Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury has always been a calming presence at soccer's most valuable position.

So when the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League semifinal between the Spirit and New York Gotham FC came down to penalty kicks, the people who know Kingsbury best pegged the outcome because they had seen the same scenario years earlier.

“I knew the second it went to a shootout that it's over, they’re going to win this,” said Wake Forest head coach Tony Daluz, who coached Kingsbury in college from 2010 to 2013. “Their [Washington] staff probably has the same feeling I did when I had her: you don't have to worry about the goalkeeper position.”

Kingsbury defended three consecutive kicks and clinched the Spirit’s first berth in the NWSL Championship since 2021.

The Spirit ultimately lost the following week in the title game to the Orlando Pride, but integral pieces like Kingsbury give reason to believe this team will contend for league supremacy for years to come. Washington’s 2024 season was one to remember with a franchise-best 19 wins and 51 goals scored, the most in league history. Kingsbury and the Spirit will host the North Carolina Courage on June 8 at 4 p.m. on Monumental Sports Network and the Monumental+ app. Washington (6-1-3) will play its first match in 16 days. They split the two meetings with North Carolina last season.

At age 33, the 5-foot-9 star keeper is still one of the best in the NWSL—and for good reason. Her speed, agility, and quick instincts made her the fourth player in league history to record 40 career regular-season shutouts. Kingsbury is a relentless worker determined to be a reliable contributor to her club.

She consistently stays after practice for extra reps and is usually one of the last players to leave the team’s facility in Virginia.

“Her work ethic is unmatched,” said teammate Ashley Hatch, who competed against Kingsbury in Australia’s top soccer league before becoming teammates on the Spirit. “She still shows up and competes every single day like she's fighting for a starting position, and I think that says a lot about her character and the type of player and the type of leader that she is.”

Kingsbury grew up in Cincinnati as one of four children of two athletic parents who ran marathons together. She played softball, ran track, and even developed a love for basketball.

But Kingsbury realized she was “a bit” better at soccer and that it was the sport that showcased her talents. Kingsbury played multiple positions until she was a teenager. She finally became a goalkeeper because it would maximize her innate gifts and help her secure a college scholarship.

“If I wanted to continue to make the top team and have some opportunities playing in college, it was kind of evident to me that goalkeeper was my best position,” Kingsbury said

Kingsbury led her private school, St. Ursula Academy, to back-to-back Ohio state championships. But despite those accolades, she received little college interest.

Then came a fortunate break: One of her coaches called Daluz at Wake Forest and raved about Kingsbury’s talent, insisting she was one of the most overlooked players in her class and had the talent to play Division I soccer.

So Daluz invited Kingsbury to the Wake Forest soccer camp, which included several local and national high school prospects. She quickly showed she belonged, and Daluz was so impressed that he played gatekeeper. He didn’t want the word to get out.  

“It didn't take five minutes to see that she was a serious goalkeeper,” Daluz said. “That whole camp, because we had other college coaches there working for us, we were just trying to protect her at that point, she hadn't even committed, but we didn't want anybody else to see her.”

Once Kingsbury committed to Wake Forest, she quickly asserted herself as a player to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

During her freshman year, she made three consecutive stops in a shootout to win the 2010 ACC Championship. It served as a precursor to her performance under similar pressure against New York last fall.

Kingsbury finished her career as a three-time All-American and Wake Forest’s all-time leader in shutouts. In March, she was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

Kingsbury turned pro in 2014 and played briefly in Norway. Orlando selected her with the 10th pick in the 2016 NWSL Draft. In 2018, she and a first-round pick were traded to the Spirit.

She has been a force since arriving in D.C. She’s received the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award three times and was the MVP of the Spirit’s championship run in 2021.

Off the pitch, Kingsbury’s abilities are even more impressive. She’s an avid baker, whipping up everything from cakes to cookies for the entire team.

The goal is to open a bakery someday with her twin sister, Amber. Whether it’s birthdays, anniversaries, or a special milestone, Kingsbury will make something to signify the occasion.

“Anything she makes is good. Her chocolate cake is really, really good,” Hatch said. “She recently just made me some chocolate chip cookies for my birthday, and I love a good chocolate chip cookie.”

The Spirit are again contenders in the NWSL. They are tied for third place with the Pride at 19 points through 10 games, just behind the San Diego Wave (20 points), whom they play on Monumental Sports Network on June 22, and the Kansas City Current (24), who lead the league.

With Kingsbury defending the Spirit’s net, their chances of making the postseason again and pushing for a championship are favorable. And if it comes down to penalty kicks at any point, her teammates and coaches, past and present, won’t doubt her. 

"I show up in big moments, whether that's penalty kick shootouts or coming up with saves in critical moments," Kingsbury said. "I pride myself on 'you have to beat me to earn a goal,' I'm not going to give you anything cheap."