Ashley Barron

Ashley Michelle Barron (born January 24, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for Campeonato Nacional Feminino club Sporting CP. She played college soccer for the Cincinnati Bearcats, winning AAC Defensive Player of the Year three times. She began her professional career with Swedish club KIF Örebro in 2024. Later that year, she moved to Portuguese club Racing Power, their first player acquired for a transfer fee. She then joined Sporting CP in 2025.

Early life

Barron grew up in Toledo, Ohio. She played high school soccer at Notre Dame Academy, scoring 62 goals and adding 28 assists over four seasons.

College career

Barron played in all 19 games, starting 18, and scored 1 goal for the Cincinnati Bearcats as a freshman in 2019. but after going unselected, she returned to Cincinnati for her fifth and final season as the Bearcats joined the Big 12 Conference. Barron trained with Gotham FC as a non-roster invitee in the preseason. On February 1, 2024, she signed her first professional contract with Swedish club KIF Örebro on a one-year deal. She was viewed as the replacement for recently sold compatriot Regan Steigleder. On May 9, she scored her first league goal – her club's first of the Damallsvenskan season – as they lost 4–2 to Kristianstad. Their first win of the campaign came a month later against Brommapojkarna with Barron recording an assist in the 4–1 victory. On August 1, KIF Örebro announced that Barron had been sold to an unnamed club after the buy-out clause in her contract was activated. She made 17 appearances and scored 2 goals for the club.

On August 21, 2024, Portuguese club Racing Power announced the signing of Barron. She debuted for the club on August 31, playing the entire match as the season began with a 1–1 draw with Marítimo. She finished the season with 26 appearances and 1 goal in all competitions as Racing Power placed sixth in the league. Joining the club's sizable American contingent alongside Mackenzie Cherry, She debuted for the club on September 11, playing the entire match in a 2–1 win away over Roma in the first leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League third qualifying round. On September 22, she scored her first goal for the club in a 6–0 victory over Damaiense on the first day of the league season. She finished the season with 31 appearances and 3 goals in all competitions as Sporting were league runners-up to Benfica.

Honors and awards

Individual AAC Defensive Player of the Year: 2020, 2021, 2022 First-team All-AAC: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022