Lynn Biyendolo Bio
Lynn Biyendolo, born Lynn Raenie Williams on May 21, 1993, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Seattle Reign FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States women’s national team. The NWSL’s all-time leading scorer, she was drafted out of Pepperdine University by the Western New York Flash in 2015. Biyendolo has won multiple NWSL Championships, earned league Most Valuable Player honors, and captured two Olympic medals, establishing herself as one of the most decorated players in American women’s soccer.
Throughout her career, Biyendolo has combined consistent goal-scoring with a willingness to take on new challenges, including international loans and a transition to a new married name. Her journey from a record-setting high school striker in Fresno to a senior national team veteran reflects steady growth at every level of the sport.
Early Life and Background
Lynn Biyendolo was born on May 21, 1993, in Fresno, California, to Christine and David Williams. She grew up in Fresno and attended Bullard High School, where she developed into one of the most prolific young scorers in the region. Playing on the varsity team for four years, she earned all-league and all-area honors in each season and set a school scoring record with 117 career goals, a mark that stood for both boys and girls programs.
As a senior in 2011, Biyendolo scored 50 goals, helped her team capture county and section titles, and reached the regional final as a runner-up. She was named to the ESPN RISE All-American third team and was recognized as Player of the Year by the Fresno Bee. Her high school performance established her as one of the top college recruits in the country.
Her family encouraged her athletic development from an early age, and her success in Fresno became the foundation for a college career at Pepperdine University, where she continued to refine her finishing and playmaking abilities.
Path to Soccer
Biyendolo attended Pepperdine University from 2011 to 2014, playing for the Pepperdine Waves women’s soccer team in the West Coast Conference. As a freshman, she started all 20 games, recorded six goals and a team-leading eight assists, and was named WCC Freshman of the Year along with Soccer America Freshman All-American first team honors. Her 20 points ranked second on the squad, and she set a new school record by recording a point in five consecutive matches.
By her sophomore season, Biyendolo was leading Pepperdine in shots and shots per game, and she scored her first collegiate hat trick on October 23, 2012. She continued to earn All-WCC and All-West Region recognition, and by her junior year she was posting more than a goal per game before injury cut her season short. As a senior in 2014, she tallied 14 goals and 10 assists, led the Waves to the Sweet 16, and was named a first-team All-American by both the NSCAA and Soccer America, finishing as a finalist for the Hermann Trophy.
Her four-year college résumé caught the attention of NWSL scouts, and she entered the 2015 NWSL College Draft as one of the most anticipated forwards in her class. Selected sixth overall by the Western New York Flash, Biyendolo began her professional career at a franchise known for developing attacking talent.
Lynn Biyendolo Career
Early Career (2015)
Biyendolo made her professional debut on April 12, 2015, against Seattle Reign FC during the Flash’s season opener. She went on to appear in 17 matches and scored four goals during her rookie season, offering glimpses of the finishing and movement that would soon define her career. The Flash finished seventh in the league with a 6–9–5 record, but Biyendolo’s production as a first-year player signaled a breakthrough ahead.
Her development during that debut season laid the groundwork for a dramatic leap in production the following year, when she would emerge as one of the league’s most dangerous forwards and earn the league’s top individual honor.
NWSL Breakthrough (2016)
The 2016 NWSL season marked Biyendolo’s arrival as a league-wide star. She scored 11 goals, tying for the league lead in goals and earning the Golden Boot on the strength of her assist total. Her performances earned her the 2016 NWSL Most Valuable Player award and a place in the NWSL Best XI.
In the playoffs, Biyendolo delivered two goals in extra time during the semifinal upset of the Portland Thorns, sending the Flash to the NWSL Championship. In the final against the Washington Spirit, she scored a stoppage-time header to force penalties, then converted her attempt as the Flash won the title. Her heroics that fall cemented her reputation for performing in the biggest moments.
North Carolina Courage Era (2017–2021)
When the Western New York Flash were sold and relocated in January 2017, Biyendolo became a North Carolina Courage player. She scored nine goals in 2017 as the Courage won the NWSL Shield, and the following year she posted 14 goals, was twice named Player of the Week, and finished as a finalist for NWSL Most Valuable Player. North Carolina captured its second straight Shield and the 2018 NWSL Championship with a 3–0 win over the Portland Thorns, with Biyendolo playing every minute of the playoff run.
In 2019, she helped the Courage claim a third consecutive Shield and another NWSL Championship, adding to her growing list of team trophies. That same year, she traveled to Australia for a loan spell with W-League club Western Sydney Wanderers, before returning to North Carolina. In late 2021, she rejoined Australian football on a short loan with Melbourne Victory as a guest player, returning to the Courage in January 2022.
