Karen Bardsley

Bardsley attended California State University, Fullerton as a graphic design major and played for the Titans women's soccer team. Following her first season in 2002, she was named the Big West Conference Freshman of the Year after recording 88 saves with an .846 (84.6%) save percentage. The following season, she played just 28 minutes before a broken leg during the Portland Nike Invitational and redshirted the 2003 season. Despite missing eight games during the 2004 season due to injury recovery, Bardsley earned All-Big West First Team honours and was named Big West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year for the first of three consecutive seasons. Her 0.71 goals against average ranked third in the league. In 2005, Bardsley was named Big West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and to the All-Big West First Team for the second consecutive season and set new single-season program records for goals against average (0.64), victories, and shutouts (10). Her goals against average ranked 21st in the country and first in the Big West Conference. During her senior season, she was named Big West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year for the third consecutive time and was named to the First-Team All-Big West Conference team. She started all 22 matches and recorded a 12–8–2 record, including eight shutouts. Bardsley was named Player of the Week by the Big West Conference twice during the season. Her 1.02 goals against average ranked fourth all-time at the school and her 128 saves ranked second in…

Sky Blue FC, 2009–11

After college, Bardsley joined Ajax America Women for the 2007 WPSL season and played for Pali Blues during the 2008 W-League season. The team went undefeated 14–0 and won the league championship.

Bardsley was selected by Sky Blue FC as a third-round pick in the 2009 WPS Draft ahead of the inaugural season of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league. She competed in four games for the club in their 2009 season. Sky Blue finished the regular season in fourth place with a 7–8–5 record and advanced to the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs where they defeated the Washington Freedom 2–1 and Saint Louis Athletica 1–0 during the semi-final. After a 1–0 win against the Los Angeles Sol, the team clinched the league championship and were later invited to the White House to be honoured by President Barack Obama. During the 2010 WPS season, Bardsley competed in 10 matches recording 900 minutes in goal. During a match against the Atlanta in May 2010, she made 13 saves helping the team win 1–0. Sky Blue head coach Pauliina Miettinen reveled, "As a team, it gives you a huge confidence boost when you know that you will get such a high level of play by your goalkeeper." She was named the WPS Player of the Month the same month. During a training session in July 2010, Bardsley injured her clavicle when she led the league with five shutouts and a .90 goals against average (GAA). The team finished in fifth place with a 7–10–7 record narrowly missing the…

Despite being born in the United States, as a dual citizen, Bardsley decided to represent England due to family connections in Stockport. She appeared for the England U-19s in the 2003 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. She made her senior debut in the Algarve Cup in March 2005, where England beat Northern Ireland 4–0. In August 2009, she was named to coach Hope Powell's squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup

By the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, Bardsley had taken over the national team's first choice goalkeeping position from Rachel Brown. After England's 1–1 opening group match draw with Mexico, coach Powell reported that Bardsley was "devastated" following the concession of a long-range equaliser to Mónica Ocampo. In England's quarter final exit to France, Bardsley saved the first penalty in the shootout, but misses from Claire Rafferty and Faye White sent England home.

2012 Summer Olympics

In June 2012, Bardsley was named in the 18–player Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics. She played in all four games as Great Britain were beaten 2–0 by Canada in the last eight.

UEFA Women's Euro 2013

At UEFA Women's Euro 2013, England lost 3–2 to Spain in their opening game, when Spain scored a 94th-minute goal, and were knocked out in the first round. Hope Powell was sacked in the wake of that failure but new coach Mark Sampson continued to select Bardsley.

2015 FIFA Women's World Cup

In May 2015,…

Born in Santa Monica, California, to English parents, Bardsley grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Chino Hills and began playing football at five years old. She attended Ayala High School and played for the girls' varsity soccer team for two years. During her junior year, she broke her left leg during college recruitment time resulting in some programs reportedly being concerned about her recovery. As a senior, she earned All-Sierra League honours and helped lead the team to win the league championship and reach the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. She was named the Sierra League Most Valuable Player (MVP) the same year. Bardsley also ran track, threw javelin at an Olympic level and was a member of the Olympic Development Program at the regional, state, and national levels.