Jay Michael DeMerit (born December 4, 1979) is an American former soccer player who played as a center back.

After his release from Watford, he was the first player signed by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC for their entrance in MLS, where he played four seasons before retiring through injury.

DeMerit was a three-sport high school athlete in Wisconsin, where he participated in basketball and track in addition to soccer.

While in college, DeMerit formed part of a defensive backline that helped lead the team into the NCAA playoffs in 2000.

However, under new coach Aidy Boothroyd, Watford maintained strong form throughout the season and finished third in the Championship table, earning the right to enter the playoffs for the last of three annual promotion spots to the Premier League.

He captained Watford for the first time on December 9, 2006, in the home game against Reading, and re-donned the armband on January 6, 2007, for the 4–1 win over Stockport County in the FA Cup third round.

[6] However, this later proved to be a temporary move, with the captaincy rotating between himself, Danny Shittu, and Richard Lee, before finally being passed to John Eustace, a newly signed central midfielder.

[8] On November 18, 2010, DeMerit was announced as the first player signed by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in preparation for their entry into Major League Soccer in 2011.

In the 2009 Confederations Cup, DeMerit started at center back due to Carlos Bocanegra's hamstring injury.

[citation needed] DeMerit also played the entire match when the USMNT lost 3–2 to Brazil in the Cup final on June 28, 2009.

[14] Despite his success in the World Cup squad and with Vancouver, he was not recalled to the national team under Bradley's successor Jürgen Klinsmann.