Amber Brooks

Amber Jean Brooks (born January 23, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She has previously played for Adelaide United, Houston Dash, OL Reign, Portland Thorns, Bayern Munich, and Vancouver Whitecaps.

Amber Brooks
Brooks in April 2017
Personal information
Full name Amber Jean Brooks[1]
Date of birth (1991-01-23) January 23, 1991
Place of birth Evansville, Indiana, United States
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Defender / Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Washington Spirit
Number 22
Youth career
The Pennington School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2012 North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 Bayern Munich 19 (9)
2014 Portland Thorns 21 (1)
2014–2015 → Bayern Munich (loan) 8 (0)
2015 Seattle Reign 12 (1)
2016–2019 Houston Dash 91 (4)
2018–2019 → Adelaide United (loan) 12 (0)
2019–2020 Adelaide United 11 (1)
2020–2021 OL Reign 8 (0)
2022– Washington Spirit
International career‡
2008–2009 United States U-17
2010–2011 United States U-20 9 (1)
2012 United States U-23
2013 United States 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 6, 2020
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 10, 2013

Brooks has represented the United States as member of numerous youth national teams and has one cap with the senior national team.

Early life

Brooks was born in Evansville, Indiana and attended Pennington School in New Jersey. She scored 62 goals and had 30 assists during her first three years for a total of 154 points. She did not play as a senior due to a knee injury and National Team commitments. Brooks was named first-team All-County and a Parade Magazine All-America as a junior after she helped the team finish the 2008 season undefeated at 18–0, winning its sixth straight Prep-A state championship and its third MCT Championship in five years. Pennington was ranked by the NSCAA and ESPN Rise as the number one team in the nation the same year. Brooks was awarded the 2008 NSCAA Girls' Scholar Athlete of the Year Award and was ranked by ESPN Rise as the number one recruit in the nation in 2009.[1]

University of North Carolina

Brooks was captain of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team her junior and senior year (2011–2012).[1][2] She accrued several accolades during her four years with the Tar Heels, becoming a two-time NCAA National Champion and winning the College Cup in 2009 and in 2012. She scored 34 goals and added 19 assists during her college career.[3]

Club career

Vancouver Whitecaps, 2011

During the summer of 2011, Brooks played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the W-League. She made five appearances, playing 391 minutes, and provided one assist.[4]

Bayern Munich, 2013–2015

On January 11, 2013, Brooks signed with German club, Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga until June 30, 2014.[5][6][7][8][9] In her first Bundesliga game against SGS Essen, she scored two goals, including the game-winning goal in the 90th minute.[10]

Portland Thorns, 2013–2014

Brooks was drafted by Portland Thorns on January 18, 2013, during the 2013 National Women's Soccer League College Draft.[11][12][13] Her debut came while visiting the Houston Dash in which she played the entirety of the 1–0 victory. She would go on to start another 19 matches for the club in addition to a solitary substitution appearance. Brooks collected her first and only goal for the Thorns during the season while adding two assists, though her primary contributions were on the defensive end of the field where her ferocity led to a team-leading four yellow cards on the season.[14] After the conclusion of the Thorns 2014 season, the team announced that she would be on loan to her previous side Bayern Munich and become the second Portland member to be headed to Germany after the 2014 season, following teammate Veronica Boquete to the Bundesliga. While Portland initially indicated that Brooks would be re-signed for the 2015 National Women's Soccer League season,[15] she was instead traded to the Western New York Flash on November 6, 2014, in exchange for midfielder McCall Zerboni and defender Kathryn Williamson.[3]

Seattle Reign, 2015

In March 2015, Brooks was traded to Seattle Reign along with the rights to Abby Wambach in exchange for Sydney Leroux and Amanda Frisbie.[16] She made twelve appearances and scored one goal for Seattle.[17]

Houston Dash, 2015–2019

On October 26, 2015, Brooks was traded to the Houston Dash in exchange for Meghan Klingenberg and a conditional selection in the 2017 NWSL College Draft from Seattle Reign.[18] Brooks had her contract option exercised for the 2017 season. She was named the 2017 Dash MVP and played all 2,160 minutes of the regular season, scored one goal and tallied two assists, captaining the side eight times. She was then re-signed for the 2018 season.[19] Brooks was named 2018 Dash Defender of the Year.[20] The club has exercised her contract option for the 2019 season.[21] On April 14, 2019, Brooks played in her 100th career NWSL game, becoming the 22nd player to reach that mark.[22]

