Washington Spirit Sign Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart to One-Year Deal

Washington Spirit  |   January 31, 2022
Washington Spirit Sign Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart to One-Year Deal Featured Image

Washington, D.C., (01/31/22) – The Washington Spirit have signed goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart to a one-year deal. The former Kansas City Current and USWNT goalkeeper will join the Spirit for preseason camp which begins tomorrow. 

Barnhart was one of the original members of the NWSL, being allocated to FC Kansas City in 2013. She played 108 matches for FCKC, which included two championships before the team was moved to Utah to become the Utah Royals. Barnhart played 32 matches for the Royals before returning to Kansas City in 2021 when the roster from the Royals was transferred to the Kansas City Current. Prior to the NWSL, Barnhart played for the California Storm of the WPSL and FC Gold Pride and the Philadelphia Independence, both of the WPS. Barnhart has twice won Goalkeeper of the Year, the first coming in the WPS in 2010 and again in 2013 during the inaugural season of the NWSL. 

“We are excited to bring Barnie into the Spirit family,” Head Coach Kris Ward said. “She has proven quality both in goal and as a person and is exactly the kind of person we want in our locker room. Given the challenges that are upcoming, we felt like it was vital to add someone of her caliber.”

At Stanford, Barnhart was a two-time first-team All-American. She shares the all-time record for shutouts at Stanford with Houston’s Jane Campbell at 35 and holds the single-season record for shutouts with 18. Barnhart also holds the single-season record for goals-against average at 0.19. 

On top of a successful club career, Barnhart was a mainstay on the USWNT as the backup to Hope Solo from 2004-2013. With the USWNT, she won Olympic gold twice. 

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