown in a 4–0 friendly loss to Brazil.

Van Zanten was called into training camp with the United States under-23 team, practicing alongside the senior national team, in March 2025. Two months later, she played for Jamaica in a senior friendly against the United States on June 3, 2025, starting in a 4–0 loss.

Personal life

Van Zanten is one of three daughters born to Priscilla and Kent Van Zanten. Her father played college football at Illinois Wesleyan; her sister Brianna played college soccer for Case Western Reserve; and her sister Kiki played for Notre Dame before being drafted by the Houston Dash.

Honors and awards

Florida State Seminoles NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament: 2023, 2025 ACC women's soccer tournament: 2023, 2024

United States U-15 CONCACAF Girls' Under-15 Championship: 2018

Individual Third-team All-ACC: 2024, 2025 ACC all-freshman team: 2023