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Lo'eau LaBonta

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Lo'eau LaBonta
LaBonta with the Kansas City Current in 2024
Personal information
Full name Lo'eau Kaiulani LaBonta[1]
Date of birth (1993-03-18) March 18, 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Rancho Cucamonga, California, United States
Height 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Kansas City Current
Number 10
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Stanford Cardinal 78 (22)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015 Sky Blue FC 6 (0)
2016–2017 FC Kansas City 22 (2)
2017–2019 → WS Wanderers (loan) 21 (1)
2018–2020 Utah Royals 42 (2)
2021– Kansas City Current 78 (17)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of September 22, 2024

Lo'eau Kaiulani LaBonta (born March 18, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for and captains the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

LaBonta played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal, where she won the 2011 national championship. She was drafted by Sky Blue FC in the 2015 NWSL College Draft before signing with FC Kansas City in 2016. After FC Kansas City folded, she went to the Utah Royals for three years before returning when the Kansas City Current began play in 2021. She helped lead the Current to the NWSL title game and was named to the NWSL Best XI in 2022.

College soccer

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LaBonta attended Stanford University from 2011 to 2014, and was part of the NCAA National Championship winning team in the 2011 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament.[2]

Club career

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Sky Blue FC, 2015

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Sky Blue FC drafted LaBonta from Stanford with the 37th overall pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. She made six appearances before Sky Blue FC waived her and Meg Morris in July 2015 to make room on the roster for players returning from the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[3][4]

FC Kansas City, 2016–2017

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FC Kansas City signed LaBonta in May 2016.[5] She debuted for FCKC against the Orlando Pride shortly thereafter, and soon earned a regular starting position with the team.[4] FCKC head coach Vlatko Andonovski cited her tenacity in winning possession from opponents for her increased playing time.[6]

Western Sydney Wanderers, 2017–2019 (loan)

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In October 2017, LaBonta joined Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers.[7] She played every match for the Red & Black, scoring one goal. She returned to the Wanderers for the 2018–19 season and appeared in 9 games.[8]

Utah Royals FC, 2018–2020

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After FC Kansas City ceased operations after the 2017 season, LaBonta was officially added to the roster of the Utah Royals FC on February 8, 2018.[9] LaBonta appeared in 16 games for the Royals in the 2018 NWSL season.

She returned to Utah for the 2019 season and scored her first goal for the club on April 21, in a 1–0 win over the Washington Spirit.[10] LaBonta was named to the NWSL Team of the Month for August, she had 1 goal and 2 assists during the month of August.[11]

Kansas City Current, 2021–present

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LaBonta followed the transfer of player-related assets to the Kansas City expansion team Kansas City Current after the Utah Royals FC folded.[12] She coined the Current chant "KC Baby" as the new team was finding an identity.[13]

LaBonta has earned the nickname "Celly Queen" for her elaborate celebrations after scoring goals.[12][14] Her celebration went viral after she converted a penalty kick against Angel City FC on August 19, 2022. After scoring, LaBonta began moving toward the corner flag and walking as if she had injured her hamstring only to start twerking. Players in different sports imitated the celebration, including Travis Kelce and Alexander Mattison.[15][16][17] She opened a 2–1 win over the Houston Dash with the help of a penalty kick in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.[18] The Current went on to advance to the championship game, which they lost 2–0 to the Portland Thorns.[19]

LaBonta became the Current's captain in the 2024 season.[20] LaBonta scored her first career brace in a 4–1 win at the Portland Thorns on June 23, 2024.[21] On October 26, she assisted Temwa Chawinga on both of the goals against NJ/NY Gotham FC in the final of the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.[22]

Personal life

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LaBonta was born in Rancho Cucamonga, California.[12] LaBonta is married to retired Sporting Kansas City player Roger Espinoza.[12]

While attending Stanford, she earned a degree in engineering.[12]

Career Statistics

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last updated September 22, 2023

Club Season Regular Season[a] Domestic Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sky Blue FC 2016 NWSL 6 0 — 6 0
FC Kansas City 2017 22 2 — 22 2
Utah Royals 2018 16 0 — 16 0
2019 22 2 — 27 2
2020 0 0 5 0 5 0
Kansas City Current 2021 19 1 3 0 22 1
2022 23 8 7 1 30 9
2023 17 2 5 0 22 2
2024 19 6 — 2 1
Total 144 21 20 1 164 22
WS Wanderers (loan) 2017–2018 W-League 12 1 — 12 1
2018–2019 9 0 — 9 0
Total 21 1 0 0 21 1
Career total 165 22 20 1 185 23
  1. ^ Includes playoffs

Honors

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Individual

References

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  1. ^ "School of Engineering – Bachelor of Science: Degrees Conferred March 31, 2016". 125th Commencement. Stanford, California: Stanford University. June 12, 2016. p. 39. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  2. ^ "Stanford's Lo'eau LaBonta Seizing Opportunity To Go Out A Champion". November 15, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "Sky Blue FC Waives LaBonta, Morris to Make Room for Foord, Kerr". Sky Blue FC. July 2, 2015. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Gaylor, Rachel (May 25, 2017). "Player Profile – Lo'eau LaBonta". FC Kansas City. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  5. ^ FC Kansas City (May 28, 2016). "Blues Sign Midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta". OurSportsCentral. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  6. ^ Scoby, Ashley (September 10, 2016). "Development of young players a bright spot in FC Kansas City's down year". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  7. ^ "LaBonta joins the Wanderers". Western Sydney Wanderers. October 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "LeBonta returns to the Red & Black". September 20, 2018.
  9. ^ "Utah Royals FC officially welcomes five additions to 2018 NWSL roster". February 8, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "L.LABONTA". Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  11. ^ "August Team of the Month". September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d e Bachman, Rachel (October 28, 2022). "Kansas City's Soccer Star Is a Twerking, Goal-Scoring Late Bloomer". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  13. ^ "Kansas City Current midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta signs new contract". Kansas City Current. January 31, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  14. ^ Moore, Lela (March 24, 2023). "More Than the Celly Queen: Lo'eau LaBonta Has Built Something Special in Kansas City". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  15. ^ "Chiefs' Travis Kelce channels KC Current's Lo'EAU LaBonta". September 15, 2023.
  16. ^ "A professional soccer star faked an injury after scoring to set up an epic twerking goal celebration". Insider.com.
  17. ^ "MSN". MSN.
  18. ^ "Match Report: Kate Del Fava's stoppage-time winner seals historic NWSL playoff victory for Kansas City Current". Kansas City Current. October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  19. ^ "Match Report: Kansas City Current's historic season ends with loss in NWSL Championship". Kansas City Current. October 30, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  20. ^ "2024 Kansas City Current Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  21. ^ Rantz, Susie (June 23, 2024). "Lo'eau LaBonta scored twice as KC Current beat Portland Thorns and remain undefeated in NWSL". Associated Press. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  22. ^ "Temwa Chawinga lifts Kansas City over Gotham to win inaugural Summer Cup". The Equalizer. October 26, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  23. ^ "NWSL Announces Winners of Mastercard Best XI Awards". NWSL Soccer. November 3, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
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