Cat Whitehill

Catherine Reddick Whitehill (born Catherine Anne Reddick; February 10, 1982) is an American retired professional soccer defender, who was also an assistant coach of the Boston Breakers in the NWSL. Whitehill last played for the Boston Breakers in 2015 and previously played for the Washington Freedom and the Atlanta Beat in the WPS as well as the United States women's national soccer team from 2000 to 2010.[2] On November 28, 2012, while serving as a television commentator for a match between USA and Republic of Ireland, Whitehill expressed an interest in working her way back into the national team.

Cat Whitehill
Whitehill before a match in 2013.
Personal information
Full name Catherine Reddick Whitehill
Birth name Catherine Anne Reddick[1]
Date of birth (1982-02-10) February 10, 1982
Place of birth Richmond, Virginia, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1996–2000 Briarwood Christian School
Briarwood Soccer Club
Vestavia Hills Soccer Club
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 New Jersey Wildcats 9 (3)
2009–2010 Washington Freedom 42 (4)
2011 Atlanta Beat 17 (0)
2012 Boston Breakers (WPSL) 14 (0)
2013–2015 Boston Breakers (NWSL) 46 (1)
International career
2000–2010 United States 134 (11)
Managerial career
2013 Boston Breakers (player-coach, a.i.)
2016 Boston Breakers (assistant)
2017 Needham Soccer Club
2017 Wellesley Raiders
2019– Emory Eagles (assistant)
Medal record
Women's soccer
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2004 AthensTeam competition
FIFA Women's World Cup
Bronze medal – third place2003 USATeam
Bronze medal – third place2007 ChinaTeam
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Whitehill was born in Richmond, Virginia, and grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, attending Briarwood Christian School. While there, she scored 211 goals during her high school career and was the only player to make the top 10 in the single-season category twice (78 in 1999 and 72 in 1999). Whitehill played four years of soccer and three years of basketball at Briarwood. She was named a Parade All-America selection in 1999 and 2000. She was also a four-time All-State selection, the Birmingham News State and Metro Player of the Year in soccer and a two-time Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year for the State of Alabama. Whitehill led the school's basketball team to the state Final Four twice and the soccer team to four high school state titles. In 1999, she was named one of Birmingham Magazine's Top Six People of 1999.[2]

University of North Carolina

Whitehill played for the University of North Carolina from 2000 to 2003. During her freshman season, she scored four goals and had five assists tallying 13 points after playing in all 24 matches of the season. She received North Carolina's Rookie Player of the Year honors in 2000 and was named an NSCAA Second-Team All-American. She was also named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2000 NCAA Final Four, starting her first game of the season in the NCAA championship game against UCLA helping the Tar Heels win the national title. Her contributions resulted in her being honored as the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the NCAA Final Four. Whitehill was a member of the NSCAA Freshman All-America Team and was named to the Southeast Region All-Freshman Team. As a sophomore, she played in 23 matches, scored three goals and served 10 assists helping the Tar Heels secure an undefeated regular season as well as to the NCAA championship game. During her junior season, she played in just 17 of North Carolina's 27 games due to national team commitments, yet still scored six goals and had five assists. After arriving after a red-eye flight from the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup Final in Los Angeles to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship game in Florida, Whitehill scored 20 seconds after entering the game as a substitute. She added another goal from 40 yards out helping North Carolina clinch the ACC title. She led the Tar Heels to the NCAA Final Four, scoring five goals in the five games leading up to the semifinals, and was named First-Team All-ACC and an NSCAA First-Team All American the same year.[2]

As a senior, Whitehill played in 13 of North Carolina's 27 matches due to playing in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, but started the last 12 games, scoring six goals with five assists. She was awarded the 2003 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, collegiate soccer's top honor. Her leadership was a key to North Carolina finishing off its regulars season with a 27–0–0 record and the NCAA Championship. She was named Defensive MVP of the Final Four after leading a defense that shut out all six of its opponents in the NCAA Tournament. Whitehill was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team and received her third NSCAA All-American selection and First-Team All-ACC honors. She was also the Honda Award winner for soccer the same year.[2][3][4][5]

Club career

The WPS Years: 2009–2011
Inka Grings (left) and Whitehill (right) during a match between the Chicago Red Stars and Boston Breakers on June 9, 2013

In 2009, Whitehill signed with the Washington Freedom for the 2009 WPS season. She started in 19 games, scored three goals and added two assists. The following season, she started 23 matches for the Freedom. She scored one goal and tallied two assists and played all 120 minutes of the playoff match against the Philadelphia Independence.[6]

Whitehill signed with the Atlanta Beat for the 2011 WPS season. She made seventeen starts for the club, tallying 1,530 minutes.[7]

WPSL Elite: 2012

After the folding of the WPS in early 2012, Whitehill signed with the Boston Breakers in the WPSL, the top division of women's soccer in the United States at the time.[8]

NWSL: 2013–2015
Whitehill defending against Abby Wambach of the Western New York Flash on June 5, 2013.

