Rose Lavelle Bio
Rosemary Kathleen Lavelle is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States Women’s National Team. Lavelle played college soccer for the Wisconsin Badgers, earning first-team All-American honors in 2015, and was drafted first overall by the Boston Breakers in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. After the Breakers folded, she moved to the Washington Spirit, then spent time at Manchester City and OL Reign before signing as a free agent with Gotham FC. Internationally, she helped the United States win the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, claim bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and capture gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Early Life and Background
Lavelle was born on May 14, 1995, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to parents Marty and Janet, and was raised with three siblings, John, Nora, and Mary. She began playing competitive soccer with GSSA Sycamore United Club before moving on to Lakota United Soccer Club and later Cincinnati United Premier Soccer Club. Lavelle has credited her longtime Cincinnati trainer Neil Bradford with sparking her love of the game. Bradford began coaching her at age eight and predicted during her youth that she would one day play for the Women’s National Team.
Lavelle attended Mount Notre Dame High School, where she was a four-year varsity starter on the girls’ soccer team. In her senior season she was named Cincinnati Player of the Year by The Cincinnati Enquirer after scoring 15 goals and 38 points. She finished her high school career as her team’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals, earning NSCAA All-Region honors as both a junior and a senior, along with first-team all-state recognition. In 2013, she was also named the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Sports Women of the Year.
Path to Soccer
Lavelle committed to the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2013, where she became an immediate contributor for the Wisconsin Badgers. As a freshman she appeared in 19 matches, scoring six goals with seven assists and earning Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year honors. Wisconsin won the Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament in 2014, with Lavelle playing a leading role in the midfield. She was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year in both 2015 and 2016.
During her college summers, Lavelle gained senior-level experience in the U.S. Women’s soccer leagues. She played for the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL W-League in 2014, then joined the Seattle Sounders Women of the W-League in the summer of 2015, where she was named to the All-League Team. After the W-League folded, she returned to the Dayton Dutch Lions for the 2016 Women’s Premier Soccer League season. In 2015, she became the first Wisconsin Badger since 1991 to be named a first-team All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Rose Lavelle Career
Early Career (2017)
On January 12, 2017, Lavelle was selected first overall by the Boston Breakers in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. She made an immediate impact, scoring two goals in her first eight appearances and earning NWSL Player of the Month for April. A hamstring injury suffered during international duty in June sidelined her for more than two months. She finished her rookie season with only ten appearances before the Breakers folded ahead of the 2018 campaign.
Washington Spirit Era (2018–2020)
In the NWSL dispersal draft for Breakers players, Lavelle was selected first overall by the Washington Spirit, who had acquired the top pick through a trade with Sky Blue FC. Limited by injuries and international call-ups, she appeared in only eleven matches for the Spirit in 2018 and just six in 2019, scoring once and adding one assist. Despite the limited minutes, she was named to the 2019 NWSL Best XI. During the pandemic-affected 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, she made four appearances and scored one goal before Washington was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Sky Blue FC on penalties.
Manchester City Era (2020–2021)
On August 18, 2020, Lavelle signed with Manchester City of the English FA Women’s Super League. She opened her scoring account on October 7, 2020, netting in a 3–1 League Cup win over Everton, and added a second League Cup goal against Liverpool a month later. On January 31, 2021, she scored her first WSL goal as a substitute in a 4–0 victory over West Ham United. Lavelle also started in Manchester City’s 3–1 extra-time win over Everton in the 2019–20 Women’s FA Cup Final, lifting her first major trophy in England.
OL Reign Era (2021–2023)
On May 17, 2021, OL Reign announced Lavelle’s return to the NWSL as an allocated player. In 2022, she scored five goals across 18 starts to help OL Reign secure the NWSL Shield, awarded to the club with the highest regular-season point total. She missed most of the 2023 NWSL season due to a knee injury and World Cup duty, but returned for the postseason. In the 2023 NWSL Championship she scored OL Reign’s lone goal in a 2–1 loss to NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Gotham FC Era (2024–Present)
On January 4, 2024, Gotham FC announced that Lavelle had signed a three-year deal as a free agent, joining fellow national team players Crystal Dunn, Tierna Davidson, and Emily Sonnett. After missing the start of the season with a lower-leg injury, she debuted on April 28 against Racing Louisville, scoring a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1–1 draw. She finished the regular season with seven goals, tied for second on the team, as Gotham placed third in the standings. In the playoffs she scored a 90+7th-minute winner over the Portland Thorns in the quarterfinals, the latest stoppage-time goal in NWSL playoff history.
