Stephanie Labbé


Stephanie Lynn Marie Labbé is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for National Women's Soccer League club North Carolina Courage and internationally for the Canada women's national soccer team. She won a bronze medal with Canada at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the NWSL Championship with the Courage in 2019.

College career

University of Connecticut, 2005–2008

Labbé joined the University of Connecticut and the women's soccer team in the second semester of 2004. In 2005, she played in all 22 games of the season, starting in nine. Labbé emerged as the top keeper in 2005 and played every minute of the last three games of the season. She posted a 1.15 goals against average and a 4–3 record, made a total of 65 saves, played in 12 conference games, allowing only seven goals and stopping 32 shots.
In 2006, Labbé played in all 21 season games, and made the start in 20 of those. She finished the season with a 10–7–4 record and a 0.96 goals against average. Some of her other highlights: made 73 saves and allowed only 20 goals in just over 1879 minutes logged, collected four individual shutouts and was part of a Husky team that recorded five straight blankings, posted a scoreless streak of 461:63 consecutive minutes over a six-game span, and was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Week on October 16.
In 2007, Labbé played all 22 games in her junior year, and played every minute in goal that season. She finished with a 14–6–2 record, and a career best 0.61 goals against average. Some of her highlights are: making 71 saves and allowing only 14 goals in 2058 minutes of action, collected 11 shutouts over the course of the year, recorded first career assist on game-winning goal against Providence, and earned three shutouts in the NCAA tournament against first round foe Boston College, in the second round against Wake Forest and against third round opponent Stanford.
In 2008, Labbe was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Year.
Labbe took and made penalty kicks for the Huskies to help them advance in the 2007 NCAA Tournament over Boston College and the 2008 Big East Tournament over West Virginia.

Club career

is a Swedish football club located in Piteå, currently playing in the country's highest league, Damallsvenskan. The team played in the highest league for the first time in the season of 2009, in which Labbé joined the team. After the club was relegated to Division 1, Labbé was one of three foreign players that stayed with the club and managed to rise up again to Damallsvenskan in the season of 2010. In 2011, Piteå and Labbé once again played in the highest league.
After three years in Piteå, Labbé moved to KIF Örebro for the 2012 season. In the 2014 season she picked up a silver medal with her KIF Örebro team when they finished 2nd in the Swedish top division. She was also nominated as one of three goalkeepers for the Swedish soccer awards in 2014.

Washington Spirit

On February 8, 2016, it was announced that Labbé would play for the Washington Spirit for the 2016 season of the National Women's Soccer League via the NWSL Player Allocation Labbé started and played in eight matches in 2016 and recorded a club record five shut outs in one season.
In September 2017, Labbé announced she was taking a medical leave of absence from the Spirit for the remainder of the 2017 season. Although neither she nor the club specified the reason for the decision, she had spoken openly about her struggles with depression in the months leading up. In February 2018, the Spirit announced it would not retain the rights to Labbé.

Calgary Foothills

In March 2018, without a club since her release, Labbé joined Calgary Foothills F.C., a men's team, to train and attempt to make the team's roster. However, the Premier Development League responded that they are a gender-based men's league that does not allow women to play. In response, she filed suit against the league. Having been denied entry into the PDL, Labbé would sign with the women's side, Calgary Foothills WFC in United Women's Soccer.

Linköpings FC

On July 10, 2018 it was announced that Labbé would be joining Linköpings in the Damallsvenskan in Sweden.

North Carolina Courage

On February 11, 2019 Coach Paul Riley announced that Stephanie Labbé would be joining the North Carolina Courage for the 2019 season.

International career

Labbé made her first senior international appearance as a second-half substitute for Canada in an 8–0 win over Singapore on July 27, 2008.
Due to an injury to starting goalkeeper Erin McLeod, Labbé was named as the starting goalkeeper for Canada in the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she won a bronze medal.
On May 25, 2019 Labbé was named to the roster for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Career statistics

Club

Personal life

Labbé has been in a relationship with Georgia Simmerling since 2016.

Honours

Canada
Summer Olympic Games: Bronze Medal, 2016
Club