Mackenzie Kay Wood (born July 4, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played collegiately for the Northwestern Wildcats and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
_056.jpg) Wood with the Chicago Red Stars in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mackenzie Kay Wood | ||
| Date of birth | July 4, 2000 | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Chicago Red Stars | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Northwestern Wildcats | 67 | (0) |
| 2022 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 18 | (0) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Chicago Red Stars | 3 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Stade de Reims (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 1, 2024 | |||
Early life
editWood was raised in Granger, Indiana, near South Bend, the daughter of Matt and Kiley Wood.[1] She captained her Indiana Fire club team and her team at Penn High School.[1] She helped her school team reach the state final as a sophomore in 2015, but finished runners-up.[2] In her senior year in 2017, she posted 20 clean sheets as her school team became undefeated state champions and was recognized as an All-American by TopDrawerSoccer.[3] While in high school, she was called into national training camps with the United States under-16 and under-18 teams in 2016 and 2017.[1]
College career
editWood was the starting goalkeeper for the Northwestern Wildcats beginning as a freshman.[4] In the 2018 season, she led the Big Ten Conference with 0.650 goals against average and recorded eight shutouts in nineteen games, being named to the Big Ten all-freshman team and Northwestern's most valuable player. She started all 67 games for the Wildcats over four years. Outside of the 2020 season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, she posted more than 70 saves in three seasons.[1][5] She graduated with degrees in statistics and communication studies.[6]
Wood then entered the transfer portal and joined the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for her fifth season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2022 regular season, she allowed only five goals in twelve games, including nine clean sheets, to help the Fighting Irish place third in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).[7] She led the ACC with a career-best 0.600 goals against average and had a career-high ten shutouts, receiving third-team All-ACC honors. She helped Notre Dame hold its first three opponents in the NCAA tournament scoreless before falling in the quarterfinals.[8] She earned her master's degree in sports analytics and studied for another master's in data science.[6]
Club career
editWood was invited to train with the Chicago Red Stars as a non-roster trialist in the 2023 preseason.[9] She signed an injury replacement contract with the team on March 25 and made her professional debut in a friendly against the Mexico national team on April 8.[10][11] On August 30, she signed a three-year contract with a one-year option and was immediately loaned to French club Stade de Reims for a year.[12] She made two starts for Reims in the Coupe de France féminine in January 2024.[13]
Wood was called back to the Red Stars during the 2024 preseason.[9] She made her first NWSL appearance on May 13, 2024, substituting for Alyssa Naeher due to injury in the 62nd minute of the 3–1 win against the Utah Royals.[14][15] She made her first NWSL regular-season starts in losses to NJ/NY Gotham FC and Racing Louisville FC over the next two weeks.[16][17]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Mackenzie Wood – 2021 – Women's Soccer". Northwestern Wildcats. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Bagley, Lewis (November 1, 2015). "Penn girls fall short of state title". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Shealer, Sheldon (July 24, 2018). "HS Girls: TDS Fall All-American". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Goldsmith, Charlie (September 26, 2018). "Women's Soccer: Freshman Mackenzie Wood is ahead of the curve". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "Mackenzie Wood Joins Irish Family". Notre Dame Fighting Irish. March 23, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ a b King, Marshall V. "Mackenzie Wood's Journey to Notre Dame: A Testament to Excellence". Mendoza College of Business. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Frommer, Justin (October 28, 2022). "'Full circle moment': Mackenzie Wood gets hometown swan song that wasn't always in her plans". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "Mackenzie Wood". Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ a b "Chicago Red Stars Recall Goalkeeper, Mackenzie Wood, From Loan". Chicago Red Stars. February 6, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars sign Cheyna Matthews and Sami Feller" (Press release). Chicago Red Stars. March 25, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars Lose to Mexico Women's National Team 5–2". Chicago Red Stars. April 8, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars Sign and Loan Goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood". Chicago Red Stars. August 23, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Chatz, Joe (May 17, 2024). "Chicago Red Stars Injury Update: Alyssa Naeher Unlikely vs. Gotham FC". On Tap Sports Net. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars Beat Utah at Home, 3–1". Chicago Red Stars. May 13, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "USWNT goalkeeper Naeher subbed off for Chicago Red Stars with injury". Pro Soccer Wire. May 12, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Red Stars Lose First Road Match, 2–1, to Gotham FC". Chicago Red Stars. May 19, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ "Mackenzie Wood 2024 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
External links
edit- Mackenzie Wood at Soccerway