Loan to Adelaide United

Brooks signed with Adelaide United for the 2018–19 W-League season, alongside Houston Dash teammate Veronica Latsko.[23]

OL Reign, 2020–2021

Brooks was out of contract following the 2019 NWSL season and Houston Dash traded her rights to OL Reign. She subsequently signed a three-year contract with the Tacoma-based club on March 4, 2020.[24]

Washington Spirit, 2022-Present

Brooks signs one-year deal with the Washington Spirit.[25]

International career

Brooks has competed on behalf of the United States in various national youth teams since 2007, including at the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. As a member of the U-20 national team, she represented the United States at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany and won the 2010 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship.[17] She was a captain of the U-23 national team.[26]

On November 10, 2013, Brooks made her debut for the U.S. WNT team against Brazil in a friendly; started in the match and played 81 minutes.[27]

Career statistics
As of match played August 27, 2015.[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[lower-alpha 1] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bayern Munich 2012–13 Bundesliga 10410114
2013–14 Bundesliga 9521116
Total 199312210
Portland Thorns 2014 NWSL 211—211
Total 211—211
Bayern Munich (loan) 2014–15 Bundesliga 8021101
Total 8021101
Seattle Reign 2015 NWSL 121—121
Total 121—121
Houston Dash 2016 NWSL 00—00
Total 00—00
Career total 6011526513
  1. Includes the DFB-Pokal

Honors

Bayern Munich

Seattle Reign

United States

See also

References
  1. "Amber Brooks player profile". University of North Carolina. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  2. "Back lines front and center for UNC, Penn State". ESPN. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  3. "WNY Acquires Amber Brooks". Western New York Flash. November 6, 2014. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  4. "2011 Vancouver Whitecaps FC roster". USL Soccer. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  5. "North Carolina star Amber Brooks signs with German club Bayern Munich". Top Drawer Soccer. Archived from the original on June 11, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  6. "Players Abroad: Why Brooks Signed with Bayern Munich; Preseason Tournaments and More". Our Game Magazine. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  7. "FC Bayern: Brooks verstärkt Frauen-Team". FIFA. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  8. "Pro Prospects: Dream comes true for Brooks". Top Drawer Soccer. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  9. "Potential top pick Brooks headed to Germany". Equalizer Soccer. January 9, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  10. "Brooks scores twice in Bayern debut". Soccer America. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  11. "Portland Thorns add 4 players in NWSL college draft". Oregon Live. January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  12. "Portland Thorns Add Four Players Through Women's Soccer Draft". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  13. "All White Kit Breakdowns of Portland Thorns FC Draftees". SB Nation. January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  14. "2014 Player Statistics - National Women's Soccer League". Archived from the original on January 7, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  15. "Thorns FC loan midfielder Amber Brooks to German club FC Bayern Munich | Portland Timbers". Archived from the original on September 3, 2014.
  16. Rubens, Daniel (March 30, 2015). "Seattle Reign acquire rights to USWNT striker Abby Wambach in trade for Sydney Leroux". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  17. Soccerway. October 25, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  18. "Houston Dash acquire rights to midfielder Amber Brooks, first-round draft pick from Seattle Reign FC". Houston Dash. October 26, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  19. "Houston Dash Re-Sign Defender Amber Brooks". Houston Dash. January 25, 2018.
  20. "Houston Dash". Twitter Houston Dash. October 9, 2018.
  21. "Houston Dash announce roster update after NWSL season". Houston Dash. October 1, 2018.
  22. "Twitter Hal Kaiser". April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  23. "Reds announce two more signings days out from their Westfield W-League campaign". October 13, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  24. "HUERTA, BROOKS, AND ASHLEY SIGN THROUGH 2020 SEASON". Reign FC. March 4, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  25. "Washington Spirit Sign Defender Amber Brooks". OurSports Central. March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  26. "Amber Brooks player profile". US Soccer. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  27. "U.S. WNT Defeats Brazil 4–1 in Orlando to Complete Undefeated 2013 Campaign". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on March 20, 2014.
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