Last Updated on September 15, 2026 by Helena
Matthew Jordan Edwards, better known as Matt Edwards, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Atlanta United in Major League Soccer. Born on February 17, 2003, in Apex, North Carolina, Edwards comes from an exceptionally athletic family. His mother, Melissa Edwards, was an All-American track athlete at Georgia Tech, while his two sisters competed in college track and his brother played college baseball. Matt has spoken openly about the competitive atmosphere he experienced growing up with his siblings.
Who Is Matt Edwards’ Girlfriend?
As of now, Matt Edwards has not publicly confirmed having a girlfriend. Neither Atlanta United’s official features nor reliable interviews about the defender identify a current romantic partner.
Edwards has spoken publicly about his parents, siblings and upbringing, but he appears to keep his romantic life private. Most of his media appearances focus on soccer, his journey through Atlanta United’s academy and the competitive sporting environment within his family.
Because no relationship has been confirmed by Edwards or a reliable publication, names associated with him through social-media speculation should not be presented as his girlfriend without stronger evidence.
Does Matt Edwards Have Children?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Matt Edwards has children.
Official profiles from Atlanta United and the University of North Carolina discuss his immediate family in considerable detail but make no reference to Edwards being a father.
Therefore, as of now, there is no publicly confirmed son or daughter associated with the Atlanta United defender.
Who Are Matt Edwards’ Parents?
Matt Edwards is the son of Melissa Edwards and Walter Harris. Their names are confirmed by his official University of North Carolina player biography.
His mother has a particularly notable sporting background. Melissa competed in track and field for Georgia Tech and earned All-America and All-ACC recognition during her collegiate career.
Much less has been publicly revealed about Walter Harris. Although UNC officially identifies him as Matt’s father, details concerning his career and personal background have generally remained private.
Who Is Matt Edwards’ Mother, Melissa Edwards?
Melissa Edwards is Matt Edwards’ mother and a former standout collegiate runner at Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech historical records show that Melissa was part of the school’s women’s 4×400-meter relay team that earned All-America honors in 1991. The relay squad also included Janeen Jones, Shellie O’Neal and Nelrae Pasha.
Her athletic career clearly became part of the sporting environment in which Matt and his siblings were raised. Atlanta United even highlighted Melissa’s achievements when interviewing Matt about his unusually athletic family.
Asked whether he was the fastest person in the family, Edwards confidently said that he had beaten all of his siblings in races. He admitted that his mother in her prime might have provided the toughest competition, although he still backed himself to win.
How Melissa Edwards Influenced Matt’s Athletic Family
Melissa’s success at Georgia Tech was followed by another generation of college athletes. All four of the children mentioned in public reports went on to participate in collegiate sports.
That background created plenty of competition inside the Edwards household. Matt has described racing against his siblings and competing against his brother in numerous sports while growing up.
His comments suggest that competition was something the family embraced rather than avoided, giving Matt an environment where athletic development was a normal part of everyday life.
Who Is Matt Edwards’ Father, Walter Harris?
Walter Harris is Matt Edwards’ father. The University of North Carolina officially lists Matthew Jordan Edwards as the son of Melissa Edwards and Walter Harris.
Unlike Melissa, Walter does not appear to have a widely documented sporting career. Reliable public profiles of Matt provide little information about his father’s occupation or personal history.
For that reason, details about Walter Harris should remain limited to information the family or credible sources have made public rather than being supplemented with assumptions based on similarly named individuals.
Does Matt Edwards Have Siblings?
Yes. Matt Edwards has three publicly identified siblings: two sisters and one brother.
His sisters are named Gabby Edwards and Alexandria Edwards, while his brother is Nate Edwards. Like Matt and their mother, all three participated in competitive sports.
Atlanta United described Edwards as coming from an “incredibly athletic family,” while his UNC biography confirms that both sisters competed in collegiate track and that his brother played college baseball.
Who Is Matt Edwards’ Sister Gabby Edwards?
Gabby Edwards is one of Matt Edwards’ two sisters. According to The Atlanta Voice, Gabby competed in collegiate track at UNC Wilmington.
Her involvement in track continued the family tradition established by her mother, Melissa. While Matt chose soccer, running became the collegiate sport pursued by both of his sisters.
Gabby maintains a considerably lower public profile than her brother, and there is limited reliable information about her life outside athletics.
Who Is Matt Edwards’ Sister Alexandria Edwards?
Alexandria Edwards is Matt’s other sister. She also competed in college track, representing Barton College in North Carolina.
Having two sisters involved in collegiate running and a mother who had previously earned All-America honors made track an important part of the Edwards family’s sporting history.
Matt has said that he raced his siblings when they were growing up, although he jokingly maintains that none of them could beat him.
Who Is Matt Edwards’ Brother Nate Edwards?
