Lauren Holiday facts for kids
Holiday in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Lauren Cheney Holiday | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Lauren Nicole Cheney | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | September 30, 1987 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward, midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ben Davis High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | UCLA Bruins | (71) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Pali Blues | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Boston Breakers | 32 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | FC Kansas City | 48 | (22) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | United States U17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | United States U20 | 20 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | United States U21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2015 | United States | 133 | (24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 5, 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of October 25, 2015 |
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Lauren Cheney Holiday (born Lauren Nicole Cheney; September 30, 1987) is a retired American professional soccer player. She played as a midfielder and forward. Lauren was a key player for the United States women's national soccer team from 2007 to 2015.
She is famous for winning two Olympic gold medals. She also helped her team win the FIFA Women's World Cup. Holiday played for professional clubs like FC Kansas City and the Boston Breakers. Before turning pro, she played college soccer for the UCLA Bruins.
In 2007, she was named the U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year. Later, in 2014, she earned the title of U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year. After she retired, her jersey number was the first to be retired in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Contents
Early Life and High School Soccer
Lauren Holiday was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She started playing soccer when she was very young. She even played on boys' teams until she was 12 years old.
Lauren went to Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. There, she was named the best offensive player in 2004–05. She scored 118 goals and made 67 assists during her high school career. She also won many awards, including being named a Parade All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year in 2006. She graduated early in 2006 to train with the United States U-20 women's national soccer team.
College Soccer at UCLA
In 2006, Lauren joined the UCLA soccer team. She quickly became a star player. In her first year, she led the Pac-10 Conference with 19 goals. This set a new record for UCLA freshmen.
During her time at UCLA, Lauren was named an All-American every year. She set new school records for total points (173) and game-winning goals (28). She also tied the school record for career goals with 71. The UCLA Bruins reached the NCAA College Cup several times with her on the team.
Professional Club Career
Pali Blues: Starting Strong
In 2009, Lauren played for the Pali Blues in the W-League. Her team had an amazing season, not losing a single match. They won the championship title on August 7, 2009. Lauren even scored a goal in the semi-final game.
Boston Breakers: WPS Years
In 2010, Lauren was chosen by the Boston Breakers in the WPS Draft. She played in 23 games and scored five goals in her first season. She was also selected to start in the 2010 WPS All-Star Game.
In 2011, she continued to play well for the Breakers. Her two goals in the final regular season match helped her team make it to the playoffs.
FC Kansas City: Championship Glory
In 2013, Lauren joined FC Kansas City for the first season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She quickly became one of the league's top players. In June 2013, she was named NWSL Player of the Month. She led the league in scoring with 12 goals that season.
After the 2013 NWSL season, Lauren won the Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals. She was also named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
In the 2014 NWSL season, FC Kansas City finished second. Lauren had 7 assists and scored 8 goals. In the playoffs, she helped her team win their first NWSL title. She was named the MVP of the championship game.
By 2015, Lauren was the all-time leading goal scorer and assist leader in the NWSL. She retired from the NWSL at the end of the 2015 season. FC Kansas City won the championship again that year, so Lauren retired as a champion. Her number 12 jersey was retired in her honor.
International Career with the U.S. National Team
Lauren made her first appearance for the U.S. women's national soccer team on January 26, 2007, against Germany. She scored her first goals against Mexico on April 14, 2007. That same year, she was named the U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year.
2008 Beijing Olympics: Gold Medalist
Lauren was part of the U.S. team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She played in three games as a substitute. The U.S. team won the gold medal at the tournament.
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup: All-Star Performance
In 2011, Lauren helped the U.S. team prepare for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored her 12th international goal during a 2–1 win over Canada.
During the World Cup, Lauren started in all six matches. She scored two goals and had three assists. Her excellent play earned her a spot on the Women's World Cup All-Star Team. She scored the first U.S. goal of the tournament against North Korea. She also scored in the semi-final match against France, helping the U.S. reach the final. The U.S. team finished as runners-up after a close match against Japan.
2012 London Olympics: Another Gold
Lauren was a key player for the United States team in the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. She had seven assists in five games. She played in all six games at the 2012 Summer Olympics. The U.S. team won another gold medal, with Lauren contributing significantly.
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup: World Champion
In 2015, Lauren scored the third goal in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. Her goal helped the U.S. team defeat Japan 5–2. This victory made the U.S. team World Cup champions.
After winning the World Cup, Lauren announced her retirement from international soccer on July 7, 2015.
Honors and Awards
International Achievements
- Olympic Gold Medal: 2008, 2012
- FIFA Women's World Cup: 2015
- Algarve Cup: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
- CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2008, 2012
- CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2014
- Four Nations Tournament: 2007, 2008, 2011
Individual Awards
- Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award (2023)
- FIFA Women's World Cup All-Star Team: 2011
- WPS All-Star: 2010
- NWSL Best XI: 2013, 2014
- NWSL Most Valuable Player: 2013
- NWSL Golden Boot: 2013
- NWSL Championship Most Valuable Player: 2014
- U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year: 2007
- NCAA All-American First-Team: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year: 2007
- Soccer America Player of the Year Award: 2007
- U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year: 2014
- Sagamore of the Wabash: 2015
- National Soccer Hall of Fame: 2023
Team Awards
- with FC Kansas City
- NWSL championship: 2014, 2015
Personal Life
Lauren Holiday married professional basketball player Jrue Holiday on July 7, 2013. They met in 2008 while both attending UCLA. Jrue plays in the NBA.
Lauren is a Christian.
In 2016, Lauren faced a health challenge during her pregnancy. She recovered well after surgery. She gave birth to a daughter, Jrue Tyler Holiday, in September 2016. In 2020, she welcomed a son named Hendrix.
Lauren has worked with brands like Under Armour and Chobani. In 2020, she became part of the ownership group for Angel City FC in the NWSL. In April 2025, she invested in the North Carolina Courage and now serves as an ambassador and advisor for the club.
See also
In Spanish: Lauren Holiday para niños
- List of American and Canadian soccer champions
- List of Olympic medalists in football
- List of footballers with 100 or more caps
- List of UCLA alumni
