ATHERTON, CA

As announced by the South African Football Association, former Menlo goalkeeper Kaylin Swart will represent her home country at this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup. 

Swart played for the Oaks from 2015 to 2017, and holds program career records in numerous categories. Across her 3 seasons, she has the best career goals against average (0.840), total saves (258), total shutouts (20), total wins (24), and save percentage (85.1%).

Hailing from Gqeberha, on the southern coast of South Africa, Swart plays her club football at JVW FC of the SAFA Women's League.

The South Africa Women's National Team carries the nickname Banyana Banyana, which literally translates to "Girls Girls." Last summer, the team won the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, beating Morocco 2-1 in the final.

Swart, who refers to herself as "forever an Oak," holds fond memories of her time in Atherton. "Menlo changed my life for the better," she says. "I loved my time there, and I wouldn't trade my experience for the world. The person Menlo turned me into is something I'll always be grateful for. The coaches I had really contributed to my success. I would love to extend my gratitude to Keith Lambert for taking a chance on me, and giving me the opportunity to study and play the game I love. To all the staff and sports personnel, thank you for always being there and giving me the tools to become the person and player I am today. Go Oaks!"

The 2023 Women's World Cup will be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand. South Africa is in a group with Sweden, Argentina, and Italy, with those games scheduled for July 22nd, July 27th, and August 2nd, respectively. Kickoff for the Banyana Banyanas' opening game against Sweden is set for 10:00 PM Pacific Time on Saturday, July 22nd.