Abby Smith: League Leader in Saves and the Home Opener That Broke a Record

Denver Summit FC goalkeeper Abby Smith is the NWSL league leader in saves — and she's just getting started. Kate Hanson sits down with the two-time NWSL champion on The 5280 Pitch to talk about one of the most compelling stories in women's soccer right now.Abby opens up about how a high-energy kid from Plano, Texas found her way into goal, set the program record at the University of Texas with 30 career shutouts, and spent nearly a decade competing across six professional clubs in the NWSL and Australia. She talks about the 2023 injury that nearly ended her career, the 433-day road back, and the two people who saved her playing career when she was ready to walk away.Then — Denver. Why this NWSL expansion team felt different from the moment she signed. What the locker room looks like from the inside. The Carson Pickett friendship that goes all the way back to U-17 national team camp. And what it was really like standing in goal at Empower Field at Mile High in front of 63,004 fans — a record for women's sports in North America.Topics covered:How Abby Smith became an NWSL goalkeeper — from gymnastics to the netSetting the shutout record at the University of TexasNearly a decade in professional women's soccer across the NWSL and AustraliaThe 2023 season-ending injury and the 433-day comebackWhy Denver Summit FC felt like the right moveThe locker room culture and the Carson Pickett connectionLeading the NWSL in saves four games into the 2026 seasonPlaying in front of 63,004 fans at the Denver Summit FC home openerThe 5280 Pitch. Women's Soccer at Altitude.Follow: @5280pitch | Newsletter + more at 5280pitch.com