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

. During the 2009 WPS season, she appeared in 19 games for the

, 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,

. 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

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 profile

Philadelphia 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