Leah Klenke


Leah Michelle Klenke is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League. She played college soccer for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning [List of NCAA Division I women's association football|soccer First-Team All-America teams|first-team All-American] honors in 2025. She won bronze with the United States at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Early life

Klenke grew up in Houston, Texas, the daughter of parents who attended the University of Notre Dame. She attended Saint Agnes Academy, a Dominican girls' school, where she was part of the soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. She was named first-team all-state and won TAPPS state titles in all three sports, including the 800 meter, 1600 meter, and 3200 meter triple crown in 2021. She played club soccer for the Albion Hurricanes, earning multiple ECNL all-conference honors. She committed to Notre Dame as a freshman.

College career

Klenke started 78 games and scored 5 goals for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2022 to 2025. Recruited as a left wingback, she was also used as a center back by head coach Nate Norman. In 2022, as a freshman, she joined upperclassmen Eva Gaetino and Waniya Hudson on the back line, helping the Irish lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in shutout percentage. The team reached the [2022 Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC women's soccer tournament|ACC tournament] semifinals and earned a one seed in the NCAA tournament, making the quarterfinals. Klenke was named to the ACC all-freshman team and ranked by TopDrawerSoccer as the seventh-best freshman in the country. In 2023, she led the Irish with 10 assists to finish second in the conference standings, earning second-team All-ACC honors. After missing about a month while at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, she was named first-team All-ACC as a junior and helped the Irish to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals in 2024. In 2025, she again helped the Irish to second in the ACC standings and reached a program first ACC tournament final. Notre Dame earned the overall top seed in the NCAA tournament but were upset in the second round. Klenke was named first-team All-ACC for the second time and earned first-team All-American recognition.

Club career

Hometown club Houston Dash announced on January 8, 2026, that they had signed Klenke to her first professional contract on a three-year deal.

International career

Klenke was called into training camp with the United States under-14 team in 2018. She was next called into a combined under-18/under-19 camp in early 2023. Later that year, she played at the 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship, where the United States U-20s secured qualification for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She appeared as a substitute for right back Gisele Thompson in every match at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, helping the United States finish in third place, its best result since 2012. She converted her penalty kick in a shootout win over Germany in the quarterfinals.

Honors and awards

United States U-20
Individual