Madison Hammond
Madison Guadalupe Hammond (born November 15, 1997), named Shrewaka in the Keres language, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Early life Hammond was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but raised in the San Felipe Pueblo north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hammond's single mother Carol Lincoln is Navajo and San Felipe Pueblo, and raised Hammond. Her father is Black. She first played soccer in Albuquerque as the only girl on a boys' team at age 5. She spent time during her childhood on the San Felipe Pueblo reservation, where she is a member of the tribe's fox clan. Hammond's mother was in the military and moved with her when Lincoln was reassigned to Washington, D.C. when Hammond was 9 years old. She joined girls' soccer club Prince William Soccer near her mother's base when they moved to Virginia; attended Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Virginia, where she played varsity volleyball; and joined youth club McLean Youth Soccer of the Elite Clubs National League during her sophomore year. Prior to college, Hammond played as an attacking midfielder before transitioning to defense. Collegiate career Hammond was a four-year starter at Wake Forest University, and team captain for two years. During her senior year, she was named second-team All-ACC and was All-ACC academic all four years. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and honor societies in Spanish, science, and history. Hammond plays the violin and was a member of the Wake Forest orchestra. She completed her coursework a semester early to prepare for the 2020 NWSL College Draft. Club career Hammond registered for the 2020 NWSL College Draft but was not selected. She attended tryouts for clubs in Seville and Madrid, Spain, during the draft. OL Reign After the 2020 Draft, OL Reign of the NWSL acquired Hammond's playing rights and invited her to preseason camp. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, training was suspended in March 2020 and Hammond was sent home. She re-joined the Reign at a new camp in Missoula, Montana, as a non-roster invitee ahead of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, and signed a professional contract with the team three weeks later. She made her NWSL debut on September 26, 2020. Hammond's appearance made her the first Native American player to play in the NWSL, being Navajo and Pueblo. When she was informed of the milestone during a post-match interview with the Men in Blazers podcast, Hammond was in disbelief and asked for confirmation. Angel City FC On March 11, 2022, OL Reign traded Hammond to Angel City FC in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and $45,000 in allocation money. She played 319 minutes across nine games, earning three starts. Style of play Hammond is a flexible defender with experience at all backline positions as well as defensive midfield. Teammates, coaches, and analysts have praised her calmness and composure in defense.