Raised in Newport Beach, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, Bauer attended Mater Dei High School in the nearby city of Santa Ana.[2] She played club soccer for Slammers FC[3] and in 2012 led the team to be ranked as the top club in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).[2] Bauer was twice named NSCAA Youth All-American and was nominated for the California Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year award.[4]
Stanford Cardinal, 2012–2016
Bauer attended Stanford University, where she played for the Cardinal from 2012 to 2016 and majored in international relations.[2] As a freshman, she started as a central defender in every match except one. She received NSCAA All-West Region first-team honors, was named to Top Drawer Soccer's Freshman Best XI first team, the All-Pac-12-second team and was a Pac-12 All-Freshman selection.[2] During her sophomore season, she led a defense that conceded eight goals during the regular season starting in all 24 games.[2] Bauer was earned All-Pac-12-second team honors for the second consecutive season and was named a Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention.[2] During her junior season, she started in 23 of 24 games and was again named to the
All-Pac-12-second team for the third consecutive year. She was named to the NSCAA All-Pacific Region first team and NSCAA Scholar All-America third team.[2] As a senior, she started all 21 games and scored her first goal for the Cardinal – a game-winner – during a 3–2 double-overtime win against UCLA.[5] Bauer was named a MAC Hermann Trophy semi-finalist and earned NSCAA All-America first team, NSCAA All-Pacific Region first team, and All-Pac-12 first team honors.[2] In November 2016, she was named the Pac-12 Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year.[6] During her collegiate career, she helped lead the Cardinal to four consecutive NCAA Division 1 Tournament appearances, including the College Cup final four in 2014.[7]
Club career
Seattle Reign FC, 2017–2018
On January 12, 2017, Bauer was selected by Seattle Reign FC as the sixth overall selection in the 2017 NWSL College Draft.[7] Of her selection, Reign head coach Laura Harvey said, "Maddie has been someone we have looked at all season... I think she can help us on the back line and in the midfield. The college that she played at plays a similar style of soccer to us, so it's been easy for me to see the things she's good at and areas for improvement."[7]
On July 16, 2018, Bauer was waived by the Reign.[8]