Amanda Duffy (soccer)

Amanda Duffy (born 1980 or 1981)[3] is a former soccer player and executive. Previously Duffy had been president of Louisville City FC in the USL, director of operations for USL Second Division, and senior director of the USL W-League before joining the NWSL as managing director of operations in December 2016. On January 15, 2019, Duffy was named president of the NWSL, holding the position for a year.[4][5] She later spent two seasons as executive vice-president of Orlando Pride.

Amanda Duffy
Personal information
Date of birth 1980 or 1981 (age 42–43)
Place of birth Jacksonville, North Carolina, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward[1]
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2002 East Carolina Pirates (33[2])
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Raleigh Wings
2003 Hampton Roads Piranhas
2005 Central Florida Krush
2006 Danmarks IF
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Duffy first played soccer when she was 5 years old, participating on an all-boys team for seven years because there were no girls' clubs.[6][2] She attended Dixon High School in Holly Ridge, North Carolina, played soccer for the school, and graduated in 1998. Dixon High inducted her into its hall of fame in October 2013.[7]

Playing career

East Carolina University

Duffy attended East Carolina University from 1998 to 2003 as an undergraduate and played for its women's soccer team, where she became the team's all-time leader in career (33) and single-season goals (14), and in career points (83), and is second in all-time assists. She was twice named a first-team all-Conference USA player. ECU inducted Duffy into its sports hall of fame in 2012, the first women's soccer player to be inducted.[6][2][8][9] Duffy also served on the ECU women's soccer coaching staff after her graduation.[10]

Carolina Courage (WUSA)

Duffy was not selected in the 2003 WUSA Draft, but was invited to the Women's United Soccer Association league's Carolina Courage preseason camps by assistant coach Susan Ellis — who was previously an assistant coach with the Raleigh Wings[11] — in February 2003.[9] However, she did not make the regular-season roster.[12]

USL W-League

While pursuing a graduate degree in sport management at ECU, Duffy continued playing in the USL W-League for the Raleigh Wings, Hampton Roads Piranhas, and Central Florida Krush.[8] During her W-League career, she was part of teams that won a national championship (Piranhas, 2003) and three division championships.[13][14]

Norrettan (Sweden)

In 2006, Duffy played professionally for Swedish club Danmarks IF in Norrettan.[13][15]

Executive career

USL W-League

Duffy was an intern at the United Soccer League's headquarters for six months in 2005, as part of her work toward a master's degree in sports administration. At the time, Duffy was playing in the USL-operated W-League. After completing the internship and acquiring her master's degree, she moved to Sweden to play soccer professionally for a year, after which she returned to USL in 2007 for an entry-level administrative role. She remained at USL for seven years, eventually becoming director of operations, then senior director of the W-League.[16]

Louisville City FC (USL)

Louisville City FC general manager Djorn Buchholz hired Duffy to be vice president of operations in October 2014, the club's third full-time employee.[17] She was subsequently promoted to general manager in December when Buchholz resigned,[2] and was promoted again in November 2015 to president, where she was the only woman in the league to serve as a club president. After leaving the club, she was succeeded as president by John Neace.[18][19]

During her tenure as president, the club set records in attendance and pushed for a new soccer-specific stadium.[18]

National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)

The NWSL hired Duffy in December 2016 to the new position of managing director of operations, granting her responsibility over growing the league's staff, improving league standards, and overseeing league policies and the league's partnership with part-owners A+E Networks.[4][20]

Since the resignation of league commissioner Jeff Plush in March 2017, she has also filled the league's administrative roles in lieu of a full-time replacement.[12][21][22]

Her work with the NWSL led to AdWeek naming her one of the 35 most influential women in sports in 2017.[23] She was promoted to president, the league's highest office, on January 15, 2019.[24] She announced her intention to step down from the role in January 2020.

Orlando Pride (NWSL)

On January 7, 2020, it was announced Duffy would become Executive Vice President of NWSL team Orlando Pride. She officially stepped down as president of the NWSL on February 14, 2020.[3] Following a change of ownership, Duffy was let go by the club at the end of the 2021 season.[25]

References
  1. "2002 Women's Soccer Roster". East Carolina Pirates. 2002. Archived from the original on November 25, 2002. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  2. Ence, Jason (January 8, 2016). "Amanda Duffy: Louisville City FC Pres Building On First-year Success, Pt. 1". LouisvilleWomenSports.com. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  3. "Long-Time Soccer Executive Amanda Duffy Appointed to Lead Orlando Pride". Orlando City SC.
  4. Kassouf, Jeff (January 25, 2017). "Setting the bar: How Amanda Duffy plans to take the NWSL to the next level". FourFourTwo. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  5. Lombardo, Kayla (December 20, 2016). "Louisville City FC president Amanda Duffy accepts senior role with NWSL". Excelle Sports. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  6. Tenorio, Paul (June 13, 2015). "Louisville City GM Amanda Duffy thrives in role rarely held by women". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  7. "DHS to Induct Amanda Duffy in Hall of Fame". Dixon High School. October 4, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  8. "W-League's Duffy Joins Louisville City". Louisville City FC. October 7, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  9. "Amanda Duffy Invited to Carolina Courage Training Camp". ECUPirates.com. February 4, 2003. Archived from the original on March 4, 2003.
  10. "Women Look to Elevate Game in '03". Bonesville.net. 2003. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  11. "USISL W-League: Raleigh Wings". SoccerTimes.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  12. Lauletta, Dan (January 24, 2017). "The Lowdown: Amanda Duffy and the growing NWSL". equalizersoccer.com. The Equalizer. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  13. "Amanda Duffy". Louisville Business First. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  14. "ECU's Duffy Helps Hampton Roads to W-League Championship". ECUpirates.com. August 13, 2003. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  15. Bäckman, Tommy (October 8, 2006). "Danmarks IF-AIK". Allmänna Idrottsklubben. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  16. Kernen, Kevin (February 9, 2017). "Kickin' It With Amanda Duffy". Extol Magazine. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  17. "Louisville City FC taps vice president of operations". www.bizjournals.com. Louisville Business First. October 7, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  18. Murray, Nicholas (December 20, 2016). "Duffy Proud of LouCity's Growth During her Tenure". United Soccer League. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  19. "LouCity president Duffy takes new job at NWSL". The Courier-Journal. December 20, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  20. Halloran, John D. (May 8, 2017). "Amanda Duffy Addresses NWSL Present and Future". American Soccer Now. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  21. "Jeff Plush steps down as NWSL commissioner". The Equalizer. March 2, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  22. Lauletta, Dan (April 12, 2017). "Amanda Duffy defers on NWSL streaming details". The Equalizer. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  23. Stanley, T.L. (June 25, 2017). "The Most Powerful Women in Sports: 35 Executives and Influencers Winning Over the Next Generation of Fans". AdWeek. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  24. "Amanda Duffy named President of NWSL," National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019
  25. "Orlando Pride Parts Ways with EVP Amanda Duffy". Orlando City SC.
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