Olivia Moultrie

Olivia Lynn Moultrie (born September 17, 2005) is an American professional soccer player for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). In 2019, she became the youngest American women's soccer player to turn professional, at age 13, and in 2021, she became the youngest player to play an NWSL regular-season game, at age 15. She was also the youngest player to commit to a college team and accept a scholarship offer, which she ultimately gave up, at age 11. She became the youngest player in NWSL regular-season history to score a goal at age 16 against the Houston Dash on June 12, 2022.

Olivia Moultrie
Moultrie in 2022
Personal information
Full name Olivia Lynn Moultrie[1]
Date of birth (2005-09-17) September 17, 2005[2]
Place of birth Utah, United States[3]
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Portland Thorns FC
Number 13
Youth career
2017 Total Futbol Academy
2017–2019 Beach FC
2019–2021 Portland Thorns FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Portland Thorns FC 14 (3)
International career‡
2018–2019 United States U15
2019 United States U16
2020 United States U17
2022– United States U20 5 (2)

*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 1, 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of February 25, 2022

United States national team

Early life

Moultrie was born in Utah to K.C. and Jessica Moultrie,[3][4] and was raised in the Canyon Country district of Santa Clarita, California. She started training in soccer when she was four years old. By fifth grade, she was homeschooled so that she could focus on soccer and became the first girl on a boys' club team to play in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy system.[5] At 11, she accepted a full scholarship offer to play soccer for the Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when she reached college age (from the 2024 season), becoming the youngest girls' soccer player to publicly accept a college offer at the time.[5] She moved from California upon joining Portland Thorns FC in 2019,[6] and now resides in Wilsonville, Oregon.[7]

Club career

Portland Thorns

In February 2019, Moultrie announced that she was turning professional, having signed a representation deal with the Wasserman Media Group. She signed with Nike to a multi-year endorsement arrangement, giving up her college eligibility in the process,[5] and joined the Portland Thorns FC academy.[8]

Although she trained with the Thorns' senior team[9] and appeared in exhibition matches, she had been prevented from signing a professional contract with the club, as the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) prohibited players under age 18, while FIFA, soccer's international governing body, generally prohibits minors from playing overseas.[10] She made her first appearance for the senior team in an exhibition match on March 27, 2019, against the United States under-23 team.[11][12]

On May 4, 2021, she filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NWSL in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, alleging that the league, as the "only acquirer of talent in the market", violated the Sherman Antitrust Act with its age limit.[13] The suit asked for immediate action from the court by granting a temporary restraining order against the age rule so that Moultrie can play in regular-season games during the 2021 season.[14] On May 24, 2021, United States District Judge Karin Immergut granted a temporary restraining order, ordering the league to lift its age limit and allow Moultrie to compete for a roster spot on the Thorns, writing, the league had not "presented any compelling procompetitive reasons to justify this anticompetitive policy, nor have they shown that eliminating the Age Rule will cause any non-speculative injury to the NWSL."[15]

In June 2021, the league informed all member teams of a discovery process for Moultrie, ultimately awarding the rights to OL Reign,[16] who subsequently traded her to the Thorns for a third-round draft pick.[17] On June 30, 2021, Moultrie signed a three-year contract with the Thorns, becoming the youngest player to sign a contract with an NWSL team.[18]

Moultrie made her professional debut on July 3, 2021, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute in a 2–0 win against Racing Louisville.[19] She made her first start and recorded her first assist on August 7 against Washington Spirit.[20]

On August 19, 2021, Moultrie scored her first professional goal, a 57th-minute direct free kick against Houston Dash, in the semifinal of the International Champions Cup.[21]

On June 12, 2022 Moultrie scored her first NWSL league goal becoming the youngest player to do so.[22][23]

On October 29, 2022 Moultrie came on as a substitute in the 2022 NWSL Championship game. The Thorns won the match earning Moultrie her first NWSL Championship.[24]

International career

On February 15, 2022, Moultrie was included in the U.S. under-20 squad for the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship.[25]

In October 2023, Moultrie was included in the US senior squad for the first time at the age of 18, for a double headed friendly fixture against Colombia.[26]

