Natalie Beckman

Natalie Beckman
Personal information
Full name Natalie Katherine Beckman[1]
Date of birth (2000-03-25) March 25, 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Aurora, Colorado, United States
Height 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Sparta Prague
Number 34
Youth career
–2018 Colorado Storm
2015–2018 Grandview High School Wolves
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Denver Pioneers 83 (21)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Portland Thorns FC 6 (0)
2024– Sparta Prague 1 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 10, 2024

Natalie Katherine Beckman (born March 25, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Sparta Prague in the Czech Women's First League.

Youth career

Beckman was born and raised in Aurora, Colorado, and played youth soccer for Elite Clubs National League club Colorado Storm.[2][3] She also played as a midfielder for Grandview High School of Aurora, winning state championships in 2015, 2016, and 2018, and appearing in the state final four in 2017.[3][4][5]

College career

On August 12, 2015, Beckman committed to playing NCAA Division I women's soccer for the University of Denver Pioneers,[5] where she played primarily as a left winger. During her career she made 83 total appearances, starting all but two, and scored 21 goals and a program-record 47 assists. In her final season with the Pioneers, Beckman scored five goals and a single-season program record of 18 assists, finishing second in the nation in both assists and assists per match.[2][3][4] She graduated from Denver with a degree in mathematics and minors in business analytics, psychology, and Spanish.[4] During Beckman's time with the Pioneers, the team won three Summit League championships, and she was named league offensive player of the season twice.[6]

Club career

Portland Thorns FC, 2022–2023

NWSL club Portland Thorns FC selected Beckman with the 48th overall pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft. On March 15, 2022, Thorns FC announced that the club had signed Beckman to a one-year contract with an option for an additional year.[7]

On March 26, 2022, Beckman made her professional debut in a 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup match against San Diego Wave FC as a second-half substitute. On June 12, 2022, Beckman made her regular-season debut for Thorns FC in a match against Houston Dash as a 64th-minute substitute.[8]

Thorns FC exercised its option on Beckman's contract for a second year ahead of the 2023 season. Beckman moved from playing forward to the defense in her second season.[9]

She was out of contract in November 2023.[10]

AC Sparta Prague, 2024–present

On 1 March 2024, Beckman signed a contract with Czech Women's First League club Sparta Prague.[11]

Honors

References

  1. ^ "Undergraduate Degrees: Bachelor of Arts". Commencement 2022. Denver: University of Denver. June 2022. p. 28.
  2. ^ a b Little, Grant (January 4, 2022). "Meet the Draftees: Natalie Beckman". Stumptown Footy. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Natalie Beckman". Denver Pioneers. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Stone, Jon (March 30, 2022). "DU Soccer Standout Ready to Shine in National Women's Soccer League" (Press release). Denver Pioneers. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Chavez, Jeremy (August 12, 2015). "Grandview Wolf, Natalie Beckman, commits to DU". USA Today High School Sports. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  6. ^ Cirioli, Jaiden (December 20, 2021). "Thorns 2021 Draft Recap". Rose City Review. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  7. ^ "Thorns FC sign midfielder Gabby Provenzano, forward Natalie Beckman" (Press release). Portland Timbers. March 15, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  8. ^ "Natalie Beckman PTFC". Portland Timbers. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  9. ^ Wiley, Ben (March 23, 2023). "NWSL 2023: Portland Thorns look to go back-to-back". Soccer America. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Clarke, Ryan (November 20, 2023). "Portland Thorns provide roster update in early stages of crucial offseason". oregonlive.
  11. ^ "Natalie Beckman sparťankou". AC Sparta Prague (in Czech). 1 March 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  12. ^ Ploen, Brendan (October 28, 2022). "NWSL Championship: Six Coloradans part of primetime showdown between Portland and Kansas City". The Denver Post. Retrieved April 3, 2023.