Nikki Washington

Madeline Nicole Washington (born August 1, 1988) is an American retired professional soccer forward and right midfielder who last played for Boston Breakers in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and is currently an assistant coach for the women's soccer team at the University of Washington. She previously played for Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers, and magicJack in Women's Professional Soccer as well as the Portland Thorns FC and Houston Dash in the NWSL. She captained the United States team that won the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and played for the under-23 team.

Early life Born in Mesquite, Texas to parents Freida and Lecolion Washington, Washington was named after her grandmother. She has two brothers and one sister.

Washington spent her first freshman and sophomore years in high school at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas before transferring to Spring Creek Academy. She was named the 2003 Dallas Area Freshman of the Year and made the All-Conference team in both 2003 and 2004.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Washington subsequently joined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2006. In her first season with the Tar Heels she equaled an NCAA record for a freshman by starting all 28 matches of the season, a feat which also saw her named to the Freshman All-American team.

Club career WPS, 2010–2011 On January 15, 2010, Washington was drafted 5th overall to the Los Angeles Sol in the 2010 WPS Draft despite playing only eight games during the prior collegiate season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. However, less than two weeks later on January 27, it was announced that the team, runner's up in the league the previous season but which had been under the administration of the Women's Professional Soccer league, were unable to find a new owner and would close. In a disposal draft of Sol players held on February 4, 2010, Washington was drafted sixth overall by Sky Blue FC. Just a month later, she was traded to the Chicago Red Stars after the dissolution of Saint Louis Athletica.

Prior to the start of the 2011 season, Washington was traded to the Boston Breakers. She made five appearances for the club. In June 2011, she was traded to magicJack.

Pali Blues and Canberra United, 2012 Following the folding of the WPS, Washington re-signed for Pali Blues in the W-League for the summer of 2012. She made 11 appearances for the club and helped the team finish undefeated and in first place during the regular season. The club won the Western Conference championship after defeating the Sounders Women 1–0 on July 22 in Fullerton, California. After advancing to the W-League Final Four in Ottawa, the Blues were defeated in the final by the Ottawa Fury. Washington scored the game-opening goal in the second minute of them match.

Washington joined Australian W-League team Canberra United FC later the same year. In her five appearances for the club, she scored three goals in five games.

NWSL, 2013–2015

In February 2013, it was announced that Washington had signed with the Portland Thorns for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League. She made 11 appearances for the Thorns during the 2013 season, scoring one goal and serving two assists. After finishing third during the regular season and advancing to the playoffs, Portland captured the inaugural National Women's Soccer League championship title on August 21 after defeating regular season champions Western New York Flash 2–0 in Rochester, New York.

In January 2014, Washington was traded to expansion team Houston Dash during the 2014 NWSL College Draft. Dash head coach Randy Waldrum said, "With the trade, we were able to acquire Nikki Washington, a Texas native, who has played in both the WPS and NWSL. She too has blazing speed, and can play in multiple positions. She's an attacking force that can wreak havoc with defenses." She made three appearances for the Dash before being traded to the Boston Breakers. Washington played 15 matches and scored one goal during the 2014 season. She was a member of the U23 National Team in 2009. In the summer of 2015, she joined Texas Christian University women's soccer team as the Director of Operations. She is also coach of the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. She briefly coached an 05 girls Texans team before moving to Washington.

Washington joined the University of Washington's women's soccer team as an assistant coach in 2017. In October 2020 it was announced that she had joined the NWSL's Utah Royals as an assistant coach, the second Black female coach in the NWSL.