Kansas City Current and Gotham FC (2022–2024)
On January 10, 2022, Biyendolo was traded to the Kansas City Current for $200,000 in allocation money, the rights to goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland, and a first-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. The move reunited her with former Courage teammates Sam Mewis, Kristen Hamilton, and Hailie Mace. However, a right leg injury suffered on March 18, 2022, kept her out for the entire 2022 NWSL season.
During the 2023 NWSL Draft, Biyendolo was traded again, this time to NJ/NY Gotham FC in exchange for the second overall pick. She opened the scoring in the NWSL Championship against OL Reign, helping Gotham win 2–1 and becoming the first four-time champion in league history. On May 19, 2024, she headed in her 79th NWSL goal against the Chicago Red Stars, surpassing Sam Kerr as the league’s all-time leading scorer.
Seattle Reign Era (2025–Present)
On December 20, 2024, Biyendolo was acquired by Seattle Reign in a trade that also sent Cassie Miller to Seattle and Jaelin Howell to Gotham FC. The move brought her to a club long associated with top-tier attacking play, and she joined the Reign carrying the momentum of her record-setting goalscoring milestone and fourth NWSL title.
Driving Style and Strengths
Biyendolo is best known for her movement off the ball, her heading ability, and her willingness to attack the back post in tight spaces. She combines sharp timing on crosses with strong link-up play in central areas, and she has repeatedly delivered in decisive playoff moments. Her consistency in front of goal, paired with an ability to draw penalties and create late drama, has made her one of the NWSL’s most reliable forwards.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her signature moments, Biyendolo scored the fastest debut goal in United States women’s national team history, finding the net 49 seconds after entering a friendly against Switzerland on October 19, 2016. She later surpassed Sam Kerr as the NWSL’s all-time leading scorer in 2024 and won Olympic gold with the United States in Paris in 2024, adding to her bronze medal from Tokyo 2020.
Lynn Biyendolo Career Wins
Biyendolo has accumulated four NWSL Championships, three NWSL Shields, an NWSL Most Valuable Player award, and an NWSL Golden Boot across her professional career. Her titles came with the Western New York Flash in 2016, the North Carolina Courage in 2018 and 2019, and NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2023, giving her more league championships than any other player of her generation.
NWSL Highlights
Her first NWSL title came in dramatic fashion in 2016, when she scored twice in the playoff semifinal and added a stoppage-time header in the final to force penalties against the Washington Spirit. She added championships with North Carolina in 2018 and 2019, then capped her fourth ring in 2023 by opening the scoring for Gotham FC in the championship win over OL Reign. By May 2024, she had passed Sam Kerr to become the NWSL’s all-time leading scorer.
Other Wins and Performances
Biyendolo contributed to three straight NWSL Shields with North Carolina between 2017 and 2019, anchoring one of the most dominant team runs in league history. She also earned NWSL Best XI and Second XI selections and finished as a finalist for league MVP honors, reflecting her steady presence among the league’s elite players.
Lynn Biyendolo Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Biyendolo was raised in Fresno, California, by her parents Christine and David Williams. She met her future husband, Marley Biyendolo, while attending Pepperdine University, where their relationship grew alongside her college soccer career. Marley comes from a Congolese family with a tradition of carrying forward a special family name, a heritage Lynn has spoken about publicly and embraced.
Personal Life
Lynn Biyendolo married Marley Biyendolo on December 8, 2024, and began using her married name professionally in 2025. In October 2025, the couple announced on Instagram that they were expecting their first child. Outside of soccer, she co-hosted the women’s soccer podcast Snacks with Sam Mewis from April 2021 to November 2023, and appeared in a 2023 Netflix documentary series following the United States women’s national team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
2025 Season Performance
Biyendolo entered 2025 with Seattle Reign FC after being traded from NJ/NY Gotham FC in December 2024, arriving as the NWSL’s all-time leading scorer and a four-time league champion. Her combination of veteran scoring touch and championship experience immediately raised the Reign’s attacking profile heading into the new campaign.
The 2025 season also marks her first full year using the Biyendolo surname on the back of her jersey, a change she has described as a meaningful tribute to her husband’s Congolese family tradition. Balancing on-field expectations with off-field milestones, including the couple’s pregnancy announcement in October 2025, she continues to serve as a leader for both club and country.
Looking ahead, Biyendolo remains a central figure for the United States women’s national team following her Olympic gold in Paris and is positioned to add to her NWSL records with Seattle Reign, where her finishing and big-game pedigree remain central to the team’s ambitions.
