Lauren Houghton

Lauren Houghton has built a reputation as one of the finest goalkeepers to emerge from Alberta’s soccer community. Born and raised in Calgary, she grew up with the Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club, a pathway that would eventually link her to both university and professional opportunities.

In 2017, Houghton enrolled at the University of Calgary and immediately established herself as the Dinos’ first-choice goalkeeper. Over the next five seasons she became the backbone of the program, recognized for her composure, communication, and consistency between the posts. By 2018 she was a U SPORTS All-Canadian and a Canada West First-Team All-Star, and in 2019 she backstopped Calgary to the U SPORTS national final, where the Dinos finished as runners-up. That same year, she signed with Calgary Foothills WFC to play in the UWS league under coach Troye Flannery.

Her individual accolades continued to stack up. Lauren earned further Canada West All-Star honours in 2019 and 2021, cementing her place as one of the country’s top collegiate goalkeepers. Former head coach Flannery praised her impact, saying: “Lauren has been among the very best in this country from the first day she stepped foot on campus… so deserved of this opportunity.”

In January 2022, Lauren signed her first professional contract with UMF Grindavík in Iceland’s 1. deild kvenna.

After her stint abroad, Houghton returned home and rejoined the Blizzard, now competing in League1 Alberta. As captain and starting goalkeeper, she led the side to back-to-back League1 Alberta championships in 2024 and 2025, qualifying for the Inter-Provincial Championship against top women’s clubs from across Canada.

In a remarkable twist, Lauren also returned to the Dinos for the 2025 season, where she broke new ground in Canadian university soccer. On September 8, 2025, she recorded her 35th career shutout, setting the all-time Canada West record for clean sheets.

Today, Lauren Houghton stands as a symbol of perseverance and excellence.