Jump to content

Abby Dahlkemper

From Alfawiki
Abby Dahlkemper
Born
Abigail Lynn Dahlkemper

(1993-05-13) May 13, 1993 (age 33)
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationProfessional soccer player
Years active2013–present
Known forCenter back for Bay FC and United States women's national soccer team

Abigail Lynn Dahlkemper (born May 13, 1993) is a professional American soccer athlete who currently occupies the center back position for Bay FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and represents the United States national team.

During her collegiate career, Dahlkemper played for the UCLA Bruins, where she was instrumental in securing the NCAA championship in 2013 and was honored with the Honda Sports Award in 2014. Selected third overall by the Western New York Flash in the 2015 NWSL College Draft, she earned her first NWSL Championship title with the Flash in 2016. Following the franchise's relocation, Dahlkemper was awarded the NWSL Defender of the Year accolade in 2017 and played a key role in achieving consecutive league doubles with the North Carolina Courage during 2018 and 2019.

Early life

Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Dahlkemper grew up in Menlo Park, California. She is one of three siblings, with brothers Andrew and Joseph, and is the daughter of Andrew and Susan Dahlkemper. She attended Sacred Heart Preparatory, where she competed on the school’s soccer team. In 2010, she earned recognition as the Gatorade California Girls Soccer Player of the Year and was named a Parade All-American.

College career

Dahlkemper contributed significantly to the UCLA Bruins capturing their inaugural NCAA national championship in 2013. The following year, her outstanding collegiate performance garnered her the esteemed Honda Sports Award.

Club career

In 2013, Dahlkemper joined the Pali Blues competing in the W-League. That season, her team secured both the western conference title and the league’s national championship.

Western New York Flash

Dahlkemper was chosen third overall by the Western New York Flash during the January 2015 NWSL College Draft. After signing with them in March, she made her debut in April. She played an important role in helping the Flash win the NWSL Championship in 2016.

Adelaide United (loan)

In October 2015, Dahlkemper went on loan to Adelaide United for the 2015–16 Australian W-League season.

North Carolina Courage

Following the sale of Western New York Flash to North Carolina FC ownership in 2017, Dahlkemper became a member of the newly formed North Carolina Courage. She participated in every minute of play that year, aiding her team in winning the NWSL Shield, earning a place on the 2017 NWSL Best XI, and receiving the honor of NWSL Defender of the Year.

In 2018, Dahlkemper appeared in 19 regular season matches as a defensive cornerstone for a squad that set a record for fewest goals allowed while clinching a second consecutive NWSL Shield. She was once again selected for the NWSL Best XI and was among finalists for Defender of the Year. The Courage secured their second straight NWSL Championship by defeating Portland 3–0 in the playoffs while maintaining a clean sheet throughout postseason play.

Manchester City

On January 16, 2021, Dahlkemper committed to a two-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester City competing in England’s FA WSL. She became the third American international to join Manchester City during the 2020–21 campaign after teammates Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle. Her departure from Manchester City was announced on August 20, 2021.

Houston Dash

On August 29, 2021, the Houston Dash bolstered their defensive corps by acquiring Abby Dahlkemper in a trade with the North Carolina Courage.

San Diego Wave

Dahlkemper became the first-ever signing for the NWSL expansion team San Diego Wave FC on November 22, 2021, representing a significant strategic addition. During the 2022 season, she encountered several injuries, including a fractured rib and complications with her back, which resulted in her being ruled out for the remainder of the season and missing the NWSL playoffs. To alleviate sciatic nerve pain, she underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery in November 2022.

She made her return to competitive play on August 5, 2023, participating in a Challenge Cup fixture against Angel City. Her strong performance earned her a spot on the NWSL’s Best XI of the Month for August, underscoring her successful comeback.

Bay FC

On August 26, 2024, Bay FC secured Abby Dahlkemper’s transfer from San Diego Wave FC in exchange for $50,000 in allocation funds. She agreed to a contract extension through 2026 with an option to continue into 2027. Dahlkemper made her debut for Bay FC in a friendly against FC Barcelona and netted her first goal for the club during a 3-1 away victory over Portland Thorns. This achievement made her the fifth player in NWSL history to score in consecutive regular-season matches for different teams.

International career

Dahlkemper represented the United States at the under-23 level during the 2013 Four Nations and 2014 Six Nations tournaments, contributing to championship wins in both competitions.

Her initial call-up to the senior U.S. Women's National Team came in October 2016, and she made her debut as a substitute in a match against Switzerland. After overcoming a sepsis infection late that year, Dahlkemper established herself as a consistent starter at center back by mid-2017, starting ten of the final eleven matches and ranking fifth on the squad for total minutes played that season.

In 2018, she played an integral role as the U.S. won both the SheBelieves Cup and Tournament of Nations and was included on the roster for the CONCACAF Women’s Championship.

At the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Dahlkemper started every game alongside Becky Sauerbrunn, logging nearly full minutes throughout the tournament as the United States captured its fourth World Cup title by defeating the Netherlands 2–0 in the final.

Personal life

In 2019, Dahlkemper appeared alongside USWNT teammates Crystal Dunn, Megan Rapinoe, and Alex Morgan in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue shot in Saint Lucia. She is married to Aaron Schoenfeld; their relationship began in May 2019, they announced their engagement in December 2020, and were wed privately on January 5, 2021.

Club

Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Playoffs[lower-alpha 2] Continental[lower-alpha 3] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Pali Blues 2013 USL W-League ? ? — 2 0 — — 2 0
Los Angeles Blues 2014 ? ? — 2 0 — — 2 0
Western New York Flash 2015 NWSL 20 0 — — — — 20 0
2016 20 2 — 2 0 — — 22 2
North Carolina Courage 2017 24 0 — 2 0 — — 26 0
2018 19 0 — 2 0 — — 21 0
2019 14 0 — 2 0 — — 16 0
2020 — 4 0 — — 4[lower-alpha 4] 1 8 1
Houston Dash 2021 8 0 0 0 — — — 8 0
San Diego Wave FC 2022 8 0 5 0 0 0 — — 13 0
2023 6 1 1 0 1 0 — — 8 1
2024 13 1 1 0 — — — 14 1
Adelaide United FC 2015–16 W-League 12 5 — — — — 12 5
Manchester City W.F.C. 2020–21 FA WSL 8 0 1 0 — 4 0 — 13 0
Career total 152 9 12 0 13 0 4 0 4 1 185 10

International

National team appearances and goals by year
National team Year Appearances Goals scored
United States 2016 2 0
2017 11 0
2018 17 0
2019 23 0
2020 9 0
2021 15 0
2022 2 0
2023 1 0
2024 4 0
Total 84 0

Honors

UCLA

Western New York Flash
North Carolina Courage

San Diego Wave

United States

Individual accolades

See also

External links


Cite error: <ref> tags exist for a group named "lower-alpha", but no corresponding <references group="lower-alpha"/> tag was found

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Abby_Dahlkemper&oldid=64837"