_038.jpg) Barnes with theSeattle Reign in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lauren Kate Barnes | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1989-05-31)May 31, 1989 (age 36) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Arcadia,California, United States | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defender | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Seattle Reign FC | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Arsenal FC | |||||||||||||||||
| Beach FC | |||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | UCLA Bruins | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Philadelphia Independence | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013– | Seattle Reign FC | 252 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2014 | →Melbourne Victory (loan) | 15 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2020 | →Melbourne City (loan) | 26 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | →Kristianstads DFF (loan) | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 304 | (6) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | United States U20 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | United States U23 | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of November 8, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
Lauren Kate Barnes (born May 31, 1989) is an American professionalsoccer player who plays as adefender forSeattle Reign FC of theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She previously played for thePhiladelphia Independence in theWPS and represented the United States on theunder-15,under-20, andunder-23 national teams.
Barnes was namedNWSL Defender of the Year in 2016 and was twice named to the league'sBest XI in 2015 and 2016. She won theNWSL Shield with the Reign in 2014, 2015, and 2022. As of 2025[update], she has played themost-ever games and minutes of any NWSL player and is one of four players from the inaugural season of the league to still be playing. Barnes won multiple league championships in Australia withMelbourne Victory andMelbourne City and played one season for Swedish clubKristianstads DFF.
Barnes was born inArcadia, California, to parents Joyce and Gary Barnes. She attendedUpland High School inUpland, California, where she was a four-time first-team All-CIF selection. She was rated as the number two overall recruit in the nation by RISE Magazine and Soccer Buzz and was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of California. In 2005 and 2006 she was named Parade All-American, NSCAA/adidas Girls Youth All-American, and 2006 CIF-Southern Section Co-Player of the Year. In addition to her high school play, Barnes played for local club soccer team, Arsenal FC.[1]
Barnes attendedUCLA where she played for theBruins from 2007 to 2010. During her freshman year, she finished the season with one goal and three assists for a total of five points. She was one of six players and just two freshmen to start all 24 matches for the team. She was named to the Soccer America Freshman All-American and Pac-10 All-Freshman Teams. She scored her lone goal for the season in a 3–1 victory over Arizona State and assisted on the game-winning goal in a 3–2 NCAA Quarterfinal victory over University of Portland.[1]
During her sophomore year, Barnes appeared in all 25 matches, starting 24. She ended the season with six points (six assists). Barnes helped the UCLA defense rank first in the country in goals against average (0.23), allowing only six goals in 25 matches. In 2009, Barnes was one of just three players who started all 25 matches and ranked fourth on the team in scoring with 14 points (two goals and ten assists). She tied withLauren Cheney for the team lead in assists with 10. Barnes scored the game-winning goal in a 3–2 double-overtime victory over Arizona State.[1]
During her senior year, Barnes played and started 22 of 23 matches. She was a leader of the Bruin defense that surrendered less than a goal a game (0.84). Under her direction, the defense posted nine shutouts in 23 matches. She was also a contributor for the offense, ranking second on the team in scoring with 16 points (scoring five goals and providing six assists). She scored game-winning goals in wins over San Diego and Washington State and assisted on the game-winning goal in a 2–1 victory over the University of Central Florida in the NCAA Second Round. She was a First-Team All-Pac-10 selection and named Third-Team NSCAA All-American.[1][2][3][4]
Barnes was selected in the third round (fifteenth overall) of the2011 WPS Draft by thePhiladelphia Independence.[5][6] She was included on the bench for nine matches, but did not make an appearance.[7] The Independence finished second during the regular season with a13–4–3 record. The team advanced to theplayoffs where they defeatedmagicJack 2–0 in the Super Semifinal.[8] They faced regular season winnersWestern New York Flash in the WPS Final where they were defeated 5–4 in penalty kicks after a 1–1 draw.[9][10]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Barnes' last-minute save vs FC Kansas City on June 9, 2013retrieved August 24, 2013 |
