CHARLOTTE, N.C. - When Chloe “B” Hylton lined up to make the eighth professional appearance of her young career, Carolina Ascent FC Head Coach Philip Poole made a prediction. “Coach Poole said to me, ‘You’re going to score this game,’” said Hylton. She might have brushed it off as a typical coach thing to say, but nine minutes later, it fell into place. 

As the remnants of an Ascent corner bounced around in the box, the ball was met by Hylton’s left foot and hit into the back of the net.  

“I remember thinking, ‘That’s it? I just have to swing at this?’” recalled Hylton. 

The then 17-year-old put her arms up and was swarmed by her teammates, eager to congratulate her on scoring her first professional goal.

Her progress as a soccer player took off when she joined the Charlotte Development Academy. Hylton moved over to the club with trust in the coaching staff and the emphasis on the technical side of the game, something that played to her strengths. Her time there was nothing short of an overwhelming success. 

Hylton and co. won the Development Pro League national championship in 2023. Hylton was a two-time DPL All-Star and the first-ever DPL National Player of the Year; she did this while playing in the U19 age group as a 14-16-year-old.  

“You can see a kid that normal youth soccer is a bit too easy for her,” said Poole about Hylton, who averaged 46 goal contributions per year with CDA and her high school team. “She wasn’t playing up because she was bigger and stronger than kids of her own [age]; it was because she was better, quicker, more technical, cleaner on the ball.” 

As Hylton got older, a new opportunity for professional soccer presented itself in her own backyard. With the announcement of the USL Super League, the number of professional women’s soccer teams in the United States was set to grow from 12 to 20, providing more opportunities for talented players to play professionally in the U.S. One of those new clubs would kick off in Hylton’s hometown of Charlotte. 

“I was ridiculously excited. I thought I was going to be a fan rather than a player,” recalled Hylton. “Charlotte is such a great city to have a team in. We have a lot of different professional sports teams here, and I always thought that a women’s sports, particularly women’s soccer, was something that was missing and could add a lot to this city.”  

With Hylton’s stock as a player quickly on the rise, the establishment of Carolina Ascent could not have come at a better time. Hylton became the first of five players to sign an Academy Contract with the Ascent, allowing them to fully integrate into the professional ranks, while still maintaining eligibility to play college soccer. 

Stella Spitzer, another of the Ascent’s up-and-coming prospects, went through the same journey with Hylton on her way to sign professionally with Carolina at 15 years old. 

“We built a great friendship, and it’s really cool to be able to have someone that I can connect with on such a personal level that understands exactly what I’m going through,” said Hylton.

During the Super League’s inaugural match, Hylton made her professional debut, a 1-0 home win over DC Power FC.

“I was incredibly nervous, but everybody was so supportive. They made it very clear I deserved to be there, and I had what it takes,” said Hylton. “I remember Coach [Poole] said something I’d heard a lot growing up, ‘Play the game, not the occasion.’” 

Hylton rose to the occasion, clocking over 20 minutes and helping the Ascent finish the shutout victory.

“I completely tuned out the crowd because I didn’t want to get it in my head, and it got to the point where I didn’t even mind my parents after the game because I legitimately forgot to look for them,” said Hylton. “My dad was waiting with Ashley Westwood from Charlotte FC; he wanted me to sign his daughter’s jersey, and I never found them because there were so many people.”  

Hylton continued to grow and impress throughout the season. She played in 14 matches and had an 82.4% passing accuracy from her midfield position. Poole praises the combination of technical ability, soccer IQ, composure, and professionalism that Hylton showed throughout the season. 

Heading into her senior year of high school, Hylton was committed to play college soccer at North Carolina State University, which plays in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. However, with her growing engagement with the Ascent, the evaluation of where she would develop most as a player got more complicated. 

“When I got offered a contract, it got me thinking a little bit because I’m 18 and I’m getting offered a professional contract. That’s incredible,” said Hylton. 

Poole notes that the conversation for players deciding between playing college or signing professionally makes them weigh the college experience against following their professional dreams. Players can earn a degree whether they go professional or not, but the life experience and personal growth that comes in those years is what players are sacrificing.  

“It’s about the maturity of the person and making sure you’re open and honest about you can still get a degree,” said Poole. “There are certain things you’ll miss out on, but it’s never about football. If they think it’s about football, they need to test themselves as soon as possible against professionals. It’s the fastest way to develop.” 

Each professional USL club can give out one full scholarship each year to a player, allowing them to earn a degree while staying on track in their professional career, thanks to the organization’s partnership with Bellevue University. Hylton accepted the scholarship and plans to continue her academic progress while playing for the Ascent. 

“At the end of the day, it came down to the same thing it had for club soccer, where I wanted to play for a club that was going to develop me the most as a player,” said Hylton. “Carolina Ascent was the best fit for me where I was going to grow the most and improve the most over the next few years.” 

In June 2025, Hylton signed a multi-year professional contract, making her the first academy player to sign professionally in Ascent history.

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