Dansby Swanson would feel proud as his wife and soccer star Mallory Swanson put on a show for the US women's national team at the Paris Olympics. Mallory's two quick goals, which were moments apart in the first half, led the United States women's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Zambia in their Olympic opener on Thursday.
Swanson got the back of the net twice within 70 seconds of the 24th and 25th minutes. This comes after Swanson had to miss 2023 FIFA World Cup due to injury in the lead up to the World Cup. With Swanson leading from the front, the USWNT has a good chance to score a gold this year.
Who is Dansby Swanson's wife and USWNT star Mallory Swanson?
Mallory hails from Colorado and comes from an athletic-oriented family. Her mother, Karen Pugh, was a long-distance runner, while her father, Horace, played football and also did running.
Following in the footsteps of her older sister, Mallory got into soccer at the early age of four and went on to play soccer in the Elite Clubs National League for Real Colorado. She helped the team win titles in 2010 and 2011. Also, in the following two years, the team made the finals, falling just short of the title.
The forward went to Mountain Vista High School (2012-16) and played three seasons with the team, amassing 47 goals and 23 assists. After rumors of her joining the National Women's Soccer League club Portland Thorns FC after graduating from high school, her father clarified her going to the UCLA Bruins.
However, with the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2016 FIFA U–20 Women's World Cup, Mallory Swanson delayed her college career untill 2017. Her Olympics experience helped her decide to turn pro as only after three scrimmages for Bruins, she joined the Washington Spirit in May 2017.
Swanson had six goals in her rookie season and was a finalist for NWSL Rookie of the Year. After two seasons, the Spirit traded her to Sky Blue, where she played one season before being traded again to the Chicago Red Stars and she has ever since been part of that group.
Mallory has won FIFA Women's World Cup: 2019, CONCACAF Women's Championship (2018, 2022) and SheBelieves Cup (2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024). She is also the youngest women soccer player to score a goal in the Olympics and won the Gatorade National Female Soccer Player of the Year in 2016.
On the personal front, she has been married to Chicago Cubs' infielder Dansby Swanson since Dec. 2022.