Nicole Barnhart

In 2009, Barnhart was allocated to FC Gold Pride for the inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). In 2010, Barnhart helped the FC Gold Pride to the 2010 WPS title, starting 21 games and playing 1880 minutes while making 73 saves and allowing just 16 goals. She had eight shutouts, including the WPS championship game, and was named the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year and a WPS All-Star. She made 74 saves, allowed 23 goals for a 1.44 goals against average (GAA) and earned two shutouts. In 2011, she signed with the Philadelphia Independence for the 2011 WPS season and started nine total matches to help the club to a WPS playoff berth and a berth in the championship game. She earned a shutout in the 2–0 Super Semifinal victory against magicJack. Barnhart compiled a 4–3–2 record with three shutouts and had a goals against average (GAA) of 1.11.

FC Kansas City, 2013–2017

On January 11, 2013, Barnhart was one of three members from the United States women's national team that was allocated to the new NWSL club FC Kansas City, along with Lauren Cheney and Becky Sauerbrunn via the NWSL Player Allocation. Her 2013 regular-season record of ten scoreless "clean sheet" games remained until surpassed by Adrianna Franch in the longer 2017 season. She was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year for the 2013 season. Barnhart appeared in 22 games in 2014, recording 8 clean sheets. She played in both the semi-final and final for FCKC, helping them to win the 2014 NWSL Championship…

Barnhart has appeared in 53 matches for the United States women's national soccer team. She made her debut in a five-minute appearance as forward against Mexico on October 16, 2004. As the third U.S. goalkeeper at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, she was only expected to see action in the event of injuries to Hope Solo and Briana Scurry. Barnhart was the hero of the U.S. Women's 2008 CONCACAF final against Canada when she saved a penalty that won the final. Barnhart was a member of the gold medal-winning USA team at 2008 Beijing Olympic, although she did not appear in a match with Hope Solo playing all six U.S. matches.

In 2010, with Solo out for shoulder surgery and recovery, Barnhart started 11 matches, with 8 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws, and allowed 5 goals in 990 minutes; including 5 matches in CONCACAF qualifying tournament for FIFA Women's World Cup and 2 shutout playoff matches against Italy that secured the berth for 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2011, she started 9 matches and won 2 tournaments, at the Four Nations Tournament in China in January and the Algarve Cup in Portugal in March; with 6 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw. She was on the roster for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup alongside Hope Solo, but did not get playing time. At the 2012 London Olympics, Nicole Barnhart received her second Olympic gold medal as a standby goalkeeper for the United States; she did not get playing time, with Hope Solo playing every minute of the United States' six matches. As a…

Barnhart was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. She attended Boyertown High School in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where she played for the boys' team for all four years, playing on the field as well as in goal. She also played basketball and lacrosse, and was named an All-American.

Stanford University

Barnhart played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford University. She was named an all-Pacific-10 Conference player in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and holds the Stanford women's record for lowest career goals-against average (0.41).

Barnhart became the secretary of the NWSL Players Association in 2017. In July 2024, she was one of five active NWSL players who represented the NWSLPA at the final negotiations in Philadelphia that updated the league's collective bargaining agreement through 2030.