Whitehill signed with the Boston Breakers for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League.[9] Towards the end of the regular season, Breakers head coach, Lisa Cole, resigned from the team and Whitehill was named player-coach for the remainder of the season.[10] On May 28, 2015 Whitehill announced her retirement from professional soccer citing her "recent injury, and the fact that I will be missing games while commentating this summer during the World Cup" as the main factors to retirement.[11]

International career

Whitehill debuted for the United States women's national soccer team on July 6, 2000, against Italy, and played for the senior team from 2000 to 2010.

On June 10, 2008, Whitehill injured her knee during training for the Peace Queen Cup, and consequently missing the Beijing 2008 Olympics,[12] along with Abby Wambach and Leslie Osborne who had the same injury in 2008. Whitehill played her first match for the national team after recovery, on July 19, 2009, in a friendly against Canada; a match in which Abby Wambach scored her one hundredth career international goal.[13] She last played for the national team on March 31, 2010, at Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah, against Mexico in first ever snow game for USWNT.[14]

International Goals

Whitehill scored 11 goals in 134 matches for the United States women's national soccer team. Whitehill is unusual in having scored more than a few goals while playing in a defender position. On July 15, 2006, at Blaine, Minnesota, she scored a goal from a 70-yard free kick against Sweden, which is the longest shot to have scored a goal for the USWNT.[m 1]

Key (expand for notes on "international goals" and sorting)
Location Geographic location of the venue where the competition occurred
Sorted by country name first, then by city name
Lineup Start – played entire match
on minute (off player) – substituted on at the minute indicated, and player was substituted off at the same time

off minute (on player) – substituted off at the minute indicated, and player was substituted on at the same time
(c) – captain
Sorted by minutes played

# NumberOfGoals.goalNumber scored by the player in the match (alternate notation to Goal in match)
Min The minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal.
Assist/pass The ball was passed by the player, which assisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information.
penalty or pk Goal scored on penalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.)
Score The match score after the goal was scored.
Sorted by goal difference, then by goal scored by the player's team
Result The final score.

Sorted by goal difference in the match, then by goal difference in penalty-shoot-out if it is taken, followed by goal scored by the player's team in the match, then by goal scored in the penalty-shoot-out. For matches with identical final scores, match ending in extra-time without penalty-shoot-out is a tougher match, therefore precede matches that ended in regulation

aet The score at the end of extra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90' regulation
pso Penalty-shoot-out score shown in parentheses; the match was tied at the end of extra-time
Light-purple background color – exhibition or closed door international friendly match
Light-yellow background color – match at an invitational tournament
Blue background color – FIFA women's world cup final tournament

NOTE: some keys may not apply for a particular football player

Date Location Opponent Lineup # Min Assist/pass Score Result Competition
1 2001-03-17[m 2] Quarteira, Portugal  Norway Start 1.1 56 unassisted

5250.03005 3–1

4950.03005 3–4

 Algarve Cup: fifth place match
2 2003-09-28[m 3] Columbus, United States  Korea DPR Start 2.1 48 Julie Foudy

5250.02005 2–0

5350.03005 3–0

 World Cup: Group A
3 2.2 66 Shannon MacMillan

5350.03005 3–0

4 2004-03-18[m 4] Lagos, Portugal  Sweden Start 1.1 85 Brandi Chastain

4850.01005 1–3

4850.01005 1–3

 Algarve Cup: Group A
5 2004-10-03[m 5] Portland, United States  New Zealand Start 1.1 81 Brandi Chastain

5550.05005 5–0

5550.05005 5–0

 Friendly
6 2004-10-20[m 6] Chicago, United States  Republic of Ireland Start 1.1 56 Mia Hamm

5450.04005 4–0

5450.05005 5–1

 Friendly
7 2006-07-15[m 1] Blaine, United States  Sweden Start 1.1 89 unassisted

5150.02005 2–1

5150.03005 3–2

 Friendly
8 2006-07-23[m 7] San Diego, United States  Republic of Ireland Start 2.1 39 Tina Frimpong

5250.02005 2–0

5550.05005 5–0

 Friendly
9 2.2 89 unassisted

5450.04005 4–0

10 2006-08-27[m 8] Chicago, United States  China Start 1.1 30 unassisted

5050.01005 1–1

5350.04005 4–1

 Friendly
11 2006-11-02[m 9] Suwon, South Korea  Netherlands Start 1.1 47+ unassisted

