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Alex Loera

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Alex Loera
Loera with the Kansas City Current in 2022
Personal information
Full name Alexis Alycia Loera[1]
Date of birth (1999-06-19) June 19, 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth Thornton, Colorado, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Bay FC
Number 22
Youth career
Colorado Storm
The Academy
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Santa Clara Broncos 98 (7)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Kansas City Current 30 (0)
2024– Bay FC 2 (0)
International career
United States U17
2022 United States U23
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 13, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of April 6, 2023

Alexis Alycia Loera (born June 19, 1999) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Bay FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Youth career

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Loera grew up in Thornton, Colorado, and began playing soccer among other sports when she was three years old. She eventually selected soccer over playing softball.[2] She played high school soccer for The Academy of Westminster, Colorado, and also played for Colorado Storm of the Elite Clubs National League.[2][3]

College career

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Loera played NCAA Division I women's soccer for the Santa Clara Broncos. Loera was a captain for the Broncos team that won the 2020 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament, resulting in Santa Clara's second national championship. Loera was also named the tournament's Defensive Most Outstanding player.[3]

Club career

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Expansion team Kansas City NWSL selected Loera with the 36th-overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, though she opted to return to Santa Clara for an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She joined the then-renamed Current in 2022.[3]

Kansas City Current, 2022–2023

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On March 18, 2022, Loera made her professional debut for Kansas City as a starter in a 1–1 Challenge Cup draw against Racing Louisville FC. She scored her first professional goal on April 24, 2022, against Chicago Red Stars in a 2–1 Challenge Cup victory, and the goal was featured on SportsCenter as a Top 10 play.[4]

In the 2022 NWSL Playoffs semifinal match against OL Reign, Loera—moving from the backline to defensive midfield in place of suspended Desiree Scott—scored the fastest goal in NWSL Playoffs history with a 4th-minute tally. The goal was Loera's first in the regular season or postseason, and was also the eventual match-winner as Kansas City won 2–0 and advanced to the NWSL Championship match.[5] Kansas City fell in the championship to Portland Thorns FC by a final score of 0–2; Loera started and played the full 90 minutes.[6]

On January 5, 2023, Kansas City Current announced that it had re-signed Loera to a three-year contract through the 2025 season.[4]

Bay FC, 2023–

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On November 15, 2023, the Current traded Loera to NWSL expansion team Bay FC in exchange for $175,000 in allocation money and immunity in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft. The transaction made Loera the first player signed in Bay FC's history.[7]

International career

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Loera was called into camps for the United States under-17 and under-23 national soccer teams.[3]

Personal life

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Loera is currently in a relationship with former Kansas City Current teammate Chardonnay Curran.[8]

She is a Christian.[9]

Honors

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Santa Clara Broncos

References

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  1. ^ "Class of 2021: Alexis Alycia Loera". Santa Clara University. June 2021. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Azzi, Alex (October 28, 2022). "Q+A: Alex Loera on journey to Kansas City, 2022 NWSL Championship". On Her Turf. NBC Sports. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Wiley, Ben (September 10, 2022). "NWSL Rookie Report: Alex Loera electrifying for the Kansas City Current". Soccer America. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Green, PJ (January 5, 2023). "Kansas City Current re-signs defender Alex Loera". WDAF-TV. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  5. ^ Hruby, Emma (October 23, 2022). "Alex Loera's first NWSL goal helps Current advance to title game". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  6. ^ Carlisle, Jeff (October 29, 2022). "Portland Thorns overcome adversity-filled season to win third NWSL title". ESPN. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  7. ^ "Alex Loera traded to Bay FC as NWSL expansion team's first player". CBS News. November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  8. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  9. ^ Loera, Alex (November 13, 2023). "Alex Loera". twitter.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
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