SAN FRANCISCO – Further deepening its roster for the coming year, Academy of Art women's soccer has announced midfielder Mackenzie Dowd (Chico, Calif./Pleasant Valley HS) will don the ART U red and black ahead of the Urban Knights' 2023 campaign.

"I chose Academy of Art because I wanted an adventure and San Francisco is going to be an adventure for me," Dowd said. "Also, I wanted to play soccer in college and Academy of Art was the only place I could major in Architecture and play soccer."

Playing the final two seasons of her four-year high school soccer career on the Pleasant Valley varsity team, Dowd enjoyed quite a bit of success both individually and collectively. In the 2021 season, she scored four goals and added six assists for 14 points while the Vikings rattled off win streaks of five then seven matches toward a 15-5-1 overall record and 9-1 result in the Eastern Athletic League. The following year saw Pleasant Valley execute an 18-match win streak en route to a 20-3-2 overall record and 8-1-1 mark that earned the Vikings the league title as Dowd netted another four goals plus three assists for 11 points. A three-year team captain, Dowd was All-League twice, Most Valuable Player, recipient of both the Lady Viking and Silva Awards, and played in the Brett Silva All-Star Game.

In addition to her high school career, Dowd competed for her club team, Chico Cal Aftershock, for eight years and, in 2022, she participated in the Davis Legacy College Showcase as well as led the first U19 Girls Club Team from Chico to play in the Surf Cup.
 
"I am excited to experience San Francisco firsthand and also be a part of this amazing team," Dowd said. "I am excited to get to know my teammates and coaches and learn more from their experiences."

As she pursues her future goal of becoming an architect, Dowd will enter the School of Architecture this Fall as she joins a recruiting class that includes Kayla Hampton, Jorryn Echeverria, Breanna Bernardson, Valeria Perez Rivera, Ashley Tasev, and Alanna Del Carlo.