Barnes was selected by theSeattle Reign FC during the2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft as their second pick (tenth pick overall).[11][12][13] Barnes was key component in the Reign's defense playing primarily as a center-back for the squad throughout the2013 season. During a home match againstFC Kansas City on June 9, 2013, her defensive skill was especially highlighted when she reached a shot just before it crossed the goal line that had bounced over goalkeeper Hope Solo's head. With a diving tackle into the netting, Barnes tipped the ball over the crossbar and out of the goal.[14] Along with teammateChristine Nairn, Barnes was one of only two players on the Reign to play in all 22 matches during the 2013 season. She was the only player to start every game tallying 1,949 minutes. After the season ended, Barnes earned team honors for Defender of the Year.[15][16][17]
In January 2014, Barnes joined Seattle Reign FC teammateJess Fishlock on theMelbourne Victory squad in Australia's W-League as a guest player from the Reign.[18] During her five appearances for the team, she scored two goals and helped the team win the Grand Final where the Victory defeatedBrisbane Roar 2–0. Barnes scored the Victory's second goal of the match. The win marked the Victory's first Grand Final title in the history of the team.[19]
Following her successful guest stint, Barnes signed with Melbourne Victory thefollowing season on a loan deal.[20]
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Barnes returned to the Reign for the2014 season. The team set a league record unbeaten streak of 16 games during the first part of the season. During the 16 game stretch, the Reign compiled a 13–0–3 record.[21] The Reign finished first in the regular season clinching theNWSL Shield for the first time.[22] After defeating theWashington Spirit 2–1 in the playoff semi-finals, the Reign were defeated 2–1 byFC Kansas City during the championship final.[23] Following the regular season, Barnes along with goalkeeperHope Solo and fellow defenderStephanie Cox were named to the Second XI team.[24] Barnes finished the 2014 season having started in 22 of the 23 games in which she played.[25]
After returning to the Reign for the2015 season, Barnes started in all 20 games of the regular season playing for all 1,800 minutes in the defender position. During an away match againstSky Blue FC on May 9, she scored an equalizer goal resulting in a 1–1 draw.[26] Barnes served two assists throughout the season. The Reign finished the regular season in first place clinching theNWSL Shield for the second consecutive time.[27] After advancing to theplayoffs, Seattle faced fourth-place teamWashington Spirit and won 3–0, advancing to the championship final.[28] Seattle was ultimately defeated 1–0 byFC Kansas City during the championship final in Portland.[29] Barnes, along with teammatesKim Little,Beverly Yanez, andJess Fishlock were named to theNWSL Best XI team, and she was a finalist forNWSL Defender of the Year.[30][31]
In October 2016, Barnes signed a loan deal withMelbourne City, alongside Seattle Reign FC teammate Jess Fishlock, with whom she previously played at Melbourne Victory.[32] In October 2017, she commenced pre-season training with Melbourne City, re-signing with them for the2017–18 W-League season.[33] Barnes went on to be awarded Melbourne City W-League Player of the Year and was named to the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) W-League Team of the Year.[34] It was confirmed that Melbourne City re-signed Barnes for the2018–2019W-League and 2019/20 seasons.[35][36]
Barnes won the NWSL Defender of the Year award for the 2016 season, marking the first time the award was not won byBecky Sauerbrunn.[37] She was again a Defender of the Year finalist behind Sauerbrunn in the 2019 season.[38]
_07.jpg)
On May 15, 2021, Barnes became the second player in NWSL history to play in 150 regular season matches and the first to do so playing for a single club, the Reign.[39] By the end of the 2023 season Barnes had appeared in more matches, started more matches, and played more minutes than any player in the 11-year history of the NWSL.[40]
She has served as the captain for Seattle Reign FC since the2022 season, and on January 10, 2023, she signed a two-year contract extension through the 2025 season.[41] On October 10, 2025, Barnes made record-extending 250th regular-season NWSL appearance.[42] Three days later, the Reign announced that Barnes would retire at the end of the 2025 season.[43]
Barnes has represented the United States at the U-15, U-20, and U-23 levels.[1] In 2010, she helped lead theU-23 team to the 2010 Four Nations Tournament title.[44] In 2016, she received her firstsenior national team call-up for the2016 SheBelieves Cup, but did not make an appearance.[45]
In 2012, she was an assistant coach for Division I team,UC Riverside.[46] She has served as a trainer for Beast Mode Soccer along with former teammateBeverly Yanez.[47][48]
Barnes has been an environmental advocate and spearheaded sustainability initiatives with Reign and the NWSL.[49] In July 2024, she became a co-owner of USL W team,Salmon Bay FC.[50]
United States
Individual