In 2019, shortly after turning pro, Moultrie had a small role in Nike's all-women "Dream Crazier" commercial that debuted during the 92nd Academy Awards broadcast and was narrated by Serena Williams.[5]

Honors and awards

Portland Thorns FC

United States U20

References
  1. "Squad List, FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022: USA" (PDF). FIFA. August 3, 2022. p. 16. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  2. "Olivia Moultrie". oliviamoultriesoccer.com.
  3. McCann, Michael (June 30, 2021). "Teen Soccer Phenom Moultrie Signs With Portland After Court Case". Sportico. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  4. Ballard, Chris (May 29, 2019). "Project: Phenom". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  5. Keh, Andrew (February 25, 2019). "A Soccer Pro at 13? Olivia Moultrie Will Give It a Try". The New York Times.
  6. Goldberg, Jamie (February 25, 2019). "13-year-old phenom Olivia Moultrie to move to Portland to join Thorns developmental academy". The Oregonian. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  7. Bernstein, Maxine (May 28, 2021). "Portland Thorns make discovery claim for 15-year-old player Olivia Moultrie but National Women's Soccer League rejects it". The Oregonian. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  8. Bieler, Das. "13-year-old female soccer player turns pro and signs with Nike". Washington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  9. Murray, Caitlin (April 29, 2019). "After turning pro, 13-year-old phenom Olivia Moultrie now stuck in soccer limbo". Yahoo Sports.
  10. Tenorio, Paul (April 13, 2021). "Restrictions on 15-year-old Olivia Moultrie present antitrust problem for the NWSL". The Athletic.
  11. "Journey and Accomplishments". OliviaMoultrieSoccer.com. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  12. "United States U23 vs. Portland Thorns – 28 March 2019". Soccerway. March 27, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  13. Tenorio, Paul (May 5, 2021). "Teen soccer phenom Olivia Moultrie sues NWSL for right to play in league". The Athletic.
  14. Bernstein, Maxine (May 4, 2021). "15-year-old soccer phenom Olivia Moultrie sues for right to compete in National Women's Soccer League". The Oregonian.
  15. Berstein, Maxine (May 24, 2021). "Judge rules 15-year-old Olivia Moultrie is eligible to sign contract with National Women's Soccer League". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  16. Bernstein, Maxine (June 7, 2021). "Olivia Moultrie returns to court as a draft contract to play with Portland Thorns awaits league approval". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  17. Gastelum, Andrew (June 6, 2021). "Report: Olivia Moultrie Set to Sign NWSL Contract, Will Play for Portland". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  18. Kyle, Garcia (June 30, 2021). "Olivia Moultrie officially signs with Thorns FC". SB Nation. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  19. Herrera, Sandra (July 3, 2021). "Teenager Olivia Moultrie becomes youngest player in NWSL history in regular-season debut for Portland Thorns". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  20. Murray, Caitlin (August 7, 2021). "15-year-old Olivia Moultrie nets game-winning assist in first pro start as Portland Thorns beat Washington Spirit". The Oregonian. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  21. "Olivia Moultrie, 15, scores first pro goal as Portland Thorns advance to WICC final". Associated Press. August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  22. "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL".
  23. "16-Year-Old Olivia Moultrie Becomes Youngest Player in NWSL History to Score Goal". Bleacher Report.
  24. "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL".
  25. "U.S. Under-20 WYNT Head Coach Tracey Kevins Names USA Roster For 2022 Concacaf Women's Under-20 Championship In The Dominican Republic". United States Soccer Federation. February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  26. Hettesheimer, Cassidy (October 19, 2023). "NWSL groundbreaker Olivia Moultrie gets first shot at USWNT". Her Football Hub. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  27. Snipes, Tyler (August 22, 2021). "The Portland Thorns are WICC Champions!". International Champions Cup.
  28. Azzi, Alex (October 30, 2022). "Portland Thorns win 2022 NWSL Championship, MVP Smith scores game winner". On Her Turf. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  29. "USA Wins Concacaf Women's U-20 Championship With 2-0 Victory Over Mexico". US Soccer. March 12, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
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