Chicago Stars FC Names Katie Atkinson Nominee for 2026 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, Presented by Nationwide
NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Chicago Stars FC Names Katie Atkinson Nominee for 2026 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, Presented by Nationwide

Published on April 28, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


CHICAGO - Chicago Stars FC goalkeeper Katie Atkinson is nominated for the 2026 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, which recognizes an NWSL player for outstanding service and character off the pitch and in the community. All 16 nominees from across the NWSL were announced by the league today.

The Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, was introduced in 2024 to honor the two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women's World Cup champion, National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award Lauren Holiday. The award spotlights players who exemplify dedication and commitment to giving back in service to their local communities.

Atkinson will team up with Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. The center is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report for pediatric oncology and treats more children with cancer and blood disorders than any other hospital in Illinois.

Before joining the Chicago Stars, Atkinson was previously Racing Louisville FC's nominee for the 2024 edition of the award, partnering with another local children's hospital, Norton Children's. Lund worked extensively with pediatric oncology organizations throughout her time in Louisville and plans to continue doing so in Chicago, beginning with the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Lurie Children's.

Of the 16 Club nominees, one will be announced as the winner as part of the 2026 NWSL Awards, presented by AT&T, during Championship weekend. At that time, Nationwide will make a $50,000 donation to the charitable organization of the winner's choice.

"I'm honored to be nominated for this award, but more importantly I'm grateful to be able to use my platform to bring awareness to a very good cause," said Atkinson. "Being part of this initiative in 2024 was a privilege for me and I'm happy to be able to contribute to the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago in my new city."

The winner will be determined by a panel of judges that will include Lauren Holiday, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, and representatives from Nationwide, NWSLPA, and Media Association.

Fans are invited to show support for their favorite nominee through the Fan Impact Challenge. The competition will be hosted on nwslsoccer.com from August 14-29. The nominee with the most fan engagement will be announced as winner of the Fan Impact Challenge and the charitable organization of that player's choice will receive an additional $10,000 donation from Nationwide.

For the second year, an enhancement to the Fan Impact Challenge is a sweepstakes where one randomly selected fan, among those who voted for the winning nominee, will receive a jersey from the team of their choosing.

Over the course of the season, each club will recognize its nominee and local community partner during a match. To honor their impact, a $5,000 donation will be made to the chosen nonprofit organization in each market.

The Chicago Stars continue a three-match homestand tomorrow, April 29 at 7 p.m. CT, playing host to reigning NWSL Champions, Gotham FC, for College Night. The Stars close the homestretch against Portland Thorns FC May 3 at noon CT with the Stars' Together Strong match, presented by nellaspec.com. Tickets for all Chicago Stars home matches, including Season Ticket Memberships, Flex Packs and single-match tickets, are available now at chicagostars.com/tickets.

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