Kristen McNabb

Kristen McNabb
McNabb with the San Diego Wave in 2024
Personal information
Full name Kristen Claire McNabb[1]
Date of birth (1994-04-17) April 17, 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Montville, New Jersey, United States
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 San Diego Wave
Number 14
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2016 Virginia Cavaliers 89 (13)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 OL Reign 76 (2)
2017–2018 → Melbourne Victory (loan) 11 (1)
2022– San Diego Wave 59 (4)
International career
2011 United States U-18
2016–2017 United States U-23
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 10, 2024

Kristen Claire McNabb (born April 17, 1994) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). McNabb has represented the United States on the under-18 and under-23 national teams. She played college soccer at the University of Virginia.

Early life and education

McNabb was raised in Montville, New Jersey, where she attended Montville Township High School.[2] She played club soccer for PDA Charge and captained the team to the national championship games twice.[2] She was ranked 34 nationally by TopDrawerSoccer.[2]

Virginia Cavaliers, 2012–2016

McNabb attended the University of Virginia where she played for the Cavaliers from 2013 to 2016 after redshirting the 2012 season due to injury.[2] During the 2013 season, she made 19 appearances for the Cavaliers including two starts. She endured a knee injury in a match against Virginia Tech on October 31 which prevented her from playing the remainder of the season.[2] The following season, she started in all 26 games and scored her first goal during a match against Tennessee.[2] During the 2015 season, McNabb started in all 23 games and was named to the Second-Team NSCAA All-Southeast Region.[2] In the 2016 season, McNabb captained the Cavaliers. That September she was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Co-Offensive Player Of The Week while playing as a defender and scoring twice against Virginia Tech.[3] The same year, McNabb helped the Cavaliers to a 15–5–2 record. The team reached the Round of 16 of the NCAA Division 1 Soccer Championship for the 12th straight season.[4]

Club career

OL Reign, 2017–2021

McNabb during a match between the Chicago Red Stars and Seattle Reign FC on June 28, 2017.

In January 2017, McNabb was selected by Reign FC as the 37th overall selection in the 2017 NWSL College Draft.[5] She made her debut starting for the club during the season opener on April 15 against Sky Blue FC. She scored her first professional goal on April 22 against the Houston Dash.[citation needed]

Melbourne Victory, 2017 (loan)

In October 2017, McNabb joined Australian club Melbourne Victory on loan for the off-season.[6]

San Diego Wave FC, 2022–

In December 2021, San Diego Wave selected McNabb in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft.[7] McNabb made her debut for the Wave on the club's inaugural match, a 1–1 draw against Angel City FC on March 19, 2022.[8] She appeared in 5 of the 6 of the Wave's 2022 Challenge Cup games, playing 90 minutes in each fixture.[9] During the Challenge Cup and parts of the 2022 season, McNabb played as a defensive midfielder, but she eventually ended back up in her more natural position of left-back.[10] McNabb made her first regular season appearance for the Wave on May 1, 2022, in a 1–0 victory over the Houston Dash.[11] She scored her first goal for the club on July 10, 2022, in a defeat to Angel City FC.[12] McNabb also scored on August 27, 2022, in a win against Portland Thorns FC. Her strike from outside the box would be one of two goals scored in the Wave's first-ever victory over the Thorns.[13] Midway through the 2024 season, McNabb's contract was extended through 2024, with head coach Casey Stoney referring to McNabb as an "integral part of the team."[14] McNabb finished the 2022 season with a career-best 2 goals and 24 games played.[9]

In 2023, McNabb played in 14 games and scored 1 goal for her team.[9] She missed much of the second half of the season due to an injury, unavailable for games spanning from July to October.[15][9] McNabb's first game back would be the Wave's semifinal defeat to the OL Reign, on November 5, 2023.[9] She entered the game as a substitute for Madison Pogarch in the 78th minute of the 1–0 loss.[16][17] McNabb's lone goal of the season occurred on June 17, 2023, in a match against rivals Angel City FC. McNabb opened the scoring in the 57th minute with a left-footed strike through the legs of defender Ali Riley and into the back of the net.[18] Angel City eventually came back to win the match, 2–1.[19]

On May 4, 2024, McNabb participated in a 2–1 loss to Seattle Reign FC, her former team.[20] In stoppage time, McNabb was issued a red card after an altercation with a Reign player.[21][22][23] McNabb's red card suspension rendered her unavailable for the Wave's next fixture, a match against the Utah Royals on May 8.[24] McNabb scored her only goal and only own goal of the 2024 regular season on a September fixture against the Washington Spirit, deflecting the ball into her own net in the first half before scoring off of a corner kick in the 68th minute. McNabb's goal and own goal were the only actions on the scoresheet as the match finished in a 1–1 draw.[25][26] Shortly before the conclusion of the regular season, the Wave re-signed McNabb through the 2026 season.[27][28]

International career

McNabb has represented the United States on the under-18 and under-23 national teams.[2]

Personal life

Professional hockey player Colin Blackwell is McNabb's cousin.[29]

