| Ellie Wheeler | |
| Full Name: | Ellis Nicole Wheeler[1] |
| Birth Date: | 14 December 2001 |
| Height: | 5 ft 7 in |
| Position: | right or left back |
| Currentclub: | Kansas City Current |
| Clubnumber: | 5 |
| Collegeyears1: | 2020–2023 |
| College1: | Penn State Nittany Lions |
| Collegecaps1: | 77 |
| Collegegoals1: | 3 |
| Years1: | 2024– |
| Clubs1: | Kansas City Current |
| Caps1: | 23 |
| Goals1: | 1 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2020 |
| Nationalteam1: | United States U-19 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | November 3, 2024 |
Ellis Nicole Wheeler (born December 14, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right or left back for the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was selected by the Current in the second round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.
Wheeler grew up in Fairfax Station, Virginia, the daughter of Scott and Nicole Wheeler, and has two brothers.[2] [3] She played club soccer as a forward for FC Virginia of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), leading her division in goals in 2015–16. She committed to the Pennsylvania State University in March 2017.[4]
Wheeler was a four-year starter for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 2020 to 2023.[2] She was converted to a defender at the college level, moving to wing back for her first season and then center back as a sophomore.[5] As a junior, she helped the team win the 2022 Big Ten tournament.[3] She recorded three goals and six assists over 77 appearances.[2]
The Kansas City Current selected Wheeler 18th overall in the second round of the 2024 NWSL Draft, the team's highest pick of the night.[6] She was signed to a one-year contract with an option to extend.[7] She made her professional debut in the season opener on May 16, 2024, starting and scoring the Current's second goal in a 5–4 home win over the Portland Thorns.[8] On August 27, her contract was extended for four years to keep her with the club to the end of 2028.[9] She made 23 appearances (13 starts) in her rookie season as the Current placed fourth in the standings. She played every minute of the Current's two playoff games, which ended in a 3–2 defeat to the Orlando Pride in the semifinals.[10]
Wheeler participated in Virginia's Olympic Development Program in 2013 and 2014.[4] She was called into a training camp with the United States national under-17 team in July 2018.[11] She was rostered with the under-19 team for a friendly tournament in Spain in February–March 2020.[12] While in college, she played friendlies with the under-23 team against NWSL clubs in the 2023 preseason.[13]
Kansas City Current