Lauren Kozal

Lauren Kozal
Kozal with the Portland Thorns in 2024
Personal information
Full name Lauren Rose Kozal[1]
Date of birth (2000-07-11) July 11, 2000[2]
Place of birth Ada, Michigan, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2]
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 HB Køge
Number 66
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Michigan State Spartans 70 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Midwest United 8 (0)
2023–2024 Portland Thorns 0 (0)
2024 → Tampa Bay Sun (loan) 5 (0)
2025–2026 GC Zurich 30 (0)
2026– HB Køge 0 (0)
International career‡
2023 United States U-23 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of June 19, 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of November 13, 2023

Lauren Rose Kozal (born July 1, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Danish A-Liga club HB Køge. She played college soccer for the Michigan State Spartans.

Early life

Kozal grew up in Ada, Michigan.[3] She attended Forest Hills Northern High School, where she played varsity soccer and basketball. She was captain of the soccer team her junior year and a three-time captain of the women's basketball team.[4] Kozal won four consecutive State Cup championships with Midwest United FC and was a member of the club's development academy.[5]

College career

Kozal attended Michigan State University. She made 70 appearances at goalkeeper for the Spartans from 2019 to 2022.[5] She was twice named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year.[6][7] In 2022, she was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy and was elected unanimously to the All-Big Ten First Team.[6]

Club career

In 2022, Kozal made 8 appearances for Midwest United FC in the USL W League.[8]

In 2023, she was drafted by Portland Thorns FC as the 32nd overall pick of the 2023 NWSL Draft.[9][3] Kozal signed a one-year contract with the club, with an option for an additional year.[10]

In September 2024, Portland loaned Kozal to USL Super League club Tampa Bay Sun FC for the remainder of the NWSL season.[11] Kozal made her debut for the Sun in a 3–0 win over DC Power FC on October 2.[12]On December 11, 2024, the Thorns announced Kozal's contract had expired and she was a free agent.[13]

In January 2025, Kozal signed with Swiss club GC Zurich midway through the Swiss Women's Super League season.[14]

After spending one-and-a-half years in Switzerland, Kozal moved to Danish A-Liga club HB Køge on June 19, 2026.[15]

International career

Lauren Kozal was called up to the United States under-23 team in February 2023[16] for two friendly matches against France. She made half-length appearances in both games.[17][18]

Honors

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Michigan State University Commencement Spring 2020" (PDF). p. 39. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Lauren Kozal - Player Details - Portland Thorns". Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  3. 1 2 Melloni, Luca. "Spartan duo Lauren DeBeau and Lauren Kozal join Portland Thorns FC in 2023 NWSL Draft". Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
  4. ↑ "Basketball a family tradition for Kozal family at Forest Hills Northern". MLive. 2017-02-10. Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  5. 1 2 "Lauren Kozal - Information". Michigan State University Spartans. Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  6. 1 2 "Big Ten Conference Announces 2022 Women's Soccer Postseason Honors". Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  7. ↑ "Thorns FC sign forward Izzy D'Aquila, goalkeeper Lauren Kozal". Portland Thorns. Archived from the original on 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  8. ↑ "Lauren Kozal GK Game Log - USL W League". USL W League. Archived from the original on 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  9. ↑ VanDyke, Josh (2023-01-13). "Former Forest Hills Northern, MSU standout drafted to Portland Thorns FC". MLive. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
  10. ↑ Clarke, Ryan (2023-03-15). "Portland Thorns sign NWSL draft picks Izzy D'Aquila, Lauren Kozal to contracts". Oregon Live. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
  11. ↑ "Portland Thorns FC Loan Goalkeeper Lauren Kozal to Tampa Bay Sun FC". Thorns.com. Portland Thorns. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  12. ↑ "Sun Win in Dominant Fashion vs D.C." TampaBaySunFC.com. Tampa Bay Sun. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  13. ↑ https://www.thorns.com/news/end-of-season-contract-updates-2024
  14. ↑ "Zwei Neuzugänge zum Start in die Rückrunde". www.gcfrauenfussball.ch (in German). Retrieved 2026-06-19.
  15. ↑ "Amerikansk keeper skifter til HB Køge Women" (in Danish). HB Køge. 19 June 2026. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  16. ↑ Phuoc Nguyen (February 16, 2023). "Lauren Kozal: On her U-23 WYNT Call-Up, France, & the Nadine Angerer Effect". Stumptown Footy.
  17. ↑ "U.S. Under-23 Women's Youth National Draws France 1-1 To Finish Trip To Paris". February 20, 2023.
  18. ↑ "U.S. Under-23 Women's Youth National Downs France, 2-0, Outside Paris". February 19, 2023.
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