Kayla Sharples

Defender

HOMETOWN: Naperville, IL, United States

HEIGHT: 5'11"

Kayla Sharples joined the Kansas City Current in August 2024 via a trade with Bay FC and signed a two-year extension with a mutual option for 2028 in July 2025. The 2025 season – her first full year with the Current – was a breakout year for Sharples, who was named to the NWSL Best XI First Team, was a finalist for NWSL Defender of the Year and earned three NWSL Best XI of the Month selections. She was fundamental in the Current winning the 2025 NWSL Shield and setting numerous regular season NWSL records including points (65), wins (21), consecutive wins (9), consecutive shutout minutes (869), shutouts (16) and consecutive shutouts (9), among others. She scored two goals and recorded her first NWSL regular season assist, and her 29 straight regular season starts set a new club record.

Prior to her move to the Heartland, Sharples was one of Bay FC's inaugural signings. She made 15 appearances with 12 starts in 2024 for Bay and notched two goals, leading the team in interceptions (14) while ranking sixth in the NWSL for blocks (16). Her professional career began when she was the No. 26 overall selection by the Chicago Red Stars in the 2019 NWSL Draft. Over five seasons with Chicago, she made 48 appearances with 39 starts across all competitions, scoring her first professional goal in October 2023 against Kansas City. Her career also includes international stints with Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) in Finland in 2020 while on loan. She made six appearances and scored one goal, contributing to KuPS’s third-place finish that year, the highest ever for the club. Sharples also played for Adelaide United in Australia's A-League during the 2021–22 season. She started 11 of 14 regular season matches, recorded one goal and helped Adelaide reach its first-ever finals appearance.

Sharples had a decorated collegiate career at Northwestern University from 2015-18. She started all 88 matches, recording nine goals and five assists in 7,951 minutes logged. Seven of her nine career goals were game-winners, and she anchored a defense that delivered 47 shutouts. She led the Wildcats to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances as well as the 2016 Big Ten Championship. Sharples was twice named a Third Team All-American, having also been named First Team All-Region and First Team All-Big Ten on three occasions.