United States Women’s National Team captain Lindsey Heaps will join Denver Summit FC in June.
The 31-year-old was born and raised in Golden and has become one of the best midfielders of her generation. Since 2022, she has played for OL Lyonnes in France, one of the biggest teams in Europe.
It marks a return to the National Women’s Soccer League for Heaps, who previously played for Portland Thorns FC. She has signed a contract through the 2029 season.
“I’m incredibly excited to come home to Colorado and join Denver Summit FC,” Heaps said in a statement. “This club represents something special, not just for the league, but for this community and for the next generation of players growing up here.”
Heaps, who changed her last name from Horan last season after getting married, will join the team at the end of the French Première Ligue season. She won’t be available to play for Denver until June, several months into the NWSL season.
Lyon are currently first in the table and they’re expected to be a frontrunner in this year’s Champions League, which is regarded as the top European club trophy in the sport.
Heaps has made 170 appearances for the USWNT. As captain, she led the team to gold in the 2024 Summer Olympics. She was also part of the squad that won the 2019 World Cup.
This is technically Heaps’ second stint with a Colorado women’s soccer team. In 2012, she made a handful of appearances for the Colorado Rush, which played in the semi-professional development league USL W-League.
What’s next for Summit FC?
The Summit’s inaugural season is quickly approaching. The 2026 NWSL season kicks off on March 13. And while schedules haven’t been released, the Summit said it will play its first home game on March 28 at Empower Field.
Construction on the team’s temporary stadium in Centennial, where they’ll play until 2028, is ongoing. Meanwhile, Denver City Council recently approved $50 million to buy and improve the site of the team's future stadium in Baker, following a series of delays.
The preseason for NWSL teams will likely start around the end of January, before friendly matches in February. Summit FC has not announced its preseason schedule.
The team told The Denver Post it is accelerating its squad-building. Summit FC has so far officially signed 14 players — barely enough to field a full team. That includes Heaps, who will not be available for the first half of the season.
