Regan Steigleder Bio
Regan Leigh Steigleder (born September 3, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender. She played college soccer for the Northwestern Wildcats. Steigleder made her professional debut in 2022 with KIF Örebro DFF in Sweden, and later joined the Kansas City Current in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She has been recognized for her contributions to her teams and has ambitions of furthering her career in professional soccer.
Early Life and Background
Regan Steigleder was raised in Iowa City, Iowa, the daughter of Paul and Lisa Steigleder. Her mother named her after Regan MacNeil, the fictional character possessed by a demon in the horror film The Exorcist. She began playing soccer when she was three years old and joined the Iowa Soccer Club in kindergarten. Steigleder started playing travel soccer in middle school with a club based in Phoenix, Arizona, before playing two years with the Michigan Hawks. She played almost anywhere on the field for the Hawks and won the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) under-17 national championship in 2016. Steigleder captained her high school soccer team at Iowa City West, where she scored 93 goals in four years. She led her team to the state 3A championship as a junior in 2015, providing an assist and then scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory. As a senior in 2016, she reached the state semifinals and was named the Gatorade Iowa Player of the Year. In addition to soccer, she played one season of high school basketball as a freshman point guard. Initially committed to Vanderbilt, she switched to Northwestern after the head coach resigned, despite offers from Iowa, Nebraska, TCU, and Clemson.
Path to Soccer
Regan Steigleder was a five-year starting midfielder for the Northwestern Wildcats, scoring 12 goals in 86 appearances. In her first season in 2017, she helped her team place second in the Big Ten Conference and make it to the final of the conference tournament, earning Big Ten all-freshman honors. Unfortunately, she left the game injured against Purdue as a sophomore in 2018 and missed the rest of the season. Steigleder played the most minutes on the team as a junior in 2019 and was named to the All-Big Ten third team. She scored four goals in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, including the only goal in a win over Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. She was granted a fifth year of eligibility due to the pandemic and became one of the team’s captains in her graduate year in 2021, leading the team in field minutes played and tying her career high with four goals.
Regan Steigleder Career
Early Career (2022–Present)
Regan Steigleder trained with the Chicago Red Stars as a non-roster player in the 2022 preseason and appeared in a preseason friendly against the United States national under-23 team. She signed her first professional contract with Swedish club KIF Örebro DFF on April 8, 2022, for the remainder of the year. Following the departure of Anna Sandberg to Häcken, she entered the usual starting lineup and was converted from an attacking midfielder to an offensive-minded left back. Steigleder finished the 2022 Damallsvenskan season with 13 starts in 24 appearances, with KIF Örebro finishing ninth out of fourteen teams. On November 3, her contract was extended for an additional year. She started all 25 games in which she played in the 2023 season.
Breakthrough (2024)
Regan Steigleder re-signed with KIF Örebro for another year on December 22, 2023, and was considered a possible captain for the coming season. However, she was traded to the NWSL team Kansas City Current for a transfer fee on January 30, 2024, signing a one-year contract with a one-year option, which was exercised. She made her NWSL debut on March 30, coming on for Bia Zaneratto late in a 4–2 win against Angel City FC. During the season, she made only 7 appearances (2 starts) in all competitions as the Current finished fourth in the standings. In 2025, Steigleder helped Kansas City win the NWSL Shield for the first time in club history, although she did not see significant playing time, making only one competitive appearance for the Current, a substitute cameo in a 4–1 victory over the Chicago Stars. At the end of the season, she departed from Kansas City as a free agent.
Notable Works and Milestones
Regan Steigleder’s signature work includes her time with the Kansas City Current, where she contributed to the team’s historic achievement of winning the NWSL Shield. Her career has been marked by her versatility on the field and her leadership qualities, especially during her tenure at Northwestern.
Regan Steigleder Award Nominations
Throughout her career, Regan Steigleder has not yet received any major award nominations, but her performances have been recognized at various levels, particularly during her college career.
Regan Steigleder Awards Won
Regan Steigleder has not won any major awards to date, but her contributions to her teams have been acknowledged, particularly during her time at Northwestern and with the Kansas City Current.
Regan Steigleder Family
Regan Steigleder is the daughter of Paul and Lisa Steigleder. Details about her family life beyond her parents are not publicly available.
Personal Life
Information regarding Regan Steigleder’s personal life, including relationships and marital status, is not publicly disclosed.