Mckenna Whitham should not be confused with Mae Whitman.
| Mckenna Whitham | |
| Birth Date: | 27 July 2010 |
| Position: | Forward |
| Currentclub: | NJ/NY Gotham FC |
| Clubnumber: | 31 |
| Youthyears1: | –2023 |
| Youthclubs1: | MVLA Soccer Club |
| Youthyears2: | 2023– |
| Youthclubs2: | Slammers FC HB Køge |
| Years1: | 2024– |
| Clubs1: | NJ/NY Gotham FC |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2024– |
| Nationalteam1: | United States U15 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 4 |
Mckenna "Mak" Whitham (born July 27, 2010) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She signed with Gotham at the age of 13 in 2024, becoming the youngest player in NWSL history.[1]
Whitham grew up homeschooled in San Francisco, California. Her father, Josh, was an alternate for the United States Ski Team at the 1998 Winter Olympics while in high school. Whitham played club soccer for MVLA Soccer Club and then Slammers FC HB Køge of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).[2] [3] She led MVLA to the under-13 national final in July 2023, where they finished runners-up to the Slammers.[4] [5] She signed a name, image, and likeness contract with Nike in February 2024 at age 13, becoming the youngest athlete in any sport to sign with the company.[6]
Whitham was announced as a non-roster invitee for Gotham FC in the 2024 preseason on February 13.[7] She had also trained with the Kansas City Current, the Washington Spirit and MLS Next's Los Angeles FC academy team; the previous month she signed with the semi-professional club Santa Clarita Blue Heat of United Women's Soccer (UWS).[8] She appeared in a preseason exhibition game in Colombia on February 28, 2024, and scored a last-minute winning goal against Deportivo Cali, becoming the youngest person to play or score for an NWSL team.[9] [10] Gotham general manager Yael Averbuch West said Whitham "is clearly very ready, not just to handle this level, but to excel in our sessions".[11]
Gotham announced on July 26, 2024, that they had signed Whitham to an under-18 contract lasting from the start of 2025 to 2028 in addition to a short-term national team replacement contract during the ongoing Paris Olympics. She was signed one day before her 14th birthday, becoming the youngest player in NWSL history.[12] She debuted for the team two days later as an 80th-minute substitute for Katie Stengel in a Summer Cup group stage match against the Washington Spirit on July 28, logging 17 minutes.[13]
Whitham was called into camp with the United States national under-15 team at the end of 2023.[14] The next year, she helped the team win the 2024 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship, scoring their second goal in a 3–0 win over Mexico in the final.[15]