Lavelle underwent ankle surgery in the 2024–25 offseason and returned to action on June 7, 2025. In the 2025 NWSL Championship against the Washington Spirit, she struck the only goal in the 80th minute to secure Gotham’s second title. The strike from the top of the box was the latest opening goal in NWSL final history, and she was named Championship MVP.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although the term “driving style” belongs to motorsport, the parallel for Lavelle is her creative, attack-minded midfield play. She combines close ball control with vision in the final third, often arriving late into the box to finish moves she has helped build. Her movement off the ball, comfort between the lines, and ability to score from central areas have made her a focal point of both Gotham FC and the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lavelle was awarded the Bronze Ball as the third-best player at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and was later named to the 2019 FIFA FIFPro World11. On June 4, 2024, she became the 43rd woman to appear in 100 matches for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Her stoppage-time winner over Portland in the 2024 NWSL quarterfinals and her 80th-minute goal in the 2025 NWSL Championship stand out as defining late-game moments of her club career.
Rose Lavelle Career Wins
Lavelle has assembled an impressive trophy collection at the club and international level. She won the Women’s FA Cup with Manchester City, the NWSL Shield with OL Reign, the NWSL Championship with Gotham FC in 2025, and multiple major honors with the United States, including two FIFA Women’s World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal.
NWSL and Domestic Highlights
With Gotham FC, Lavelle won the 2025 NWSL Championship and was named Championship MVP after scoring the lone goal against the Washington Spirit. Earlier, she helped OL Reign claim the 2022 NWSL Shield as a regular-season leader. She has been named to the NWSL Best XI three times, including in 2019 with the Washington Spirit.
International Titles and Performances
Lavelle is a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner, lifting the trophy with the United States in 2019 in France and again in 2023. She also won the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship and the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup. On the Olympic stage she earned bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Games and gold at the 2024 Paris Games, cementing her place among the most decorated American midfielders of her generation.
Rose Lavelle Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Lavelle was raised in Cincinnati by her parents, Marty and Janet, alongside three siblings named John, Nora, and Mary. Her early soccer development came through local clubs in the Cincinnati area and the guidance of longtime trainer Neil Bradford. While her family is not a multi-generational soccer dynasty, the supportive environment and access to strong youth coaching in Cincinnati shaped her path to the professional ranks.
Personal Life
Outside of soccer, Lavelle owns a pet bulldog named Wilma Jean Wrinkles. She has appeared in major publications and on national broadcasts, including the July 2023 cover of Sports Illustrated alongside U.S. teammates Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman, and Sophia Smith. She has also featured in television commercials for brands including Visa in 2019, Subway in 2020, and Icy Hot Dry Spray in 2021.
2025 Season Performance
Lavelle’s 2025 campaign began later than usual following offseason ankle surgery. She made her club return on June 7, 2025, in a 2–1 loss to the Kansas City Current, and worked her way back into form across the summer months. With the U.S. Women’s National Team she returned on June 26 against the Republic of Ireland, recording a goal and an assist in a 4–0 win, her first national-team goal since January 2023.
Her late-season form proved decisive for both club and country. With Gotham FC, she scored the lone goal in the 2025 NWSL Championship final against the Washington Spirit, lifting the title and earning Championship MVP honors. For the national team she had a goal involvement in all five matches she started during 2025. In January 2026, she was named the 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, recognized as the highest individual honor in American soccer.
Looking ahead, Lavelle remains under contract with Gotham FC through 2027 and continues to be a central figure in the U.S. Women’s National Team midfield. With the NWSL Championship, a Player of the Year award, and another Olympic gold medal on her resume, her 2025 season stands as one of the most complete of her professional career.
