ORANGE PARK - Former Orange Park High soccer standout Tabitha Padgett was a high-energy, fast moving striker for the Lady Raiders in her days in 2009 and in her days as a Clemson University Tiger to 2013.
Padgett, now Tabitha Nyberg, and a Sweden soccer recruit after her Clemson days, had been a Swedish soccer professional player from 2014 up until December 2024 when she and her husband, Mattias, and two children, Iris, 4, and Gustav, 1.5, returned to the United States for Nyberg to start a coaching career at one of the more reknowned soccer clubs in Texas; Texoma FC in Sherman, Texas.
"They basically recruited me because they knew I moved to the area and that I just retired from professional soccer in Sweden," said Nyberg, noting she and her family would return to the United States; Texas, in the winter for three or four months.
Nuberg played in 2012 and 2013 at Clemson after transferring from UNC-Greensboro and graduated with a degree in English. Nyberg finished at Clemson with 14 points; four goals and two assists. Both goals were game winners for the Tigers; one against Presbyterian College, one against North Carolina State.
Nyberg first played in the Gustafs GolF team, a Division I team in the Norra Svealand League in Sweden.
Nyberg's playing resume in Sweden was as impressive an 11 year span as any American player could have in a foreign country.
In her rookie season, Nyberg hit for 12 goals and led the team with 16 assists turning a losing season prior to Nyberg to an 11-7-4 finish for fourth in the league.
"While in Sweden, I played for three different clubs; Gustafs GOIF for three years; Telge United for four years and IK Viljan for four years," said Nyberg, known for her game speed, aggressive play and head game. "I was leading goal scorer on each team I played on for at least one year and was a captain for each team. I'm pretty tough and I can thank my older brother Jessi for that."
Nyberg married in 2016 after a meet with Mattias, a football and track athlete at university in 2014.
"He has been part of my pro journey from the start and has never missed a match," said Nyberg. "A teammate was dating a guy who new Mattias and invited both of us to dinner in Valborg. A week after, we played volleyball together and it clicked pretty quickly."
Nyberg was approached in May 2025 to coach the Texoma FC professional 2010 girls academy team.