Makenna Morris Bio
Makenna Taylor Morris (born April 26, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays for Racing Louisville FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). A versatile player, she lines up as an outside back, midfielder, or forward. Morris played college soccer for the Clemson Tigers and was selected by the Washington Spirit in the first round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.
After a dynamic rookie season in Washington that included a trip to the 2024 NWSL Championship, Morris was traded to Racing Louisville in August 2025. She has also represented the United States at the youth international level and has trained with the senior national team setup.
Early Life and Background
Makenna Taylor Morris was born on April 26, 2002, and grew up in Germantown, Maryland. The community around the Maryland SoccerPlex, where the local NWSL club Washington Spirit once played its home matches, gave her early exposure to high-level women’s soccer.
Morris has a sister, Maliah, who would later play alongside her at Clemson. The sisters grew up supporting the Washington Spirit, and that hometown connection helped shape Morris’s dream of playing professionally in the NWSL.
She played youth soccer for ECNL club Bethesda and developed her game at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. Her youth career established her as a versatile, attack-minded defender capable of contributing goals and assists from multiple positions.
Path to Soccer
Morris joined the United States youth national team program at the under-15 level and progressed through the under-17 and under-20 teams between 2017 and 2022. Competing against top international talent at a young age sharpened her tactical awareness and prepared her for the college and professional ranks.
Her path to the NWSL ran through the Clemson Tigers, where she became a four-year starter from 2020 to 2023. Across 80 appearances, she scored 19 goals and built a reputation as one of the most productive defenders in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Morris converted penalty kicks in two NCAA tournament shootout wins during her freshman year, helping Clemson reach the quarterfinals. She recorded six goals and a career-high nine assists as a sophomore, then paced the Tigers with ten goals and six assists in her senior season while helping the program reach the national semifinals.
Makenna Morris Career
Early Career (2020–2023)
Listed as a defender at Clemson but deployed as an outside back or box-to-box midfielder, Morris was consistently among the team’s top attacking contributors. She scored two goals in the NCAA tournament during her senior year while leading Clemson to the national semifinals.
Across four college seasons, Morris combined defensive reliability with end-product in the final third, finishing with 19 goals and multiple assists. Her performances at Clemson made her one of the most talked-about prospects entering the 2024 NWSL Draft.
NWSL Breakthrough (2024–2025)
The Washington Spirit selected Morris with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NWSL Draft and signed her to a one-year contract. She made her professional debut on March 17, 2024, entering as a substitute against the Seattle Reign.
After recovering from an early-season injury, Morris announced herself on July 6, 2024, when she made her first start and was involved in all three goals in a 3–0 win over Bay FC. She scored her first professional goal, drew a penalty converted by Trinity Rodman, and assisted Ouleye Sarr, becoming the first Spirit player to score, assist, and draw a penalty in a single match.
Morris continued her surge on October 13, 2024, recording her first NWSL brace in a 4–1 win over Racing Louisville. She was named NWSL Rookie of the Month for October and November after contributing three goals and an assist in four games. Morris finished her rookie regular season with five goals in 12 appearances as Washington placed second in the league standings. In the playoffs, she assisted former Clemson teammate Hal Hershfelt on a stoppage-time free kick equalizer against NJ/NY Gotham FC, helping the Spirit advance to the 2024 NWSL Championship on penalties. She started in the final, a 1–0 loss to the Orlando Pride. On September 17, 2024, the Spirit had already extended her contract through the following season.
Racing Louisville Era (2025–Present)
On August 27, 2025, the Washington Spirit traded Morris to Racing Louisville FC in exchange for $115,000 in allocation money. The move gave her a fresh start at a club she had already scored against during her rookie season.
Wearing jersey number 4 for Racing Louisville, Morris continued to be deployed as a versatile outside back and midfielder. Her combination of defensive work rate and attacking output has made her a focal point of Racing Louisville’s buildup play.
In January 2025, she had been called up by head coach Emma Hayes to a U.S. Soccer Futures Camp, practicing alongside senior national team players. That experience, combined with her trade to Racing Louisville, set the stage for an expanded role heading into the 2025 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Morris is at her best when she is allowed to push forward from full back or operate as a box-to-box midfielder. She reads the game well, delivers accurate set-piece service, and shows composure in front of goal, as evidenced by her willingness to take penalty kicks in high-pressure NCAA tournament shootouts. Her attacking instincts are paired with the work rate and defensive instincts expected of an outside back.
Notable Events and Milestones
Her first NWSL start on July 6, 2024, against Bay FC stands out as a signature performance, making her the first Spirit player to score, assist, and draw a penalty in the same match. She also added her first professional brace against Racing Louisville on October 13, 2024, and contributed a critical stoppage-time assist in the NWSL playoff semifinal against NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Makenna Morris Career Wins
Morris’s competitive results are still developing, with her professional career only beginning in 2024. Across her rookie NWSL campaign with the Washington Spirit, she recorded five goals and multiple assists in just 12 appearances and helped the club reach the 2024 NWSL Championship.
NWSL Highlights
Morris opened her NWSL account with a goal against Bay FC on July 6, 2024, and closed the regular season with a brace against Racing Louisville on October 13, 2024. She was recognized as the NWSL Rookie of the Month for October and November, an award that reflected her impact despite a shortened debut season.
In the postseason, she started in the 2024 NWSL Championship against the Orlando Pride and contributed a clutch assist in the playoff semifinal win over NJ/NY Gotham FC. After being traded to Racing Louisville in August 2025, she continued her scoring form with the club.
Other Wins and Performances
At Clemson, Morris helped the Tigers reach the NCAA national semifinals in 2023 and the quarterfinals in her freshman year, converting decisive penalties in two NCAA tournament shootout wins. She also represented the United States at the under-17 and under-20 levels.
Makenna Morris Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Morris’s sister, Maliah Morris, played alongside her at Clemson, giving the family a notable presence in the college game. The Morris sisters grew up as Washington Spirit supporters in the Germantown, Maryland, area, where the NWSL club played at Maryland SoccerPlex.
Personal Life
Morris is a native of Germantown, Maryland, and continues her professional career in the United States. She maintains an active presence on social media, where she shares updates from her club and youth national team experiences.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NWSL season marked a new chapter for Morris after her August 27, 2025, trade from the Washington Spirit to Racing Louisville FC. The move reunited her with the opponent against whom she had scored her first professional brace the previous October.
Racing Louisville leaned on Morris as a versatile piece in defense and midfield, relying on her set-piece delivery and attacking instincts to bolster a young squad. Her familiarity with NWSL competition, built through a deep 2024 playoff run, gave her an immediate leadership role on the pitch.
With U.S. Soccer Futures Camp experience behind her and consistent minutes at Racing Louisville, Morris entered the closing stretch of the 2025 season focused on building toward a first senior national team opportunity and establishing herself as a long-term starter for her new club.