1. Emily Sonnett was drafted first overall by the Portland Thorns in the 2016 NWSL College Draft.
69 Facts About Emily Sonnett
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Emily Sonnett has won two NWSL Championships, with the Thorns in 2017 and the Washington Spirit in 2021.
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At the international level, Sonnett was on the United States squad that won the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Emily Sonnett is a seven-time winner of the invitational SheBelieves Cup.
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Emily Sonnett was born in Marietta, Georgia to Bill and Jane Emily Sonnett.
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Emily Sonnett has a twin sister, Emma, who played soccer for the University of Georgia.
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In 2013, Emily Sonnett, playing in the midfield position, helped NASA 12 Elite II win the U-19 national title at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series in Overland Park, Kansas.
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Emily Sonnett attended Fellowship Christian School in Roswell, Georgia, graduating in 2012.
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Emily Sonnett ended her career at Fellowship Christian as the school's leading scorer with 113 goals and 41 assists.
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Emily Sonnett was selected as 2011 Youth All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and was named to both 2011 and 2012 ESPN Rise 1st Team All-American.
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In early February 2012, Emily Sonnett signed her national letter of intent to play for the University of Virginia in the fall of 2012 on an athletic scholarship.
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Emily Sonnett herself was named to the ACC All-Freshman and All-Tournament Team.
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Emily Sonnett was then named the tournament's Most Outstanding Defensive Player and was named a Third-Team NSCAA All-American.
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In 2015, Emily Sonnett spent the summer playing for pro-am team Atlanta Silverbacks, in the final season of the USL W-League.
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Mid-season in October 2015, Emily Sonnett earned her first call-up and started her first cap for the senior United States women's national soccer team against Brazil.
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Emily Sonnett led UVA to the quarterfinals of the 2015 NCAA women's tournament, losing to Rutgers University after double overtime in penalty kicks.
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Emily Sonnett ended her senior season at UVA with 3 goals and 1 assist and was named a finalist for the Hermann Trophy.
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Additionally, Emily Sonnett was named the 2015 ESPNW Soccer Player of the Year, Honda Sports Award Nominee, NSCAA first-team All-American, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and first team All-ACC selection.
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Emily Sonnett left Charlottesville a semester early to enter the NWSL but ultimately did graduate with a degree in sociology from UVA.
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On January 15,2016, Emily Sonnett was selected by Portland Thorns FC as the first overall pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft.
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Emily Sonnett made her debut with the Thorns on April 17,2016.
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Emily Sonnett was one of three finalists for NWSL Rookie of the Year.
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In 2018 Emily Sonnett appeared in 22 games for Portland, scoring one goal.
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Emily Sonnett was one of four Portland Thorns named to the NWSL Best XI and was a finalist for Defender of the Year.
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On January 8,2020, Emily Sonnett was traded to Orlando Pride along with the NWSL rights to Caitlin Foord and two draft picks in exchange for Orlando's No 1 overall selection in the 2020 NWSL College Draft.
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Emily Sonnett made 10 league appearances as Goteborg won its first Damallsvenskan title.
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On December 24,2020, Emily Sonnett was traded to the Washington Spirit in a deal that saw Meggie Dougherty Howard head to Orlando along with $140,000 in allocation money and the Spirit's 9th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.
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Emily Sonnett was placed on the SEI list on August 25,2022, after sustaining a foot injury during the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship.
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On January 12,2023, Emily Sonnett was traded to OL Reign in exchange for their 32nd overall draft pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and their natural first-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
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Emily Sonnett was one of four national team players who joined Gotham as free agents that off-season along with Crystal Dunn, Tierna Davidson, and Rose Lavelle.
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Emily Sonnett played the most minutes of any player for Gotham as they finished the season in third place.
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Emily Sonnett received her first call-up to the United States U18 training camp as a midfielder in June 2011.
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Emily Sonnett received call-ups for the United States women's national under-23 soccer team training camps in April and December 2013.
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Emily Sonnett later represented the United States as a center-back at the U23 level during the 2014 Six Nations Tournament in March 2014.
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Emily Sonnett appeared in all three games, helping the team ultimately win the tournament title in the final against Norway.
