Madison Hammond Bio
Madison Guadalupe Hammond (born November 15, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for the Utah Royals of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She came up through the Wake Forest Demon Deacons college program before launching her professional career with OL Reign and Angel City FC. In 2020, she became the first Native American player to appear in an NWSL match.
Hammond is of Navajo and San Felipe Pueblo heritage on her mother’s side, while her father is African American. Beyond her club career, she is recognized for her advocacy on behalf of Native American and Black communities, as well as for young women in the sport.
Early Life and Background
Madison Guadalupe Hammond was born on November 15, 1997, in Phoenix, Arizona, and was raised on the San Felipe Pueblo north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her single mother, Carol Lincoln, is Navajo and San Felipe Pueblo, and raised Hammond in a household grounded in both Indigenous and African American heritage. She carries the Keres name Shrewaka and is a member of the fox clan of the San Felipe Pueblo.
Hammond began playing soccer in Albuquerque at age five as the only girl on a boys’ team. When she was nine years old, her mother’s military reassignment moved the family to Virginia. She attended Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, where she also played varsity volleyball, and joined the McLean Youth Soccer club of the Elite Clubs National League during her sophomore year. Before college, she played as an attacking midfielder before later transitioning into a defensive role.
Path to Soccer
Hammond’s early years split between the San Felipe Pueblo reservation and Virginia shaped her athletic foundation. Coaches and youth programs in both Prince William Soccer and McLean Youth Soccer helped her refine her game as she grew into a versatile midfielder. By the end of high school, she was widely regarded as one of the top defensive prospects in her region.
She committed to Wake Forest University, where she became a four-year starter and served as team captain for two seasons. During her senior year she earned second-team All-ACC honors and was named to the All-ACC academic team every year of her college career. Hammond, who also plays the violin, completed her coursework a semester early to prepare for the 2020 NWSL College Draft.
Madison Hammond Career
Early Career (2020)
Hammond registered for the 2020 NWSL College Draft but was not selected. She briefly traveled to Spain to attend tryouts with clubs in Seville and Madrid during the draft process.
OL Reign then acquired her playing rights and invited her to preseason camp. Training was halted in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Hammond rejoined the Reign as a non-roster invitee in Missoula, Montana, ahead of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. She signed her first professional contract with the team three weeks later and made her NWSL debut on September 26, 2020.
OL Reign Breakthrough (2020-2021)
Hammond’s debut with OL Reign was historic. Her appearance made her the first Native American player to play in the NWSL, an achievement she learned about during a post-match interview with the Men in Blazers podcast. The milestone highlighted her Navajo and Pueblo background and drew national attention to her arrival in the league.
She spent two seasons with the Reign, continuing to develop as a defensive midfielder. Her flexibility across the back line became a hallmark of her game, and she became a regular option in the team’s defensive rotations. On March 11, 2022, OL Reign traded Hammond to Angel City FC in exchange for a 2023 NWSL Draft second-round pick and $45,000 in allocation money.
Angel City FC Era (2022-2025)
In her first season with Angel City FC, Hammond appeared in nine matches, earning three starts and playing 319 minutes. She gradually worked her way into a larger role within the squad as a dependable defensive presence.
A signature moment came on May 7, 2023, when Hammond filled in for Julie Ertz at defensive midfield against the Kansas City Current. She effectively marked 2022 NWSL Best XI attackers Debinha and Lo’eau LaBonta and recorded the assist on Angel City’s match-winning goal. On August 27, 2023, she scored her first NWSL goal, a match winner against her former club, OL Reign. Hammond made 72 regular season appearances for Angel City before her contract expired at the end of 2025.
Utah Royals Era (2026-Present)
On December 2, 2025, the Utah Royals signed Hammond to a two-year contract through 2027. The move placed her at the center of the Utah Royals’ long-term defensive plans and reunited her with a club building around a young core.
Wearing jersey number 99, Hammond continues to be deployed primarily as a defensive midfielder, with coaches crediting her calmness and ambidextrous passing as central to her value. Her experience from Angel City FC and OL Reign positions her as a veteran presence in the Royals’ locker room.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hammond is a flexible defender comfortable at every backline position and at defensive midfield. Teammates, coaches and analysts have praised her calmness and composure in defense, while her ambidextrous passing allows her to distribute cleanly from either foot. Her tactical intelligence and positional discipline have made her a reliable option in high-pressure matchups.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hammond’s 2020 debut with OL Reign stands as her most significant milestone, marking the first time a Native American player appeared in an NWSL match. Her first NWSL goal against OL Reign in 2023 and her match-winning assist against the Kansas City Current in 2023 reinforced her growing influence on the field. In 2022, she also became the first Afro-Indigenous athlete to attend the ESPY Awards, walking the red carpet in recognition of her groundbreaking role in the sport.
Madison Hammond Career Wins
Madison Hammond’s professional career is highlighted less by trophy counts and more by the historic and match-defining moments she has produced across the NWSL. Her arrival in the league opened a door for Native American players, and her contributions at Angel City FC and Utah Royals have continued to build on that legacy.
NWSL Highlights
Hammond’s most celebrated NWSL moment came on September 26, 2020, when she debuted for OL Reign and became the first Native American to play in the league. She added a first NWSL goal against OL Reign on August 27, 2023, while playing for Angel City FC. Across her career, she has accumulated 72 regular-season appearances for Angel City FC alone, with additional appearances for OL Reign and the Utah Royals.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of league play, Hammond designed the Kyrie Low 4 sneaker for Nike Inc., a project that connected her design work with fellow Indigenous athlete Kyrie Irving of Standing Rock Sioux heritage. She also walked the red carpet at the 2022 ESPY Awards as the first Afro-Indigenous athlete to attend the ceremony, broadening her impact beyond the soccer field.
Madison Hammond Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hammond was raised by her single mother, Carol Lincoln, who is Navajo and San Felipe Pueblo. Her father is African American, giving Madison a blended heritage that she has spoken openly about throughout her career.
Her uncle, Notah Begay III, is a PGA Tour golfer who played alongside Tiger Woods and has served as an athletic inspiration. Her sister, Michaela, played volleyball at New York University, continuing a family tradition of multi-sport participation.
Personal Life
Hammond remains closely tied to her Indigenous roots and returns annually to San Felipe Pueblo for its feast day on May 1. She is active in the Black Women’s Players Collective, Athlete Ally and the Nike N7 Fund initiative supporting Native American communities. Hammond has also advocated for greater equity in women’s and girls’ soccer, including more affordable academy access and higher pay for professional players.
2025 Season Performance
Madison Hammond’s 2025 campaign was spent completing her tenure with Angel City FC. She continued to feature as a flexible defensive midfielder, building on the form that had established her as a dependable contributor since 2022.
Her experience against top opposition during the 2023 season had cemented her role within Angel City FC’s rotation. By the end of 2025, she had reached 72 regular-season appearances for the club, a marker of her consistency and durability.
With her contract at Angel City FC set to expire, Hammond departed the club at the close of the 2025 season. On December 2, 2025, she signed a two-year deal with the Utah Royals that runs through 2027, positioning her as a veteran presence for the next phase of her NWSL career.