Kia McNeill facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kia Janeen McNeill | ||
| Date of birth | May 15, 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Avon, Connecticut, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2007 | Boston College Eagles | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005 | New England Mutiny | ||
| 2007 | Bay State Select | ||
| 2008 | Kristianstads DFF | ||
| 2009 | Saint Louis Athletica | 19 | (0) |
| 2010 | Atlanta Beat | 19 | (0) |
| 2011 | Philadelphia Independence | 17 | (1) |
| 2012 | Rossiyanka | 1 | (0) |
| 2013 | Boston Breakers | 21 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| United States U-19 | |||
| United States U-23 | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016– | Brown Bears | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Kia Janeen McNeill, born on May 15, 1986, is a former American professional soccer player. She played as a defender. Her last team was the Boston Breakers in the NWSL.
Before that, she played for teams like the Saint Louis Athletica, Philadelphia Independence, and the Atlanta Beat in the WPS. Kia was also a part of the United States U-23 women's national soccer team.
Contents
Early Life and High School Soccer
Kia McNeill grew up in Avon, Connecticut. She went to Avon High School. There, she was a key player for the girls' soccer team.
Her team won the Class M State Championships three times in a row. They also had three seasons without losing any games. In 2003, Kia was named the State Player of the Year in Connecticut. She was also chosen as an NSCAA High School All-American twice. Besides soccer, she played basketball and ran track. In 2010, Kia was honored by being added to the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Playing for Boston College
Kia McNeill played soccer for Boston College for four years. She started every game, playing in 86 games in a row. For her first three years, she played as a forward. In her senior year, she changed to play as a defender.
As a team captain, Kia was very important to the Eagles' defense. Their defense was one of the best in the country. She ended her college career as one of the top scorers at Boston College. She scored 24 goals and had 13 assists in 86 games. Kia was named the Big East Rookie of the Year. She also made the All-Big East First Team.
Professional Soccer Career
Playing for Clubs
Kristianstads DFF
Just two days after finishing college at Boston College, Kia McNeill went to Sweden. She started her professional soccer career there. She joined Kristianstads DFF, a team in the Damallsvenskan league.
St. Louis Athletica
In 2009, Kia was chosen ninth overall in the 2009 WPS Draft by the Saint Louis Athletica. During the 2009 WPS season, she played in 19 games for the team. She started 17 of those games.
Kia helped the Saint Louis defense be very strong. They allowed very few goals, which was one of the best records in the WPS. They also had many games where they didn't let the other team score at all.
Atlanta Beat
In February 2010, Kia McNeill moved to the Atlanta Beat. She started all 19 games for them. She played a total of 1624 minutes that season.
Philadelphia Independence
During the 2011 WPS season, Kia played for a new team called Philadelphia Independence. She started all 17 games she played. She scored one goal for the team that season.
Rossiyanka
After the WPS league stopped playing in early 2012, Kia McNeill briefly played for WFC Rossiyanka. She played one game, starting and playing the whole 90 minutes.
Boston Breakers
In February 2013, it was announced that Kia McNeill would play for the Boston Breakers. This was for the first season of the National Women's Soccer League. She started 21 out of 22 games for the Breakers in 2013. However, she later announced that she would not play in the 2014 season. She wanted to focus on her school and coaching work.
International Play
Kia McNeill played in two games for the US U-23 Women's National Team. These games took place in La Manga, Spain. Before that, she was part of the U-19 Women's national team. She scored four goals for the U-19 team during a World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Canada.