5250.02005 2–0

5250.02005 2–0

 Peace Queen Cup: Group B

Broadcasting career

Whitehill was paired with Beth Mowins as a color commentator on ESPN's tertiary broadcast team for the telecasts of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She has also worked the sidelines for Fox Soccer Channel and for 2012 men's and women's NCAA College Cup matches on ESPNU.[15]

Whitehill worked as a commentator for ESPN3's coverage of the UEFA Women's Euro 2017. She was also the color commentator for the NWSL Game of the week between the Washington Spirit and Boston Breakers on August 12, 2017.[16]

Coaching career

In March 2016, Whitehill was named Assistant Coach and Club Ambassador of the Boston Breakers.[17] Whitehill worked as a coach for Needham Soccer Club during the 2017 season,[18] before being announced as the head coach of the girls soccer program at Wellesley High School later that year.[16] Since 2019, she has served as an assistant for the Emory Eagles.[19]

Advocacy

Whitehill is an advocate for the rights of women to participate in sports. On February 1, 2006, she testified at a committee hearing of the United States Senate in support of Title IX, the civil rights law that, among other things, provides women and girls the same opportunities to participate in school sports that boys and men are offered. In her testimony, she described having to play on boys' soccer teams as a young girl in Alabama because there were no opportunities for girls to play organized soccer there at the time.[20]

Personal life

Whitehill married Dr. Robert Whitehill, M.D., a pediatric Cardiology Fellow at Children's Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center, on New Year's Eve, 2005.[21] They live in Back Bay, Massachusetts.

References
  1. "Cat Reddick". United States Soccer Federation. Archived from the original on January 18, 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  2. "Cat Whitehill". US Soccer. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  3. "Catherine Reddick Captures Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  4. "Reddick Named National Soccer Player of the Year - UNC General Alumni Association". Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  5. "Soccer". CWSA. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  6. "Cat Whitehill". Boston Breakers. Archived from the original on 2013-06-28. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  7. "Cat Whitehill". Soccer Way. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  8. "Cat Whitehill 2012 bio". Boston Breakers. Archived from the original on 2012-12-31. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  9. "Osborne, Huffman, Whitehill Sign With NWSL Teams". Southern Soccer Scene. 5 February 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  10. "Breakers Turn to Player Coach: Breaking down the Cole – Whitehill Transition". SB Nation. 15 August 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  11. "Olympic champ, Breakers defender Whitehill retires – Equalizer Soccer". 28 May 2015.
  12. "U.S. Defender Cat Whitehill Tears ACL". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2012-08-25. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
  13. "Abby Wambach Scores 100th Career Goal in Hometown As U.S. Women Defeats Canada 1–0". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2012-04-25.
  14. "USA Defeats Mexico 1–0 in First Ever-Snow Game For WNT". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05.
  15. Brethertont, William (June 24, 2011). "Beat's Whitehill to work as ESPN commentator". Marietta Daily Journal. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  16. "USWNT alum Cat Whitehill can't wait to announce NWSL game between her two former pro teams". August 12, 2017. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  17. "Breakers name Cat Whitehill assistant coach, club ambassador - Boston Breakers". Archived from the original on 2016-06-03. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  18. Miskin, Mark (March 23, 2017). "Former US International Cat Whitehill & Current Boston Breaker's Defender Kylie Strom to coach with NSC this Spring". Needham Soccer Club. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  19. "Catherine Whitehill". Emory Eagles. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  20. Testimony of Catherine Anne Reddick before the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
  21. "Boston Combined Residency Program in Pediatrics 2011 Interns". Archived from the original on 2013-08-17. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
Match reports
  1. "Lilly's Late Goal Gives U.S. WNT Hard Fought 3–2 Victory vs. Sweden". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-11-01.
  2. "Goals from Marquand, Schott and Reddick Not Enough as Young U.S. Women Fall, 4–3, to Norway in Algarve Cup". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-05-16.
  3. "Reddick Scores Twice as U.S. Advances to Quarterfinals". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-04-25.
  4. "U.S. Advances to Algarve Final Despite 3–1 Loss to Sweden". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14.
  5. "Lilly Scores 100th Career Goal as U.S. Downs New Zealand 5–0". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05.
  6. "Parlow Hat Trick Paces U.S. Women to 5–1 Win Over Ireland". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-03-13.
  7. "U.S. Women Dominate Ireland, 5–0, as Defender Cat Whitehill Scores Twice". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2012-07-27.
  8. "Krisitine Lilly and Cat Whitehill Lead U.S. Women Past China, 4–1, in Bridgeview, Illinois". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2013-05-02.
  9. "U.S. WNT Defeats the Netherlands, 2–0, To Advance to 2006 Peace Queen Cup Championship". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on 2012-08-24.
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