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 from 2017 through 2021 before turning professional. Steigleder made her professional debut in 2022 with KIF Örebro DFF in Sweden, later joined the Kansas City Current in the National Women’s Soccer League, and currently plays for Lexington SC in the USL Super League.
Early Life and Background
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.
She started travel soccer in middle school with a club based in Phoenix, Arizona, before spending two seasons with the Michigan Hawks. Playing almost anywhere on the field for the Hawks, she helped the side win the 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 the team to the Iowa Class 3A state championship as a junior in 2015, scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory, and reached the state semifinals while earning Gatorade Iowa Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2016. She also played one season of high school basketball as a freshman point guard.
Path to Soccer
After committing initially to Vanderbilt, Steigleder switched to Northwestern following a coaching change, turning down offers from Iowa, Nebraska, TCU, and Clemson. At Iowa City West she had already established herself as one of the top youth players in the state, and her club experience with the Michigan Hawks sharpened her versatility across the back line and midfield.
Her development continued at Northwestern, where she was a five-year starting midfielder, scoring 12 goals in 86 appearances. She earned Big Ten all-freshman honors in 2017 after helping the Wildcats place second in the conference and reach the Big Ten tournament final. As a junior in 2019 she led the team in minutes played and earned All-Big Ten third team recognition. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season she scored four goals, including the only goal in a first-round Big Ten tournament win over Purdue, and as a fifth-year captain in 2021 she again led the Wildcats in minutes while tying her career high with four goals.
Regan Steigleder Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Steigleder’s early career was spent within the Northwestern Wildcats program, where she played every season from 2017 through 2021. She earned conference recognition as a freshman and grew into a leadership role by her final year, serving as team captain and leading the Wildcats in minutes played during her graduate season in 2021. Her college tenure established her as a versatile two-way player capable of contributing in midfield or along the back line.
KIF Örebro Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Steigleder trained with the Chicago Red Stars as a non-roster player during the 2022 preseason and appeared in a preseason friendly against the United States under-23 team. She then signed her first professional contract with Swedish Damallsvenskan club KIF Örebro DFF on April 8, 2022. Following the departure of Anna Sandberg to Häcken, she entered the starting lineup and was converted from an attacking midfielder to an offensive-minded left back. She finished the 2022 season with 13 starts in 24 appearances as KIF Örebro placed ninth of fourteen teams, and on November 3, 2022, her contract was extended for an additional year. In 2023 she started all 25 matches in which she appeared, cementing her role as a regular starter in Sweden’s top flight.
Kansas City Current Era (2024–2025)
Although Steigleder had re-signed with KIF Örebro on December 22, 2023, she was traded to the NWSL’s Kansas City Current on January 30, 2024, for a transfer fee, signing a one-year contract with an option to extend. She made her NWSL debut on March 30, 2024, entering as a late substitute in a 4–2 win over Angel City FC. Used sparingly, she recorded 7 appearances with 2 starts across all competitions as the Current finished fourth in the standings. After her contract option was exercised, she made one competitive appearance the following year, a substitute cameo in a 4–1 win over the Chicago Stars on September 26, 2025, as Kansas City won the NWSL Shield.
Defensive Style and Strengths
Steigleder reads the game comfortably from an outside back position, where she combines defensive awareness with the attacking instincts she developed as a college midfielder. Her comfort on the ball and overlapping runs make her most effective when she can push forward into wide areas while remaining responsible for tracking opposing wingers.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her signature moments are her NWSL debut for Kansas City Current on March 30, 2024, and her appearance off the bench in the Current’s 4–1 win over the Chicago Stars on September 26, 2025, that helped clinch the NWSL Shield. Her move from KIF Örebro to the NWSL on January 30, 2024, marked the high-profile transfer that brought her back to American professional soccer.
Regan Steigleder Career Wins
Across her club career, Steigleder has been part of winning efforts in Sweden, the NWSL, and the USL Super League. Her trophy contributions include time as a member of the Kansas City Current squad that won the NWSL Shield in 2025.
Lexington SC Highlights
After signing as a free agent with Lexington SC in January 2026, Steigleder quickly assumed a starting role, debuting in a 3–1 win over Fort Lauderdale United at the end of the month. She helped the club post the best defense in the league as Lexington won the Players’ Shield with the top regular-season record. On May 30, 2026, she scored her first Lexington goal in the league final against the Carolina Ascent, putting her team up 2–1, and was named championship game MVP as Lexington won 3–1 to become the first team to complete the league double. At season’s end the club re-signed her to a new one-year contract.
Other Wins and Performances
Steigleder was part of the Michigan Hawks team that won the ECNL under-17 national championship in 2016, and she captained Iowa City West to the Iowa Class 3A state championship in 2015 with the winning goal in the 2–1 final. With KIF Örebro she was a regular starter across the 2022 and 2023 Damallsvenskan seasons.
Regan Steigleder Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Steigleder was raised in Iowa City, Iowa, by her parents, Paul Steigleder and Lisa Steigleder. Her mother named her after the fictional character Regan MacNeil from the horror film The Exorcist. Her upbringing in a supportive family environment in Iowa City helped shape her early introduction to the sport at age three.
Personal Life
Steigleder is in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs player Jack Cochrane.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NWSL season was a quiet one for Steigleder at the club level, as she remained with the Kansas City Current after her contract option was exercised. Her lone competitive appearance came on September 26, 2025, when she entered as a substitute in a 4–1 victory over the Chicago Stars, contributing to the result that clinched the NWSL Shield for Kansas City. Despite limited minutes, she remained part of a championship-winning squad that posted one of the league’s strongest defenses.
Her role within the Current organization appeared to emphasize depth and veteran experience at the outside back position, with the team using her selectively across a deep and competitive roster. The Shield triumph represented the defining team milestone of her 2025 campaign and reinforced her resume as a league champion.
Looking ahead, Steigleder’s contract situation and standing in Kansas City set the stage for movement in the next transfer window. Her professional trajectory, from the Damallsvenskan to the NWSL and ultimately to Lexington SC in 2026, reflected steady progression, and the 2025 Shield winners’ medal added a notable line to her growing list of team honors.