Delanie Sheehan Bio
Delanie Breann Sheehan (born January 13, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward and midfielder in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She is best known for her college career with the UCLA Bruins, her selection in the 2021 NWSL Draft by NJ/NY Gotham FC, and her role in Gotham’s 2023 NWSL Championship run. Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, she combines midfield vision with the finishing instincts of a forward.
After helping Gotham claim the 2023 NWSL Championship, Sheehan signed with the Houston Dash in late 2024 and was later traded to the NWSL expansion side Denver Summit FC in March 2026. Across her professional career, she has played for Gotham, Paris FC on loan, the Houston Dash, and Denver Summit, establishing herself as a versatile contributor in both attack and midfield.
Early Life and Background
Delanie Breann Sheehan was born on January 13, 1999, in Walnut Creek, California. She grew up in the East Bay area of Northern California and began playing soccer at age four. From those early years, she developed a strong technical foundation and a competitive drive that shaped her path toward a professional career in the sport.
She attended Liberty High School in Brentwood, California, where she graduated in 2017. A multi-sport athlete, she also competed in softball and basketball, but it was soccer where she earned her highest accolades. She was a Gatorade State Player of the Year finalist, a three-time North Coast Section (NCS) first-team selection, and a two-time Bay Valley Athletic League (BVAL) MVP in 2015 and 2016. In her senior year, she scored the tying goal in a 3–2 victory over Carondelet in the 2017 NCS Division I championship match, capping a standout prep career.
Path to Soccer
Following high school, Sheehan committed to the University of California, Los Angeles, where she joined the UCLA Bruins from 2017 to 2021. As a freshman in 2017, she was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team and scored the tying goal in a 2–3 loss to Stanford in the NCAA Division I tournament final, immediately establishing herself on the national stage.
During her sophomore year, Sheehan switched positions to defender and earned All-Pac-12 third-team honors. She was selected as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week in October 2018 and September 2019. In her senior year she returned to the midfield, serving as team vice captain, leading UCLA to their first Pac-12 Championship in six years, and earning All-Pac-12 first-team honors along with Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year. Over four seasons with the Bruins, she tallied 15 goals and 18 assists in 86 appearances, a balanced résumé that made her a notable prospect heading into the professional ranks.
Delanie Sheehan Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
NJ/NY Gotham FC, then known as Sky Blue FC, selected Delanie Breann Sheehan 33rd overall in the fourth round of the 2021 NWSL Draft on her 21st birthday. She signed a national team replacement contract with Gotham in July 2021 and made five appearances before being loaned in September to the Division 1 Féminine club Paris FC for the remainder of the year. She has said she welcomed the Paris move for the chance to sharpen her tactical skills in a different league.
Returning to Gotham for 2022, Sheehan made nine appearances as she continued to adjust to the professional game. Her playing time increased steadily throughout the year, and she used the season to earn a more consistent role heading into the next phase of her career.
Gotham FC Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Sheehan signed a two-year contract with Gotham in January 2023 and secured a regular starting spot that season, rotating between forward and attacking midfielder. She scored her first professional goal on October 22, 2023, in the first round of the NWSL playoffs against the North Carolina Courage. That goal was Gotham’s first-ever NWSL postseason goal and helped the club record its first NWSL playoff win, a key step in their run to the 2023 NWSL Championship.
In 2024, Sheehan appeared in all 26 games for Gotham, starting 25, and logged the most minutes of any Gotham player across all competitions. Her durability and consistency that season cemented her as a central figure in the team’s midfield and attack.
Houston Dash Era (2024–2025)
On December 4, 2024, the Houston Dash announced that they had signed Sheehan through 2026, with a mutual option for 2027. The move gave her a fresh environment to expand her role as a veteran leader in a rebuilding side. In her sole season with the Dash, Sheehan made 26 appearances with 25 starts and logged a total of 2,087 minutes on the field, serving as a steady presence in the midfield.
Denver Summit Era (2026–Present)
In March 2026, the Houston Dash traded Sheehan and teammate Yazmeen Ryan to NWSL expansion team Denver Summit FC. The trade positioned her as one of the early foundation players for the new franchise, with an opportunity to take on a leading role from the outset.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the field, Sheehan is valued for her positional flexibility, moving comfortably between forward and attacking midfielder. She combines a forward’s nose for goal with a midfielder’s passing range, allowing coaches to deploy her in multiple roles within the same match. Her tactical growth, sharpened during her loan at Paris FC, has translated into strong decision-making in the final third and reliable link-up play between lines.
Notable Events and Milestones
Sheehan’s signature moment came on October 22, 2023, when her first professional goal helped Gotham win their first-ever NWSL playoff match and set the tone for the club’s championship run. Earlier, as a senior at UCLA, she played a key role in the Bruins’ first Pac-12 title in six years and earned Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year honors, foreshadowing her professional ascent.
Delanie Sheehan Career Wins
Delanie Breann Sheehan’s verified list of team honors includes an NWSL Championship won with Gotham FC in 2023 and a Pac-12 Championship won with UCLA in her senior season. Both titles reflect her ability to perform in high-stakes matches at both the college and professional levels.
NWSL Championship (2023)
Sheehan was part of the Gotham FC squad that captured the 2023 NWSL Championship, contributing as a regular starter and scoring her first professional goal in the playoffs. Her postseason goal against the North Carolina Courage in the first round remains one of the defining moments of her early professional career.
Other Wins and Performances
At the international youth level, Sheehan represented the United States at the under-18, under-19, and under-20 levels, including the 2018 Sud Ladies Cup with the U.S. under-20 team. In high school, she helped Liberty High School capture the 2017 NCS Division I championship, scoring the tying goal in the final.
Delanie Sheehan Family
Personal Life
Delanie Breann Sheehan was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California, and is an American citizen. Public details about her immediate family are limited beyond her Northern California upbringing, where she developed her early love for soccer before going on to play at Liberty High School and UCLA.
2025 Season Performance
Sheehan’s 2025 season with the Houston Dash was her first full campaign with the club after signing through 2026 in December 2024. She made 26 appearances with 25 starts and totaled 2,087 minutes on the field, ranking among the team’s most-used players and underscoring her importance to the Dash’s midfield and attack.
Her consistent minutes gave the Dash a reliable veteran presence as the team continued its competitive rebuild. Across the year, she provided experience, work rate, and positional versatility in both forward and midfield roles.
Following the 2025 season, Sheehan was traded, along with Yazmeen Ryan, to NWSL expansion side Denver Summit FC in March 2026, opening a new chapter with a brand-new franchise built around proven NWSL talent.