Today, San Diego Wave FC announced its signing of forward Melanie Barcenas to a two-year contract extension through 2028, coming just one day after The Athletic named her as one of only five NWSL players their teams should be trying to lock down. The Wave did just that.
Barcenas, known especially for her footwork and ability to score, has already played in 23 regular-season games this season, started 12, scored six goals (second highest on the team), and recorded one assist.
Credit: Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
The 18-year old forward grew up in San Diego, playing youth soccer with San Diego Surf. In March 2023 at just 15 years old, Barcenas became the then-youngest NWSL player to sign with a team. She quickly piled up other records too, becoming the youngest player to appear in an NWSL regular-season match and, later that year, the youngest to record an assist.
Since then, Barcenas has developed into a consistent contributor for the Wave, notching her first professional goal in September 2024 and building a highlight reel that includes two 2026 NWSL Goals of the Week. She re-signed with the club on a one-year deal in December 2025 and in July 2026 became the then-second youngest player to make 50 regular-season appearances. On the international stage, Barcenas has represented the United States at multiple youth levels, highlighted by a bronze-medal run with the U-17 team at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, marking the program's best finish since 2008. Barcenas scored three goals in the group stage alone.
Check out what Barcenas has to say about the contract extension in a conversation with Her Sports co-founder Jourdan Ziff. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Ziff: I'm here with Melanie Barcenas who just signed a two-year contract extension with the San Diego Wave. Now Mel, you were 15 when you first signed to this club, broke the NWSL record at the time for youngest player, and now you're 18 as a proven difference maker. How does this signing feel different for you?
Barcenas: I feel like, growing up and developing here, the first three years were super special and amazing. I had smaller goals such as making the roster and getting minutes, but I think one thing with this new contract, I have a more clear goal and that is to be a starter and to be a difference maker, and get the team results and hopefully bring a championship to San Diego.
Ziff: Coming from your San Diego roots and your youth development here, can you point to coaches or how that training experience here in San Diego might have propelled you to play at this level?
Barcenas: When you think about club soccer, you know [about] the biggest states: Florida, Texas, California. There’s so much good competition growing up here, and you’re exposed to so much competition: Surf Cups, Man City Cups, and State Cups. All that growing up has been a really great platform for me to develop as a young player, but at the end of the day, everyone is doing that. So I think it's what you're doing behind the scenes. I give credit to my family, my uncle and my dad spent so much time training with me alongside my brother. Those are the things that no one saw, arriving before club practice and training with them and then doing club practice. I was lucky enough to be in situations where I had club coaches that allowed me to be free, and ultimately that helped as well. I was able to travel and play in other competitions. Stepping into the Wave environment at a very young age is also a big part of my success, and getting to adjust to the speed of play over the first year, getting on the roster, getting minutes. That has allowed me to now be more confident.
Credit: Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
Ziff: Talking about confidence, I do want to touch on the mental side of signing a contract like this. So, is there security that you feel in that decision, or is it intimidating signing a longer deal?
Barcenas: I think there's a little bit of both. I think you always want to prove yourself, but at the same time, the security for the moment makes it predictable. Also, this is my home, so I knew that I wanted to be here for two years. …After that hopefully I can prove [myself], you know, possibly for the future opportunities here. So I think I just owe it to myself as well from the last year of having a one-year contract to have that security. I don’t want to be fighting every single year. It’s fun and all to prove yourself but for now, this is good. I am excited to see what I can do with this team.
Ziff: I'm sure they're excited too. I think this organization is clear that they see you as a long-term core in this club. So, what have those conversations been like in their vision and how it aligns with where they see you?
Barcenas: I think since I've been here for a long time from a pretty young age, I think they also know my commitment to this club. And this city is very special because it's my home, and I feel like there's not many people on this team who can say that. And they know how invested I am in this club.
I've not only been a player, but I've been a fan before I was a player, so I think it's a little bit different. So I think that it’s mutual, honestly, here I wouldn't say it's more on their half or my half. Honestly, they’ve believed in me since I was 15, and I know the organization has changed a whole lot, but even the new staff that has been coming in have really been a blessing, and they're really great, and they are always trying to help me off the field as well, going over clips. I just love everyone here.
Ziff: We can see it even from the sidelines, your commitment. And talking about both halves, what is your half? What is your personal goal looking forward in your career? What are you going after?
Barcenas: I think I obviously want to be a star player for the San Diego Wave, and to continue to contribute to the club’s success, make more history with the club, be a part of it, and you know, hopefully one day, we can bring a championship here. I know we’ve already won the Shield and the Challenge Cup and right now we are looking at a Championship and hopefully this season we can do that. All we can focus on right now is this season. But at the end of the day, I want to be one of the biggest Wave players, and hopefully I’m here for a long time.
Ziff: I love hearing that. It's such an exciting time for this club, and I'm really looking forward to seeing you out there. So congratulations on this signing.
Website Photo Credit: Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
