Leah Freeman Bio
Leah Irene McInerney Freeman (born February 6, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper. A native of Berkeley, California, she played college soccer for the Oregon Ducks and the Duke Blue Devils, earning both the Pac-12 and ACC Goalkeeper of the Year honors during her time in the NCAA. As of 2026, she competes in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), building on a college résumé that established her as one of the most decorated goalkeepers in recent college soccer history.
Early Life and Background
Leah Irene McInerney Freeman was born on February 6, 2002, in Berkeley, California, to Dale Freeman and Kerry Freeman. She grew up in the Bay Area alongside three siblings and was introduced to organized soccer at a young age. Her family provided steady support as she progressed through the youth ranks, eventually committing to the University of Oregon as a freshman out of Berkeley High School.
Freeman developed her game with Mustang SC, a competitive Northern California club. In 2018, she helped Mustang SC reach the ECNL national semifinals, marking one of the earliest signs of her shot-stopping talent. She continued to refine her craft at Berkeley High School, where she was named a first-team All-American as a junior in 2019. That recognition helped establish her as one of the top goalkeeping prospects in the country heading into her college career.
Path to Soccer
Freeman’s pathway into high-level soccer began in the ECNL, where she competed against many of the best young players in the country. Her club success, combined with her All-American high school season, drew attention from top college programs. Ultimately, she chose the University of Oregon, where she would step directly into a starting role and rewrite the program’s goalkeeping record book.
Her rapid rise continued across the youth international setup. Freeman trained with the United States under-16, under-18, and under-20 national teams, earning a cap with the U-18s in a friendly against Norway in 2020. These experiences, paired with her standout college production, laid the foundation for her eventual transition to the professional ranks.
Leah Freeman Career
Early Career at Oregon (2020–2022)
Freeman enrolled at the University of Oregon in 2020 and became the starting goalkeeper for the Oregon Ducks as a freshman in the spring of 2021, after the fall season was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic. She immediately set program records for single-season goals against average (0.74) and consecutive minutes without conceding a goal, helping Oregon to its first winning season since 2006. Her efforts earned her Pac-12 all-conference third-team and all-freshman team recognition.
In her sophomore season in the fall of 2021, Freeman posted a program-record nine clean sheets and earned All-Pac-12 first-team honors. As a junior in 2022, she set a career high with 114 saves, the most by any power-conference goalkeeper that season, and saved 14 shots in a shutout of rival Washington. She became the first Oregon player to be named Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year, but she also underwent hip surgery after the season. She left Eugene as the program’s career leader in clean sheets (19) and goals against average (1.05), even though Oregon did not reach the NCAA tournament during her three years there.
Duke Blue Devils Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Freeman transferred to the Duke Blue Devils before the 2023 season and quickly became a fixture in goal. She played all but one match for Duke and was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference third team. One of her signature moments that year came when she saved a penalty kick by Avery Patterson in a 1–1 draw with rival North Carolina, a result that helped solidify her reputation as a top-flight shot-stopper.
Her senior season in 2024 was the high point of her college career. Freeman helped lead Duke to a No. 1 national ranking and the ACC regular-season title. She did not concede a goal during the NCAA tournament until the semifinals, where the Blue Devils fell to North Carolina. For her play, she was named first-team All-ACC, a first-team All-American, and the ACC Goalkeeper of the Year. That honor made her the first college soccer player to win Goalkeeper of the Year awards in two different conferences, a rare and historic feat.
Bay FC Era (2025)
Bay FC announced on July 18, 2025, that the club had signed Freeman to her first professional contract through the end of the season. She slotted into the goalkeeping pool behind starter Jordan Silkowitz and backup Emmie Allen, replacing the injured Melissa Lowder as the third-stringer. While her minutes with Bay FC were limited, the contract marked her official arrival in the NWSL.
San Diego Wave Era (2026–Present)
San Diego Wave FC announced on January 12, 2026, that the club had signed Freeman to a one-year contract. Following an injury to DiDi Haračić, Freeman won the starting job over Luisa Agudelo and made her professional debut in a 2–1 win over the Utah Royals on March 22. The debut confirmed her transition from one of the most decorated college goalkeepers in recent memory to a starting NWSL keeper.
Notable Events and Milestones
Freeman’s most notable milestone is becoming the first college soccer player to be named Goalkeeper of the Year in two different conferences, winning the Pac-12 award in 2022 and the ACC award in 2024. She also set Oregon program records for career clean sheets (19), career goals against average (1.05), and single-season saves (114) during her three seasons in Eugene.
Leah Freeman Career Wins
Freeman’s career win totals are most clearly documented at the college level, where she anchored Oregon to two winning seasons and helped Duke to the ACC regular-season title and an NCAA tournament semifinal appearance in 2024. She made her first professional debut in a winning effort, a 2–1 victory over the Utah Royals on March 22, 2026, while playing for San Diego Wave FC.
Duke Blue Devils Highlights
During her time at Duke, Freeman helped lead the Blue Devils to a national No. 1 ranking and the 2024 ACC regular-season championship. She also anchored a defense that did not concede a goal in the NCAA tournament until the semifinal round. Her late stop on a penalty kick against North Carolina in 2023 ranks among the signature saves of her college career.
Oregon Ducks Highlights
At Oregon, Freeman set program records for single-season goals against average and consecutive minutes without conceding a goal, while helping the Ducks to their first winning season since 2006. She departed Eugene as the program’s all-time leader in clean sheets and career goals against average.
Leah Freeman Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Freeman was raised in Berkeley, California, by her parents, Dale Freeman and Kerry Freeman, alongside three siblings. Her family’s support was central as she moved from Mustang SC youth soccer to the ECNL national stage and ultimately to the NCAA. There is no widely documented professional soccer lineage in her immediate family, making her rise a story of individual development within a supportive household.
Personal Life
Freeman maintains an active presence on social media, where she shares updates about her professional career and training. Public information about her marital status, spouse, or children has not been disclosed in verified sources. As of 2026, she is focused on establishing herself as a starting goalkeeper for San Diego Wave FC in the NWSL.
2025 Season Performance
Freeman’s 2025 season marked her official entry into professional soccer. Bay FC signed her to her first NWSL contract on July 18, 2025, providing her with a pathway into a competitive goalkeeping group that included Jordan Silkowitz and Emmie Allen. With Melissa Lowder sidelined by injury, Freeman served as the third goalkeeper and continued to develop her professional routine within the league.
That same year, Freeman was called up to the United States under-23 national team for a training camp in October, held concurrently with the senior team. The invitation reflected her continued development as one of the top young American goalkeepers and underscored her growing reputation beyond the college game.
Looking ahead, Freeman’s momentum from a strong 2025 carried into 2026, when San Diego Wave FC signed her to a one-year contract. Her professional debut in a 2–1 win over the Utah Royals signaled that her transition from standout college goalkeeper to NWSL starter was complete, and positioned her for a larger role with the club in the seasons to follow.