Phoebe Lynch McClernon (born December 13, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the Seattle Reign of the NWSL.
_110.jpg) McClernon with the Seattle Reign in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Phoebe Lynch McClernon[1] | ||
| Date of birth | December 13, 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Seattle Reign FC | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Penn Fusion | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2019 | Virginia Cavaliers | 88 | (1) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020 | Orlando Pride | 0 | (0) |
| 2020 | Växjö | 12 | (0) |
| 2021 | Orlando Pride | 25 | (0) |
| 2022– | Seattle Reign FC | 47 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2017–2018 | United States U23 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 29, 2021 | |||
Early life
editA native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, McClernon captained her high school team at Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, played club soccer for Penn Fusion Academy and was a member of the Region I Olympic Development Program.[1]
Virginia Cavaliers
editMcClernon played college soccer at the University of Virginia. She played four seasons for the Virginia Cavaliers between 2016 and 2019, playing in all 22 games as a freshman but only starting four. She became a starter in her sophomore year and earned All-ACC honors in each of the following three seasons. In 2019, McClernon was part of a UVA backline that posted a stretch of seven consecutive shutouts in ACC play.[1][2]
Club career
editOrlando Pride
editMcClernon was selected in the second round (14th overall) of the 2020 NWSL College Draft by Orlando Pride.[2][3] With preseason and the ensuing NWSL schedule canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McClernon was eventually signed to a short-term contract for the return to play 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup on June 21, 2020.[4] However, the following day the team confirmed they would be withdrawing from the tournament following multiple positive COVID-19 tests among both players and staff.[5]
Växjö
editIn August 2020, having been unable to play for Orlando, McClernon was released from her short-term contract in order to join Swedish Damallsvenskan club Växjö for the rest of the season.[6] She made her debut on August 16, 2020, playing the first half of a 2–0 defeat to Vittsjö.[7] In total McClernon made 12 league appearances as Växjö finished in sixth-place in 2020.
Return to Orlando Pride
editOn January 22, 2021, McClernon re-signed with Orlando Pride on a two-year contract ahead of the 2021 season.[8] She made her NWSL debut for the club on April 10, 2021, starting in the team's Challenge Cup opener against Racing Louisville. McClernon's early regular season performances were recognized with NWSL Team of the Month honors for May 2021, having started in all four of Orlando Pride's games as the team went unbeaten and finished the month at the top of the table.[9]
Seattle Reign
editOn December 18, 2021, McClernon was traded during the 2022 NWSL Draft to OL Reign in exchange for the 10th overall pick (used to selected Caitlin Cosme), Celia, Leah Pruitt, and a second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.[10]
Over the course of the 2022 National Women's Soccer League season, McClernon made 11 appearances for the club across the regular season and in the playoffs. She also played in two matches of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.[11]
McClernon missed the start of the 2023 National Women's Soccer League season due to a back injury, eventually playing her first game of the season on July 6 against Racing Louisville FC.[12] Following her return, the defender started eight of the final nine fixtures of the regular season and found herself on the pitch for all four playoff games for a total of 974 minutes.[11] She recorded her first assist in a Reign shirt on October 20, 2023, playing the ball to Veronica Latsko for the game winner in the 87th minute of the NWSL playoff quarterfinals against Angel City FC.[13] McClernon featured in all 90 minutes of the Reign's 1-2 loss against NJ/NY Gotham FC in the NWSL Championship final.[14]
As of the match on August 25, 2024 against North Carolina Courage, McClernon has started 15 of the 17 regular season games and provided a second assist as a Reign player, again to Veronica Latsko in a 3-2 defeat against Washington Spirit on May 24.[15]
International career
editMcClernon has been called up to multiple United States under-23 training camps.[16][17] In March 2018, she appeared in all three games for the under-23 team that competed at the Portland Thorns Invitational.[18]
Career statistics
editCollege
edit| School | Season | Division | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Cavaliers | 2016 | Div. I | 22 | 0 |
| 2017 | 23 | 1 | ||
| 2018 | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2019 | 21 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 88 | 1 | ||
Club
edit- As of match played November 2nd, 2024.[19]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Playoffs | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Växjö | 2020 | Damallsvenskan | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |
| Orlando Pride | 2021 | NWSL | 21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | |
| Seattle Reign FC | 2022 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 69 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 95 | 0 | ||
- ^ Includes Svenska Cupen and NWSL Challenge Cup and NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
Honors
edit- with OL Reign
References
edit- ^ a b c "Phoebe McClernon - Virginia Cavaliers". University of Virginia Athletics. April 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "Orlando Pride Trades to No. 3 Overall, Selects Midfielder Taylor Kornieck in the 2020 NWSL College Draft". orlandocitysc.com.
- ^ Ralph, Matthew (January 16, 2020). "Tziarra King and Phoebe McClernon drafted in NWSL College Draft". Brotherly Game.
- ^ "Orlando Pride Announces Roster Moves Ahead of 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup". orlandocitysc.com.
- ^ "Orlando Pride Statement Regarding 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup Participation". orlandocitysc.com.
- ^ "Växjö lånar back från USA". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish).
- ^ "Växjö vs. Vittsjö - 16 August 2020 - Soccerway". Soccerway.
- ^ "Orlando Pride Signs Defender Phoebe McClernon". orlandocitysc.com.
- ^ "NWSL Announces May Team of the Month". nwslsoccer.com. June 3, 2021.
- ^ "OL Reign Acquire Defender Phoebe McClernon in Trade with Orlando Pride". OL Reign. December 18, 2021.
- ^ a b "Phoebe McClernon NWSL Experience". reignfc.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Phoebe McClernon Soccer Stats and News". rotowire.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Match Recap: OL Reign Advances to Fifth Consecutive NWSL Semifinal with 1-0 Win Over Angel City FC". reignfc.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Gotham beats OL Reign to win first NWSL title". espn.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Match Recap: Seattle Scores Twice in Defeat Against Washington". reignfc.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
- ^ "Roster named for U.S. U-23 Women's National Team training camp". SoccerWire.
- ^ "U23 WNT opens 2018 with LA training camp". TopDrawerSoccer.com.
- ^ "U23 WNT wraps up Thorns Invitational". TopDrawerSoccer.com.
- ^ "Phoebe McClernon player profile". Soccerway.
- ^ "OL Reign claim NWSL Shield with comfortable win over Orlando". ESPN. October 2, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ^ "OL Reign Claim 2022 Women's Cup Title with 2-1 Win over Louisville". King 5. August 20, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
