Madelyn Desiano

Last updated
Madelyn Desiano
Personal information
Full name Madelyn Marie Desiano
Date of birth (2000-02-18) February 18, 2000 (age 25)
Place of birth Mission Viejo, California
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Spokane Zephyr
Number 17
Youth career
So Cal Blues
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018–2022 UCLA Bruins 53 (3)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023–2024 Houston Dash 4 (0)
2024–2025 Odense Boldklub Q 21 (0)
2025– Spokane Zephyr 0 (0)
International career
2014 United States U14
2018 United States U18
2017 United States U19
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of July 21, 2025

Madelyn Marie Desiano (born February 18, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for USL Super League club Spokane Zephyr FC. She played college soccer for the UCLA Bruins before being selected in the 2023 NWSL Draft by the Houston Dash.

Contents

Early life

Desiano was born in Mission Viejo, California [1] and attended Aliso Niguel High School. [2] She was a member of both the soccer and dance teams at Aliso Niguel. [3] She played youth soccer for SoCal Blues, with which she won the 2015 ECNL U15 National Championship. [4]

College career

Desiano attended University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and played college soccer for the UCLA Bruins from 2018 to 2022. [1] In 2018, she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and underwent knee surgery. [2] In 2019, she underwent a second knee surgery. [2]

Desiano then made her college debut in February 2021. [2] She scored her first collegiate goal on October 6, 2022, against Arizona State. [5] UCLA won the 2022 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament, as Desiano played all 110 minutes in championship match. [1]

Club career

Houston Dash

In January 2023, Desiano was selected by the Houston Dash in the 2023 NWSL Draft. [6] She scored her first professional goal on July 22, 2023 in a 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup match against Kansas City Current. [7] [8] Houston waived Desiano on April 12, 2024. [9]

Odense Boldklub Q

On August 9, 2024, Desiano signed with Danish club Odense Boldklub Q. [10] She made her first start and recorded her first assist for the club on August 31, 2024 against HB Køge, [11] [12] and was named to the Kvindeligaen Team of the Round. Her move to Denmark also reunited her with former UCLA teammate, My Hyland. [13] Desiano was named to the Kvindeligaen Team of the Month for September 2024. [14] She played 21 league matches in her lone season with OB Q. [15]

Spokane Zephyr

Desiano returned to the United States in July 2025, signing a contract with Spokane Zephyr FC ahead of the club's second season as a member of the USL Super League. [16]

International career

Desiano attended training camp with the United States under-14 team in 2014. [17]

In September 2017, Desiano competed with the United States under-19 team in the CFA International Women's Youth Football Tournament in China. [18] In April 2018, she competed with the United States under-18 team in Switzerland. [19]

Personal life

Desiano was born to parents Tom, who played college basketball for San Jose State, and Ann-Marie, a competitive dancer who was a cheerleader for Long Beach State. [20] [1]

Desiano wrote a book about her experiences at UCLA; in June 2025, she self-published Bend Never Break, focusing on UCLA's 2022 National Championship. [21] [22]

Career statistics

As of match played June 14, 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup [a] Playoffs [b] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Houston Dash 2023 NWSL 404181
2024 0000
Odense Boldklub Q 2024–25 Kvindeligaen 21030240
Career total2507100321

Honors

UCLA Bruins

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Madelyn Desiano". uclabruins.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Madelyn Desiano fought back from two ACL tears and sets the tone for No. 1 UCLA soccer". Los Angeles Times. September 15, 2022.
  3. Register, Orange County Register | Orange County (December 9, 2016). "Varsity Arts Artist of the Week: Dancer Madelyn Desiano of Aliso Niguel High".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. "2015–16". www.scblues.com.
  5. "Women's Soccer Off to Best-Ever Start After 4–0 Win Over ASU". uclabruins.com.
  6. "Houston Dash select four players in the 2023 NWSL Draft | Houston Dynamo". Houston Dynamo FC.
  7. "Houston Dash fall to Kansas City Current 3–1 in UKG Challenge Cup | Houston Dynamo". Houston Dynamo FC.
  8. "Pro Bruin Rundown: From World Cup to independent baseball, Bruins make mark on professional stage". Daily Bruin.
  9. "Houston Dash Announce Roster Updates | Houston Dynamo". April 12, 2024.
  10. "Madelyn Desiano er ny forsvarsspiller i OB". ob.dk. August 10, 2024.
  11. @odenseboldklub_q; (2024-09-02). "Highlights fra weekendens sejr over HB Køge! 📺" via Instagram.
  12. "Kampinfo – Gjensidige Kvindeliga". kvindeliga.dk.
  13. @kvindeliga; (2024-09-02). "11 spillere har fundet vej til rundens hold, som er sat i samarbejde med Kvindeligaens kommentatorer 🔥" via Instagram.
  14. @kvindeliga; (2024-10-08). "MÅNEDENS GJENSIDIGE KVINDELIGAHOLD I SEPTEMBER ✨" via Instagram.
  15. Madelyn Desiano at FBref.com
  16. "After a stint in Denmark's top league, ex-UCLA defender Madelyn Desiano returns to U.S. to join Spokane Zephyr FC". USL Spokane. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
  17. "U-14 GNT Starts New Cycle with Portland Camp". May 27, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-11-10.
  18. "U-19 WNT WILL TRAVEL TO CHINA FOR CFA INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S YOUTH FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT FEATURING JAPAN, CHINA PR AND IRAN". August 29, 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-09-11.
  19. "U-18 WNT WILL TRAVEL TO PLAY TWO GAMES VS. SWITZERLAND U-19 WNT". March 26, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-05-14.
  20. "Nothing mad in the doggedness of UCLA defender, Aliso Niguel grad Madelyn Desiano – CUSD Insider". October 19, 2022.
  21. "Madelyn Desiano talks UCLA's NCAA lore, aspiring authorship, and new Danish horzions". Squad Depth. September 13, 2024.
  22. Knodel, Jimmy (July 21, 2025). "Madelyn Desiano chronicles UCLA soccer title run in new book - CUSD Insider".