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In February 2015 Emily Sonnett again appeared in all three games in the 2015 U-23 Six Nations International Tournament in La Manga, Spain helping the team earn their second consecutive tournament title and serving as captain in their match against Norway.
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On October 16,2015, Emily Sonnett received her first senior call-up to the US women's national soccer team from Jill Ellis.
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Emily Sonnett received her first cap and start for the USWNT on October 25,2015, at center back during a friendly against Brazil as part of the USWNT's 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup victory tour.
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Emily Sonnett earned three more caps with the USWNT before the end of 2015 in friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago and China.
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In January 2016, Emily Sonnett joined the national team for their first training camp of the year at the US Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California and earned her second start in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland that same month.
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In February 2016, Emily Sonnett was named to the USWNT roster for the 2016 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament, playing in two of the five games in the tournament.
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Emily Sonnett was named to the roster for the 2016 SheBelieves Cup that took place in March 2016.
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Emily Sonnett played the full 90 minutes in the tournament's opening match against England on March 3,2016.
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Emily Sonnett was called up to all three training camps held in the spring and summer of 2016 and was named to rosters for friendlies against Colombia, Japan, and South Africa, appearing as a substitute for Becky Sauerbrunn during one of the friendlies against Colombia.
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In July 2016, Emily Sonnett was named an alternate for the USWNT at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, along with Ashlyn Harris, Sam Mewis, and Heather O'Reilly.
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Emily Sonnett dropped out of the USWNT rotation for the majority of 2017 and did not earn any international caps during the calendar year.
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Emily Sonnett was called up for both the January and February training camps and was named to the roster for the 2017 SheBelieves Cup tournament in March but did not see any playing time.
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Emily Sonnett was left off the USWNT roster entirely from April to October 2017 by coach, Jill Ellis.
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In January 2018, Emily Sonnett was called up to her third consecutive January training camp with the USWNT.
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Emily Sonnett appeared in two of the three USWNT matches in the tournament, and made her first start in over a year and played the full 90 minutes against England in the tournament's final on March 7,2018.
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Emily Sonnett attended the USWNT July training camp and was after named to the roster for the 2018 Tournament of Nations.
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Emily Sonnett started all three games at right-back during the Tournament of Nations and registered an assist to Alex Morgan's goal in the 26th minute against Japan.
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Emily Sonnett was named to the 20-player roster for the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship in September.
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Emily Sonnett appeared in three of the five match-ups during the tournament, including the game which ultimately qualified the USWNT for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
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Emily Sonnett closed out 2018 with the USWNT appearing in international friendlies against Portugal and Scotland.
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Emily Sonnett was named to the 23-player roster for the 2019 SheBelieves Cup and appeared as a substitute for Kelley O'Hara in two of three matches in the tournament.
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Emily Sonnett remained on the USWNT roster and appeared as a substitute in the World Cup send-off matches against South Africa and Mexico in May 2019.
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On May 2,2019, Emily Sonnett was named to the 23-player roster that represented the United States at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
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Emily Sonnett earned one cap in the second group stage game against Chile, entering the game at the 82nd minute to replace Abby Dahlkemper.
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Emily Sonnett saw more playing time during the World Cup Victory Tour friendlies, appearing as right-back in four of the five match-ups and starting in three of these appearances.
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Emily Sonnett played all 90 minutes as a full-back in both international friendlies against Sweden and Costa Rica.
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Emily Sonnett appeared in 4 of the 5 matches during the CONCACAF tournament as right back.
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Emily Sonnett was named to the 23-player roster for the 2020 SheBelieves Cup and played all 90 minutes in the match against Spain at left back, aiding the USWNT to ultimately capture the tournament title on March 11,2020.
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Emily Sonnett appeared in all three matches during the tournament, starting and putting in the full 90 minutes against Brazil as right back.
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In June 2021, Emily Sonnett was named to the 18-player roster by Andonovski for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
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Emily Sonnett appeared in the final minutes of the bronze medal match on against Australia as a substitute for Christen Press.
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Emily Sonnett was selected to the 18-player roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France.
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Emily Sonnett started two games at center back in place of Tierna Davidson, getting wins against Australia and Japan.
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Emily Sonnett is close friends with current and former teammates Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis, as noted in multiple podcasts and media appearances.