Savy King Bio
Savannah Mckenzie King (born February 7, 2005), known professionally as Savy King, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). A versatile back capable of playing center back or left back, she entered the NWSL as the second overall pick by Bay FC in the 2024 NWSL Draft after one season at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has represented the United States at the under-17 and under-20 levels, winning a bronze medal at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Early Life and Background
Savannah Mckenzie King was born in Santa Monica, California, and grew up in nearby West Hills. She is the daughter of Kim Parker King, a former professional cyclist and runner, and Karrie King. Athletics ran in the household, and she later said she picked up many of her sporting habits from her parents and her twin brother, Parker.
King was a multisport athlete in her youth, playing softball, baseball, and flag football before she first tried organized soccer at age ten on an AYSO team. She went on to play club soccer for Real So Cal and later Slammers FC HB Køge, a top development environment on the West Coast. Her speed and tackling instincts quickly pushed her toward a defensive role, and she became regarded as one of the strongest young defenders in her age group.
At Agoura High School, King lettered in four seasons of track and set school records in the 200-meter and 400-meter dash. She also played flag football, once recording six interceptions and four touchdowns in a single game. Ranked by TopDrawerSoccer as the top left back in the class of 2023, she committed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in November 2022 and signed a name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreement with Nike before enrolling.
Path to Professional Soccer
King joined the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2023 as a freshman center back and immediately earned a starting role, appearing in all 23 matches. Longtime head coach Anson Dorrance praised her season-opening performance at Penn State as the best first-game showing by a freshman in program history. She was twice named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Week in the first three weeks of the season and led the team in minutes played.
Her freshman campaign ended in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals, and she was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and the All-ACC Second Team. On the international stage, King helped the United States win the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship and reach the knockout round of the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She later served as co-captain of the under-20 team at the 2023 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship, securing qualification for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Savy King Career
Bay FC Era (2024)
Bay FC, an NWSL expansion club, selected King second overall in the 2024 NWSL Draft, making her and North Carolina teammate Ally Sentnor the top two picks. She signed a three-year contract and made her professional debut on March 17, starting at left back in Bay’s first-ever match, a 1–0 win over Angel City FC. She quickly became a regular in the starting lineup.
King missed roughly a month while representing the United States at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, where she helped the team finish third and earn a bronze medal, the country’s best result at the tournament since 2012. Upon her return, Alyssa Malonson had assumed the starting left back role, and King finished her rookie season with two assists across 18 appearances and 12 starts.
Angel City FC Era (2025–Present)
On February 3, 2025, King was traded to her hometown club Angel City FC, reportedly at her request, in exchange for $200,000 in immediate intra-league transfer funds and an additional $100,000 due in 2026. Before the season began, Angel City signed her to a two-year contract extension that runs through 2028. She returned to center back in her club debut, starting the March 16 season opener, a 1–1 draw against the San Diego Wave.
On May 9, 2025, during a home match against the Utah Royals, King collapsed on the field in the 74th minute due to a medical event. Medical personnel administered chest compressions before she was removed on a cart with an oxygen mask and transported to a hospital. The club later confirmed she was responsive and recovering with her family. On May 13, Angel City announced that King had successfully undergone surgery to address a heart abnormality discovered during her treatment.
King returned to play on March 15, 2026, entering Angel City’s season opener in the 63rd minute of a 4–0 victory over Chicago Stars FC. Her comeback was widely covered as a milestone moment for the club and for the league.
Driving Style and Strengths
King’s game is built on pace, tackling, and the ability to read play early, traits sharpened through her track background at Agoura High School. Comfortable as either a left back or a central defender, she pairs one-on-one defending with composed distribution out of the back, and her familiarity with high-tempo environments at North Carolina translated quickly to the professional ranks.
Notable Events and Milestones
King’s most prominent milestone came at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she helped the United States earn bronze, the program’s best finish since 2012. She was the second overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and the first player signed through Angel City’s intra-league trade for $200,000 in immediate funds. Her return to play in March 2026, after heart surgery, marked one of the most emotional moments of the 2026 NWSL season.
Savy King Career Wins
Although King is a defender and does not accumulate traditional scoring tallies, her career is marked by team trophies and individual recognition at every level. She has contributed to a CONCACAF under-17 title, an ECNL Under-18/19 national championship, a bronze medal at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, and postseason college honors at North Carolina.
International and Youth Highlights
King was a key defender for the United States at the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship, which the team won to qualify for the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She later captained the under-20 side at the 2023 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship, helping the United States reach the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where the team captured bronze. In January 2025, she was invited to a U.S. Soccer Futures Camp under senior team head coach Emma Hayes and served as a training player at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.
Other Performances
At the club youth level, King won the ECNL Under-18/19 national title in 2023 with Slammers FC HB Køge. In college, she earned ACC All-Freshman Team and All-ACC Second Team recognition in her lone season at North Carolina, and she finished her rookie NWSL campaign with Bay FC in 2024 as a regular starter.
Savy King Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
King comes from an athletic family. Her mother, Karrie King, is a former professional cyclist and runner, while her father, Kim Parker King, is also a former competitive athlete. Her twin brother, Parker, grew up alongside her in West Hills and shared in her early sporting life.
Personal Life
Born and raised in the greater Los Angeles area, King has spoken about the importance of representing her hometown club, Angel City FC. She has also been recognized for her partnership with Nike through her pre-college NIL agreement. Outside of soccer, she continues to train as a track athlete and remains active in community and youth soccer initiatives in Southern California.
2025 Season Performance
King’s 2025 season was defined by her midseason medical emergency and her subsequent recovery. After joining Angel City FC in February and signing an extension through 2028, she opened the season at center back and quickly became a fixture in the starting lineup. Her early performances contributed to a competitive start for Angel City under a new defensive structure.
The May 9 home match against the Utah Royals was halted after King collapsed in the 74th minute, with medical staff performing chest compressions on the field before she was transported to a hospital. The club confirmed her successful heart surgery four days later, and the NWSL community rallied around her. Recovery sidelined her for the remainder of the calendar year.
Looking ahead, King returned to the pitch on March 15, 2026, in Angel City’s season-opening win over Chicago Stars FC. With her contract running through 2028 and her fitness trending upward, she remains a central part of Angel City’s long-term defensive plans and a candidate for a senior United States national team opportunity.
