Khyah Harper

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Khyah Harper
Khyah Harper Gotham FC Bay FC 6.21.2025-033 (cropped).jpg
Harper with Gotham FC in 2025
Personal information
Full name Khyah Lynn Harper [1]
Date of birth (2002-08-15) August 15, 2002 (age 23) [2]
Place of birth Lino Lakes, Minnesota, U.S. [3]
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Gotham FC
Number 34
Youth career
2015–2020 Minnesota Thunder
2016–2017 North Branch Vikings
2018–2020 Centennial Cougars
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2021–2024 Minnesota Golden Gophers 68 (20)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023–2024 Salvo FC – (–)
2025– Gotham FC 12 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of November 23, 2025

Khyah Lynn Harper (born August 15, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and was named the Big Ten Forward of the Year in 2024.

Contents

Early life

Harper was born and raised in Lino Lakes, Minnesota. [3] She played multiple sports growing up, including softball, baseball, and track, and she danced, but had the most passion for soccer. [4] She played two seasons at North Branch Area High School before transferring to Centennial High School. She committed to Minnesota before her freshman year. [4] She helped Centennial reach the state championship game as a junior. In her senior year, she scored 26 goals with 10 assists and was named the Minnesota Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year and the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year for 2020. She finished her high school career with 134 goals and 71 assists in five seasons. During high school, she played club soccer for Minnesota Thunder Academy, earning ECNL All-American honors in 2018. [5]

College career

Harper playing for Minnesota in 2024 SC vs Minn - NCAA 2024 - 013 (cropped).jpg
Harper playing for Minnesota in 2024

Harper battled injuries over her first three seasons with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, going through surgeries for both ankles and meniscus surgery on her knee. [6] [7] Leading up to her senior year in 2024, she spent the summer with Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) club Salvo SC and won the Golden Boot after leading the league with 16 goals. [8] She had a strong start to her senior season with the Golden Gophers, scoring two hat tricks within the first three games. [6] She finished her breakout season with 17 goals in 22 games (ranking second in the nation in the regular season). Minnesota earned their first NCAA tournament berth in six years and reached the third round, losing to eventual champions North Carolina. Harper was named the Big Ten Forward of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, and second-team All-American by United Soccer Coaches. [5] [9]

Club career

Gotham FC announced on January 8, 2025, that they had signed Harper to her first professional contract on a one-year deal. [3] She made her professional debut on March 23, coming on as a second-half substitute for Sarah Schupansky in a 2–0 loss against the Orlando Pride in the home opener. [10] On August 1, she made her first start and scored her first professional goal with a diving header from Sarah Schupansky's cross in a 1–1 draw with the Chicago Stars. [11] She gained starts in all four CONCACAF W Champions Cup group games as Gotham progressed to the semifinals, scoring in a 2–1 win over Monterrey on August 20. [12] On September 19, she signed a one-year contract extension through the following season. [13] She finished her rookie season with 1 goal in 12 league appearances. [14] She was unused in the playoffs as Gotham won the 2025 NWSL Championship over the Washington Spirit, claiming their second NWSL title. [15]

Harper began her second season at the inaugural FIFA Women's Champions Cup, scoring the opening goal against AS FAR in the 4–0 win for third place at the Emirates Stadium on February 1, 2026. [12]

Personal life

Harper is the daughter of Desiree and Brett Harper. Her father played college football at Wisconsin–La Crosse, and her older sister Sadie played soccer alongside Harper throughout high school and college. She is a cousin of ice hockey player Hunter Miska. [5]

Honors and awards

Gotham FC

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "2024/25 Concacaf W Champions Cup Finals Roster" (PDF). CONCACAF . May 16, 2025. p. 2. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Khyah Harper". Gotham FC . Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Gotham FC Signs University of Minnesota Forward Khyah Harper". Gotham FC. January 8, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Lyne, Michael (October 26, 2021). "'[We] wouldn't trade it for the world': The Harper sisters and their journey to Gophers soccer". Minnesota Daily . Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Khyah Harper". Minnesota Golden Gophers . Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Zgoda, Jerry (September 12, 2024). "She's back. Gophers soccer senior Khyah Harper has multiple hat tricks to prove it". Minnesota Star Tribune . Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  7. ↑ Howard, Champ (September 14, 2024). "Khyah Harper kicks away injuries, shoots for sensational season". Minnesota Daily . Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  8. ↑ "2024 Golden Boot Race". Women's Premier Soccer League. July 13, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  9. ↑ Christensen, Joe (November 11, 2024). "Gophers soccer lands first NCAA tournament bid since 2018". Minnesota Star Tribune . Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Gotham FC Falls to Orlando Pride on Home Opener". Gotham FC. March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Gotham FC Settles for Draw Against Chicago Stars FC". Gotham FC. August 1, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Khyah Harper". flashscore.com. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Forward Khyah Harper Signs Contract Extension with Gotham FC". Gotham FC. September 19, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Khyah Harper 2025 Match Logs". FBref.com . Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  15. 1 2 Mohs, Marielle (December 8, 2025). "Former Gopher soccer star wins NWSL championship her rookie season". CBS News . Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Gotham FC Crowned Champions of Inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup". Gotham FC. May 25, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
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