Alex Loera
American soccer player
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexis Alycia Loera[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1999-06-19) June 19, 1999 (age 24) | ||
| Place of birth | Thornton, Colorado, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Bay FC | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Colorado Storm | |||
| The Academy | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | Santa Clara Broncos | 98 | (7) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Kansas City Current | 30 | (0) |
| 2024– | Bay FC | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| United States U17 | |||
| 2022 | United States U23 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 13, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of April 6, 2023 | |||
Alexis Alycia Loera (born June 19, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Bay FC in the National Women's Soccer League.
Youth career
Loera grew up in Thornton, Colorado, and began playing soccer among other sports when she was three years old. She eventually selected soccer over playing softball.[2] She played high school soccer for The Academy of Westminster, Colorado, and also played for Colorado Storm of the Elite Clubs National League.[2][3]
College career
Loera played NCAA Division I women's soccer for the Santa Clara Broncos. Loera was a captain for the Broncos team that won the 2020 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament, resulting in Santa Clara's second national championship. Loera was also named the tournament's Defensive Most Outstanding player.[3]
Club career
Expansion team Kansas City NWSL selected Loera with the 36th-overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, though she opted to return to Santa Clara for an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She joined the then-renamed Current in 2022.[3]
Kansas City Current, 2022–2023
On March 18, 2022, Loera made her professional debut for Kansas City as a starter in a 1–1 Challenge Cup draw against Racing Louisville FC. She scored her first professional goal on April 24, 2022, against Chicago Red Stars in a 2–1 Challenge Cup victory, and the goal was featured on SportsCenter as a Top 10 play.[4]
In the 2022 NWSL Playoffs semifinal match against OL Reign, Loera—moving from the backline to defensive midfield in place of suspended Desiree Scott—scored the fastest goal in NWSL Playoffs history with a 4th-minute tally. The goal was Loera's first in the regular season or postseason, and was also the eventual match-winner as Kansas City won 2–0 and advanced to the NWSL Championship match.[5] Kansas City fell in the championship to Portland Thorns FC by a final score of 0–2; Loera started and played the full 90 minutes.[6]
On January 5, 2023, Kansas City Current announced that it had re-signed Loera to a three-year contract through the 2025 season.[4]
Bay FC, 2023–
On November 15, 2023, the Current traded Loera to NWSL expansion team Bay FC in exchange for $175,000 in allocation money and immunity in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft. The transaction made Loera the first player signed in Bay FC's history.[7]
International career
Loera was called into camps for the United States under-17 and under-23 national soccer teams.[3]
Personal life
Loera is currently in a relationship with former Kansas City Current teammate Chardonnay Curran.[8]
Honors
Santa Clara Broncos
References
- ^ "Class of 2021: Alexis Alycia Loera". Santa Clara University. June 2021. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Azzi, Alex (October 28, 2022). "Q+A: Alex Loera on journey to Kansas City, 2022 NWSL Championship". On Her Turf. NBC Sports. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Wiley, Ben (September 10, 2022). "NWSL Rookie Report: Alex Loera electrifying for the Kansas City Current". Soccer America. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ a b Green, PJ (January 5, 2023). "Kansas City Current re-signs defender Alex Loera". WDAF-TV. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ Hruby, Emma (October 23, 2022). "Alex Loera's first NWSL goal helps Current advance to title game". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ Carlisle, Jeff (October 29, 2022). "Portland Thorns overcome adversity-filled season to win third NWSL title". ESPN. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ "Alex Loera traded to Bay FC as NWSL expansion team's first player". CBS News. November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ Loera, Alex (November 13, 2023). "Alex Loera". twitter.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
External links
- Alex Loera at Soccerway
- v
- t
- e
Bay FC – current squad
