Mallory Swanson

Washington Spirit (2017–2019)

After much speculation as to where she would go when she turned pro, Swanson officially joined the Washington Spirit of the NWSL on May 13, 2017. She made her professional debut for the Spirit on May 20, 2017, versus FC Kansas City. Swanson scored her first professional goal on June 3, 2017, against the Houston Dash. Swanson’s first career assist came on August 26, 2017, in a game against the Chicago Red Stars. Swanson recorded her first professional brace later in the season on September 30, 2017, against Seattle Reign FC, where she also became the first teenager in NWSL history to score multiple goals in a single regular-season match. Swanson scored 6 goals in her rookie season and was named a finalist for NWSL Rookie of the Year. Swanson remained with the Spirit for the 2018 season. She sustained a PCL sprain in her right knee on May 27, forcing her to miss 8 games. She returned to the pitch on August 5 against Seattle Reign FC.

Sky Blue FC (2020)

On January 16, 2020, at the 2020 NWSL College Draft, the Spirit traded Swanson to Sky Blue FC in exchange for four draft picks. She made her Sky Blue debut on September 5, 2020, in an NWSL Fall Series match against her former club, the Washington Spirit, entering the game in the 61st minute. Sky Blue won 2–1, with Swanson assisting Margaret Purce on the match-winning goal in stoppage time.

Chicago Stars (2021–present)

In December 2020, Sky Blue traded Swanson and Sarah…

Youth national teams

In 2011, Swanson attended the annual United States under–14 girl's national team identification camp from July 13 to August 7 in Portland, Oregon. The camp was used as an evaluation for U–14 training camp held in September. Swanson was then called into the U–14 national team training camp at Home Depot Center in Carson, California, from September 18 to 25. In 2012, Swanson attended a U–15 national team training camp from February 11 to 18. She then joined the team for a second training camp from June 3 to 10 at The Home Depot Center. Also during the summer, the U–14 national team conducted three separate training camps to replace the large identification camp of previous years. Swanson attended the second camp, which ran from August 12 to 19.

U-17 WNT

In 2013, Swanson attended a U–15 national team training camp from February 24 to March 2 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. She then moved up to the U–17 national team and traveled to San José, Costa Rica for an international tournament in late April. Following the tournament, Swanson joined the U–17 team for a training camp from June 9 to 16. In preparation for the 2013 CONCACAF Women's U–17 Championship, Swanson attended another U–17 training camp from July 21 to 31 in Columbus, Ohio, as well as a camp in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, from September 15 to 22. In late September 2013, Swanson was named to the roster for the 2013 CONCACAF U–17 Women's Championship held…

Born in Littleton, Colorado, to Karen and Horace Pugh, Swanson was raised with her older sister Brianna in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Her mother was a long-distance runner and her father ran track and played football. Growing up, Swanson considered her older sister Brianna a role model and cites her as a reason she got started in soccer. She started playing soccer at the age of four and then followed in her sister's footsteps and played club soccer with Real Colorado in the Elite Clubs National League. She played on the competitive team with the club at the U-11 through U-18 levels; although she started playing recreational soccer at the U-5 level. During her last two years with the team, she often trained with the club's Boys Development Academy team. Swanson helped Real Colorado win state titles in 2010 and 2011. In addition, the team made it to the Elite Clubs National League finals in both 2013 and 2014. At the U-16 level, Real Colorado won state and regional titles and became runner-up at nationals. Swanson was named the MVP of the regional tournament that year.

Swanson attended Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch from 2012 to 2016. In her three seasons with the team, Swanson scored 47 goals and recorded 23 assists. As a freshman, Swanson was named to the All-Colorado Team after leading her team to a state title. She was named offensive MVP at Mountain Vista and a NSCAA Youth All-American for 2013. During her sophomore year, despite missing more than half of…

Swanson is a Christian. In late 2017, she started dating Major League Baseball shortstop Dansby Swanson after meeting him through her brother-in-law and Swanson's former teammate Jace Peterson. The couple married on December 10, 2022. She began using her married name in 2023. On May 7, 2025 the couple announced on Instagram that they were expecting their first child. In November 2025, Swanson gave birth to a baby girl.