Career statistics

Club

As of November 30, 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Playoffs[b] Continental[c] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Seattle Reign FC[d] 2017 NWSL 18 1 — — — — 18 1
2018 20 0 — 0 0 — — 20 0
2019 16 0 — 1 0 — — 17 0
2020 —[e] 4 0 —[e] — 4[f] 0 8 0
2021 22 1 3 0 1 0 — — 26 1
Total 76 2 7 0 2 0 — 4 0 89 2
Melbourne Victory (loan) 2017-18 A-League 11 1 — — — — 11 1
San Diego Wave FC 2022 NWSL 22 2 5 0 2 0 — — 29 2
2023 13 1 1 0 1 0 — — 15 1
2024 24 1 0 0 — 4 1 3[g] 0 31 2
Total 59 4 6 0 3 0 4 1 3 0 75 5
Career total 146 7 13 0 5 0 4 1 7 0 175 8
  1. ^ Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup
  2. ^ Includes NWSL Playoffs and A-League Finals Series
  3. ^ Includes CONCACAF W Champions Cup
  4. ^ Seattle Reign FC was named Reign FC in 2019 and OL Reign in 2020 and 2021.
  5. ^ a b The 2020 NWSL regular season and playoffs were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  6. ^ Includes NWSL Fall Series
  7. ^ Includes NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup

Honors

San Diego Wave

References

  1. ^ "National team roster – 2022 Concacaf W Championship: USA" (PDF). CONCACAF. June 8, 2022. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Kristen McNabb". University of Virginia. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  3. ^ "STANFORD HOLDS ON TO WOMEN'S COLLEGE SOCCER NO. 1 RANKING". Athena Sports. September 21, 2016. Archived from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  4. ^ "UVA stars Shaffer, McNabb taken in 2017 NWSL Draft". Augusta Free Press. January 12, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  5. ^ Pentz, Matt (January 12, 2017). "Reign selects four players in 2017 National Women's Soccer League draft". Seattle Times. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  6. ^ "Victory signs Kristen McNabb". Melbourne Victory. October 24, 2017.
  7. ^ "Dani Weatherholt and Kristen McNabb Selected in Expansion Draft". OL REIGN: WE ARE THE BOLD. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Athletic, The (March 20, 2022). "Angel City vs. San Diego Wave live updates: Lineups, highlights and more". The Athletic. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  10. ^ Rodriguez, Alicia (December 28, 2022). "San Diego Wave FC 2022 Player Postmortem: Kristen McNabb". LAG Confidential. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  11. ^ "San Diego 1-0 Houston (May 1, 2022) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  12. ^ Support, WaveFC (July 10, 2022). "SAN DIEGO WAVE FÚTBOL CLUB DROPS TO ANGEL CITY IN THRILLER AT BANC OF CALIFORNIA STADIUM". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  13. ^ Emerick, Tyler (August 28, 2022). "SAN DIEGO WAVE FC TAKES DOWN PORTLAND THORNS 2-0". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  14. ^ Emerick, Tyler (July 21, 2022). "SAN DIEGO WAVE FÚTBOL CLUB DROPS TO ANGEL CITY IN THRILLER AT BANC OF CALIFORNIA STADIUM". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  15. ^ Zepeda, Abraham (August 31, 2023). "San Diego Wave release four National Team replacement players". East Village Times. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  16. ^ "Seattle 1-0 San Diego (Nov 5, 2023) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  17. ^ "San Diego Wave FC shut out by OL Reign in NWSL Semifinal". KPBS Public Media. November 6, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  18. ^ "Wave bedeviled by Angel City in 2-1 loss at Snapdragon Stadium". San Diego Union-Tribune. June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  19. ^ Emerick, Tyler (June 17, 2023). "San Diego Wave FC Falls to Angel City FC 2-1 Snapping a Five-Game Undefeated Streak". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  20. ^ Emerick, Tyler (May 4, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Falls 2-1 to Seattle Reign at Lumen Field". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  21. ^ Stone, Chris (May 4, 2024). "Penalty Cards Aplenty as Injury Plagued SD Wave Falls to Rival Seattle Reign 2-1". Times of San Diego. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  22. ^ "Match Recap: Seattle Reign FC Makes Comeback to Down San Diego 2-1". Seattle Reign FC. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  23. ^ "Reign snap 5-game losing streak with 2-1 victory over the Wave". AP News. May 4, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  24. ^ Emerick, Tyler (May 9, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Defeat Utah Royals FC 2-0 at Snapdragon Stadium". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  25. ^ "The Sporting Tribune". The Sporting Tribune. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  26. ^ Emerick, Tyler (September 2, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Ties Washington Spirit 1-1 at Snapdragon Stadium". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  27. ^ Emerick, Tyler (October 24, 2024). "Wave FC Re-Signs Defender Kristen McNabb". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  28. ^ "Wave sign defender Kristen McNabb to a 2-year contract extension". San Diego Union-Tribune. October 24, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  29. ^ @elindsay08 (July 30, 2021). "Me when Kraken forward Colin Blackwell says his cousin Kristen McNabb (@KristenMcNabb14) plays for @OLReign ...I…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "San Diego Wave claim 2023 NWSL Shield". CONCACAF. October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  31. ^ Emerick, Tyler (March 16, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Defeat 1-0 NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2024 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
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