Madeline Grace Dahlien (born July 25, 2004) is an American college soccer player who plays as a forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels and the United States national under-20 team. A two-sport athlete in high school, Dahlien won multiple Minnesota state track and field championships at Edina High School.

Maddie Dahlien
Dahlien with North Carolina in 2024
Personal information
Full name Madeline Grace Dahlien[1]
Date of birth (2004-07-25) July 25, 2004 (age 20)[2]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Center forward, winger
Team information
Current team
North Carolina Tar Heels
Number 5
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– North Carolina Tar Heels 47 (5)
International career
2023– United States U-20 10 (5)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 4, 2024

Early life

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Dahlien was raised in Edina, Minnesota.[1] She played for Edina Soccer Club before high school, when she joined Minnesota Thunder Academy, the state's only team in the Elite Clubs National League, and was named an All-American in 2020–21.[3][4] She attended Edina High School, where she recorded 92 career goals and 43 assists and was named all-state three times. She scored 37 goals in her senior year in 2021, helping lead her team to the state semifinals.[1][5]

Dahlien also starred in track and field in high school, coming second at the state championship in the 100, 200, and 400 meters as a freshman; sweeping the 100, 200, and 400 meters as a junior; and winning the 200 meters and long jump as a senior, narrowly coming second in the 100 and 400 meters.[5][6] Following her senior year, she was named the Star Tribune Female Athlete of the Year.[5] She committed to the University of North Carolina for soccer in August 2020 and considered additionally joining the track team.[7][8]

College career

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Dahlien started five of 26 appearances for the North Carolina Tar Heels as a freshman in 2022, recording four goals and three assists, and was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference all-freshman team. She scored a brace against BYU in the third round of the NCAA championship, where the Tar Heels ended as national runners-up.[3] She started five of 21 appearances as a sophomore in 2023.[1]

International career

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Dahlien first trained with the United States youth national team at a combined under-18/under-19 camp in April 2023. She was one of the youngest players selected to the under-20 roster for 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, scoring a hat trick in her youth international debut against Jamaica in the group stage. She continued to start as the team finished as finalists, securing qualification to the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[3][9] Five minutes after coming off the bench at the U-20 World Cup, Dahlien scored the second goal in a 2–0 win over Morocco.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Maddie Dahlien". North Carolina Tar Heels. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "Madeline Dahlien". United States Soccer Federation. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Furtado, Noah (July 21, 2023). "Edina's Maddie Dahlien puts Minnesota soccer back on USWNT radar". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  4. ^ "Girls ECNL announces 2020-21 All Americans". Elite Clubs National League. September 20, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2024 – via TopDrawerSoccer.
  5. ^ a b c La Vaque, David (July 28, 2022). "Maddie Dahlien, champion who endured hard times, is the All-Metro Female Athlete of the Year". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  6. ^ Long, Christina (June 28, 2021). "Edina triple-winner Maddie Dahlien is Star Tribune Metro Girls' Track Athlete of the Year". MN Track & Field Hub. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  7. ^ Sherman, John (August 7, 2020). "Edina star Maddie Dahlien commits to North Carolina soccer program". Hometown Source. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  8. ^ "'You Don't Want To Piss Her Off Before A Race': Edina Track Star Maddie Dahlien Plans Repeat Sweep". WCCO-TV. May 18, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  9. ^ "She's Maddie From Minnesota". United States Soccer Federation. June 2, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  10. ^ "U.S. Under-20 Women's Youth National Team Defeats Morocco 2-0 in Second Group C Match at 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia". United States Soccer Federation. September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
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