Draft:Kiara Locklear

{{AfC submission|t||ts=20250623144039|u=Jlocklear51|ns=118|demo=}}

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Kiara Locklear

|image =

|image_size =

|alt =

|caption =

|full_name =

|birth_name = Kiara Dawn Pralle{{cite web|url=https://lipscomb.edu/news/provosts-list-honor-roll-recognizes-academic-achievements-fall-semester-2024|title=Provost's List, Honor Roll recognizes academic achievements for fall semester 2024|date=2024-12-20|publisher=Lipscomb University|access-date=2025-06-09}}

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|11|02}}

|birth_place =

|height = 5 ft 4 in

|position = Forward

|currentclub = Fort Lauderdale United

|clubnumber = 20

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 =

|collegeyears1 = 2021–2022

|college1 = Charlotte 49ers

|collegecaps1 = 35

|collegegoals1 = 1

|collegeyears2 = 2023–2024

|college2 = Lipscomb Bisons

|collegecaps2 = 42

|collegegoals2 = 24

|years1 = 2024–

|clubs1 = Fort Lauderdale United

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|club-update =

}}

Kiara Locklear ({{nee}} Pralle; born November 2, 2002) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for USL Super League club Fort Lauderdale United. She played college soccer for the Charlotte 49ers and the Lipscomb Bisons, earning All-American honors.

Early life and college career

Locklear grew up in Bourbonnais, Illinois, the daughter of Dan and Karla Pralle.{{cite web|url=https://charlotte49ers.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/kiara-pralle/9952|title=Kiara Pralle|publisher=Charlotte 49ers|access-date=2025-06-09}} Originally a fullback, she played club soccer for the Chicago Fire Juniors and Eclipse Select, winning the ECNL under-18/19 national title with Eclipse in 2021.{{cite news|url=https://charlotte49ers.com/news/2020/11/13/eight-signees-set-to-join-49ers-womens-soccer-in-2021.aspx|title=Eight Signees Set to Join 49ers Women’s Soccer in 2021|date=2020-11-13|publisher=Charlotte 49ers|access-date=2025-06-09}} She attended Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School, where she ran cross country.

=Lipscomb Bisons=

After two seasons with the Charlotte 49ers, where she was ever present in defense, Locklear transferred to the Lipscomb Bisons in 2023.{{cite web|url=https://lipscombsports.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/kiara-pralle/6384|title=Kiara Pralle|publisher=Lipscomb Bisons|access-date=2025-06-09}} In her first season in Nashville, she moved to midfield and scored 5 goals in 20 games.{{cite web|url=https://lipscombsports.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/2023|title=2023 Women's Soccer Roster|publisher=Lipscomb Bisons|access-date=2025-06-09}} She helped the Bisons to the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) regular-season title and earned third-team all-conference honors.{{cite web|url=https://asunsports.org/standings.aspx?standings=229|title=2023 Women's Soccer Standings|publisher=Atlantic Sun Conference|access-date=2025-06-09}}

Now a forward, Locklear had a breakout senior season in 2024, establishing a program record with 19 goals (second in the nation) in 22 games.{{cite web|url=https://lipscombsports.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/2024|title=2024 Women's Soccer Roster|publisher=Lipscomb Bisons|access-date=2025-06-09}} In the ASUN tournament, she scored a hat trick in the semifinals and was named the tournament MVP after winning in the final. Locklear was named the ASUN Player of the Year and fourth-team United Soccer Coaches All-American, becoming the first All-American selection in program history.{{cite news|url=https://lipscombsports.com/news/2024/12/7/womens-soccer-kiara-pralle-named-to-united-soccer-coaches-division-i-all-america-fourth-team.aspx|title=Pralle Named Fourth Team All-American|date=2024-12-07|publisher=Lipscomb Bisons|access-date=2025-06-09}}

Club career

=Fort Lauderdale United=

After her senior season at Lipscomb, Locklear signed her first professional contract with Fort Lauderdale United during the USL Super League's inaugural season.{{cite news|url=https://lipscombsports.com/news/2024/12/13/womens-soccer-pralle-signs-professional-contract-to-fort-lauderdale-united-fc.aspx|title=Pralle Signs Professional Contract to Fort Lauderdale United FC|date=2024-12-13|publisher=Lipscomb Bisons|access-date=2025-06-09}} She made her professional debut off the bench on December 7, 2024.{{Soccerway}} In her first start one week later, scored her first two professional goals, helping Fort Lauderdale win 2–0 against the Carolina Ascent. Fort Lauderdale finished fourth in the regular season, matching up against the first-place Ascent in the playoff semifinals. On June 8, 2025, Locklear scored twice in the 2–1 semifinal victory at American Legion Memorial Stadium. She put away the game winner in the last minute of extra time when her opponents may have thought she was offside, but there was no video assistant referee to intervene.{{cite news|url=https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/soccer/carolina-ascent-loses-to-fort-lauderdale/275-ac7a7c6a-af2a-45a9-b1d8-fea2b71b38d3|title=Carolina Ascent loses to Fort Lauderdale with last-second goal in semifinals|date=2025-06-08|last=Puente|first=Nathaniel|publisher=WCNC-TV|access-date=2025-06-09}}

Personal life

She married Jordan Locklear in 2025.{{cite Instagram|postid=DGyvc80yW8C|title=hey, @jlocklear51, it's wedding week 🤩|author=Kiara|user=kiara.locklear|date=2025-03-05|access-date=2025-06-09}}