Kia Janeen McNeill (born May 15, 1986) is an American retired professional
soccer defender who most recently played for the
Boston Breakers
The Boston Breakers were an American professional soccer club based in the Boston neighborhood of Allston. The team competed in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). They replaced the original Breakers, who competed in the defunct Women's ...
in the
NWSL. She previously played for the
Saint Louis Athletica
Saint Louis Athletica was an American professional soccer club that was based in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri that participated in Women's Professional Soccer. Athletica started the 2009 season playing its home games at Ralph Korte S ...
,
Philadelphia Independence
The Philadelphia Independence was an American professional soccer club that was based in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester, Pennsylvania. The team joined Women's Professional Soccer as an expansion team in 2010 and played its home games at West ...
, and the
Atlanta Beat in the
WPS and was a member of the
United States U-23 women's national soccer team.
Early life
McNeill was born and grew up in
Avon, Connecticut
Avon ( ) is a town in the Farmington Valley region of Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 18,932.
History
Avon was settled in 1645 and was originally a part of neighboring Farmington. ...
and attended
Avon High School. At Avon, she helped lead the women's soccer team to three straight Class M State Championships and three undefeated seasons. She was named 2003 State Player of the Year in Connecticut and was a two-time NSCAA High School All-American. She also earned letters in basketball and track.
In 2010, McNeill was inducted into the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Boston College
McNeill was a four-year starter and played in 86 consecutive games at
Boston College. She was a forward for her first three seasons and switched her senior season to defender. As a team captain, McNeill was considered crucial to the Eagles defense as it was ranked sixth in the country in goals-against-average (0.475). She finished her career as the eighth all-time leading scorer at Boston with 61 career points.
Her final collegiate statistics included 86 games played, 24 goals and 13 assists. McNeill was named Big East Rookie of the Year and earned All-Big East First Team selection honors. She was also named by Soccer Buzz Magazine as the Northeast Freshman of the Year.
Playing career
Club
Kristianstads DFF
Two days after graduation at
Boston College, McNeill flew to Sweden to begin her professional career as a member
Kristianstads DFF
Kristianstads DFF is a women's association football club from Kristianstad, Sweden. The club is affiliated to the Skånes Fotbollförbund.
History
The original club Wä IF played in from 1989 to 1994 in the Damallsvenskan. The club was reformed ...
in the
Damallsvenskan
The Damallsvenskan, Swedish for ''ladies all-Swedish'' and also known as OBOS Damallsvenskan for sponsorship reasons, is the highest division of women's football in Sweden. It is also referred to as the women's Allsvenskan. The term Allsvenskan ...
.
St. Louis Athletica
McNeill was the ninth overall draft pick during the
2009 WPS Draft by the
Saint Louis Athletica
Saint Louis Athletica was an American professional soccer club that was based in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri that participated in Women's Professional Soccer. Athletica started the 2009 season playing its home games at Ralph Korte S ...
. During the
2009 WPS season, she appeared in 19 games for the
Saint Louis Athletica
Saint Louis Athletica was an American professional soccer club that was based in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri that participated in Women's Professional Soccer. Athletica started the 2009 season playing its home games at Ralph Korte S ...
, starting 17 times. She helped anchor a Saint Louis defense that allowed the second fewest goals in the
WPS, the second fewest goals against average, and the second most shutouts.
Atlanta Beat (WPS)
In February 2010, McNeill was traded to the
Atlanta Beat. She started all 19 games playing a total of 1624 minutes.
Philadelphia Independence (WPS)
During the
2011 WPS season, McNeill played for the expansion team,
Philadelphia Independence
The Philadelphia Independence was an American professional soccer club that was based in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester, Pennsylvania. The team joined Women's Professional Soccer as an expansion team in 2010 and played its home games at West ...
. She started 17 of 17 games for a total of 1453 minutes and scored one goal.
Rossiyanka
After the WPS suspended operations in early 2012, McNeill made a small stint with
Leigh Ann Robinson
Leigh Ann Brown (; born August 17, 1986) is an American former soccer defender. She previously played for FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League, FC Gold Pride, Atlanta Beat, and the Philadelphia Independence of the Women's P ...
,
Yael Averbuch
Yael Averbuch West (born Yael Friedman Averbuch; November 3, 1986) is a former American professional soccer player. She was formerly the executive director of the National Women's Soccer League Players Association and is the current general ma ...
, and
Omolyn Davis
Omolyn Ophilia Davis (born 9 August 1987) is a Jamaican international football defender who last played professionally for CSHVSM of the Kazakhstani championship. She previously played for magicJack in the WPS.
She played the 2013 seaso ...
playing for
WFC Rossiyanka
WFC Rossiyanka was a Russian women's football club from Khimki.
History
The team was founded in 1990 as Nadezhda Krasnoarmeysk, being initially a futsal club. Futsal was played until 1998, when the club left it to concentrate in association fo ...
. She made one appearance, starting and playing the full ninety minutes.
Boston Breakers (NWSL)
In February 2013, it was announced that McNeill had signed with the
Boston Breakers
The Boston Breakers were an American professional soccer club based in the Boston neighborhood of Allston. The team competed in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). They replaced the original Breakers, who competed in the defunct Women's ...
for the inaugural season of the
National Women's Soccer League. She started 21 of the Breakers' 22 2013 regular-season games, but announced that she would miss the 2014 season in order to focus on school and coaching work.
International
McNeill appeared in two matches for the US U-23 Women's National Team in La Manga, Spain. She was previously part of the U-19 Women's national team player pool
and scored four goals for the U-19 WNT at the World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Canada.
References
External links
US Soccer player profilePhiladelphia Independence player profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:McNeill, Kia
Living people
Boston College Eagles women's soccer players
Saint Louis Athletica players
Atlanta Beat (WPS) players
Philadelphia Independence players
1986 births
National Women's Soccer League players
Boston Breakers players
Women's Premier Soccer League Elite players
New York Fury players
American women's soccer players
Women's association football defenders
People from Avon, Connecticut
American women's soccer coaches
Bay State Select players
Women's Premier Soccer League players
WFC Rossiyanka players
African-American women's soccer players
21st-century African-American sportspeople
21st-century African-American women
20th-century African-American people
20th-century African-American women
Women's Professional Soccer players