Matt Edwards’ brother is Nate Edwards. Unlike his sisters, Nate pursued baseball rather than track.
Nate played college baseball for Louisburg College in North Carolina. His participation meant that Matt, his three siblings and their mother all competed in sports at the collegiate level.
Matt appears to share a particularly competitive relationship with his brother. In an Atlanta United interview, he explained that the two competed against each other in virtually every sport while growing up.
Matt jokingly claimed that he usually defeated Nate, with one notable exception: baseball. He acknowledged that baseball was the sport in which his brother held the advantage.
Matt Edwards’ Competitive Childhood With His Siblings
Competition between Matt and his siblings seems to have been a significant part of his childhood. When Atlanta United asked him about growing up in such an athletic household, Edwards immediately recalled racing against his siblings and competing with his brother across different sports.
That environment may have helped develop the competitive mentality that eventually carried him into professional soccer. Edwards began playing soccer when he was very young before progressing through youth football in North Carolina.
His family continued supporting him as his career developed. When Atlanta United played Charlotte FC in North Carolina in March 2025, Edwards told The Atlanta Voice that he had a large number of family members at the match.
Playing close to his hometown gave relatives who had followed his development from childhood an opportunity to watch him compete at MLS level.
Matt Edwards’ Family and College Sports
The Edwards family has an unusual concentration of college athletes. Melissa Edwards competed for Georgia Tech, Matt played soccer for the University of North Carolina, Gabby competed in track at UNC Wilmington, Alexandria ran at Barton College and Nate played baseball at Louisburg College.
This means that at least five members of Matt Edwards’ immediate family competed in collegiate athletics.
Matt’s route was particularly notable because he combined college soccer with an existing connection to Atlanta United. He had already spent time in the club’s academy before attending UNC and eventually returned to Atlanta to pursue his professional career.
Matt Edwards’ Journey From North Carolina to Atlanta United
Edwards was born in Apex, North Carolina, and attended Ravenscroft School in Raleigh before also spending time at Capstone Academy in Atlanta.
He joined the Atlanta United Academy in 2019 and captained the club’s U-19 team. He even made eight professional appearances for Atlanta United 2 during the 2020 USL Championship season before choosing the college route.
Edwards subsequently spent three seasons playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels. After college, he returned to Atlanta United 2 and became the team’s captain.
His performances earned him a Homegrown contract with Atlanta United in June 2024. He later established himself as a regular option for the MLS first team.
Matt Edwards and Jay Fortune’s Close Bond
Although not a biological relative, Atlanta United midfielder Jay Fortune has an especially close relationship with Edwards.
The pair began playing together as teenagers in North Carolina and eventually progressed into Atlanta United’s first-team setup. Edwards has described Fortune as being essentially like a brother to him because of how long they have known each other.
Fortune has expressed similar feelings, saying the two grew up together from approximately age 13 and describing the experience of eventually playing professional soccer together as surreal.
Their friendship adds another important relationship to Edwards’ story, although Fortune should not be confused with Matt’s biological brother Nate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matt Edwards’ Family
Who is Matt Edwards’ girlfriend?
As of now, Matt Edwards has not publicly confirmed having a girlfriend. Reliable sources do not identify a current romantic partner.
Is Matt Edwards married?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Matt Edwards is married.
Does Matt Edwards have children?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Matt Edwards has children.
Who are Matt Edwards’ parents?
Matt Edwards’ parents are Melissa Edwards and Walter Harris.
Who is Matt Edwards’ mother?
His mother is Melissa Edwards, a former Georgia Tech track athlete who earned All-America and All-ACC recognition.
Who is Matt Edwards’ father?
Matt Edwards’ father is Walter Harris. His personal and professional background has largely remained outside the public spotlight.
How many siblings does Matt Edwards have?
Matt Edwards has three publicly identified siblings: two sisters, Gabby and Alexandria, and a brother named Nate.
Who are Matt Edwards’ sisters?
His sisters are Gabby Edwards and Alexandria Edwards. Gabby competed in track at UNC Wilmington, while Alexandria competed at Barton College.
Who is Matt Edwards’ brother?
His brother is Nate Edwards, who played college baseball at Louisburg College in North Carolina.
Was Matt Edwards’ mother an athlete?
Yes. Melissa Edwards competed in track and field at Georgia Tech and earned All-America honors as part of the Yellow Jackets’ 4×400-meter relay team.
Does Matt Edwards come from an athletic family?
Yes. His mother was a collegiate runner, his two sisters competed in college track, his brother played college baseball and Matt played soccer for the University of North Carolina before becoming an MLS professional.
Where was Matt Edwards born?
Matt Edwards was born in Apex, North Carolina, United States, on February 17, 2003.
Helena Lena Jessica Da Laila is a football writer covering Spanish women’s football, with a focus on Liga F, tactical trends, and emerging talents shaping the women’s game in Spain.
