_030_(McKeown).jpg) McKeown with theWashington Spirit in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tara Leana McKeown[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1999-07-02)July 2, 1999 (age 25) | ||
| Place of birth | Newbury Park, California, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Center back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Washington Spirit | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | USC Trojans | 76 | (33) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021– | Washington Spirit | 79 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017–2018 | United States U20 | ||
| 2019 | United States U23 | ||
| 2025– | United States | 5 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of February 9, 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of April 8, 2025 | |||
Tara Leana McKeown (born July 2, 1999) is an American professionalsoccer player who plays as acenter back forNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL) clubWashington Spirit and theUnited States national team Formerly aforward, she played college soccer for theUSC Trojans before being drafted eighth overall by the Spirit in the2021 NWSL Draft.
Born to Conor and Tracy McKeown inNewbury Park, California, McKeown was raised with two sisters and one brother. She attendedNewbury Park High School, where she played soccer and competed in hurdles in track.[2]
McKeown attended theUniversity of Southern California and featured in 76 matches for theTrojans from 2017 to 2021. In her freshman year, McKeown appeared in all 20 games during the season and was included 2017 Pac-12 All-Freshman team.[2] In her junior year, McKeown transitioned from playing as a fullback to a forward.[3] She finished the year with 15 goals and 8 assists, getting named the 2019 Pac-12 Forward of the Year and becoming a semifinalist for theMac Hermann Trophy. In her final year of college, McKeown started all 14 games and led the team in assists.[4]
TheWashington Spirit selected McKeown with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the2021 NWSL Draft.[5] Earlier, the Spirit had traded $100,000 inNWSLallocation money and its second-round pick in the2022 NWSL Draft toSky Blue FC in order to obtain the pick.[6] After being selected, McKeown chose to play in her final year with USC before joining the Spirit after the college soccer season concluded.[7]
On May 15, 2021, the Spirit signed McKeown to a two-year contract with an option for a third year.[8] The next day, she made her NWSL debut, coming on as an 87th-minute substitute forAshley Sanchez in a 1–1 draw with theOrlando Pride.[9][10] On September 26, 2021, McKeown scored her first goal for the Spirit in a game vsKansas City in a 2–1 victory. Later in the season, McKeown appeared in the2021 NWSL Championship, helping the Spirit beat theChicago Red Stars in a 2–1 result and earn the firstNWSL Championship win in club history. McKeown directly contributed to the victory, drawing a penalty in the 66th minute of the match after being fouled in the box by Chicago defenderTierna Davidson.[11] McKeown's teammate,Andi Sullivan, converted the penalty kick and drew the two teams level.[12]
On January 19, 2023, the Spirit announced that the club had re-signed McKeown on a three-year contract with a team option for 2026.[13] At the start of the2023 NWSL season, McKeown was converted from a forward into acenter back.[14][15] She played in 21 of the 22 regular season matches for the Spirit, leading the NWSL in clearances.[16] On June 21, 2023, McKeown was selected as the NWSL Player of the Week after scoring 2 goals (in separate competitions) and making several important defensive actions.[17][18][19]
McKeown played every minute of the 2024 season for the Spirit, becoming aniron woman for the first time.[20] During the Spirit's quarterfinal playoff game againstBay FC, McKeown scored a goal from outside the box in the 86th minute. Her strike equalized the score at 1–1, pushing the game into extra time. The Spirit would later go on to win the match 2–1, advancing to the semifinals.[21][22] Washington went to on advance to thechampionship game, losing to theOrlando Pride.[23]
Washington got some revenge for their championship loss by defeating Orlando in the2025 NWSL Challenge Cup on penalties. McKeown scored the winning penalty kick in the shootout.[23]
McKeown has played internationally for theUnited States women's national under-20 soccer team. On July 17, 2018, McKeown was named to the roster for the2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, alongside USC teammateSavannah DeMelo.[24][25][26] McKeown appeared in the starting lineup for the United States in the team's second group stage match, versusParaguay.[27]
In 2019, McKeown was a member of theUnited States women's national under-23 soccer team. She was part of the squad that participated in the 2019 Women’s International U-23 La Manga Tournament.[28] McKeown was the lone goalscorer for the United States in its second match of the competition, a 3–1 loss against France. The goal was McKeown's first international goal at any level.[29]
McKeown received her first call-up to thesenior national team in January 2025.[30] She earned her first cap on February 20, 2025 in aSheBelieves Cup game againstColombia, a 2–0 win.[31]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Playoffs[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Washington Spirit | 2021 | NWSL | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 23 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 3 | ||||
| 2023 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 25 | 2 | ||||
| 2024 | 26 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | 3[c] | 0 | 32 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 79 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 94 | 7 | ||
| National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | 5 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 0 | |
Washington Spirit
Individual