Rachael Rapinoe

Rachael Elizabeth Rapinoe (born July 5, 1985) is an American former soccer player who played as a midfielder and forward. She played for Stjarnan Women in Iceland and the United States women's national under-23 soccer team.

Rachael Rapinoe
Personal information
Full name Rachael Elizabeth Rapinoe
Date of birth (1985-07-05) July 5, 1985
Place of birth Redding, California, U.S.
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position(s) Midfielder/forward
Youth career
Elk Grove United
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 Portland Pilots
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010 Stjarnan Women 5 (2)
International career
2006 United States U-23
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Rapinoe grew up in Redding, California, with her parents, Jim and Denise, and five siblings, including her fraternal twin sister, Megan Rapinoe, who also became a professional soccer player. She has Italian (from her paternal grandfather) and Irish ancestry.[1] She attended Foothill High School, where she played both basketball and track, but did not play soccer initially. She and her sister later played for club soccer team Elk Grove United, ranked number one nationally in 2003 and which finished second at the 2003 U-19 National Championships.[2]

University of Portland

Rapinoe attended the University of Portland, majoring in life science. She became the Portland Pilots go-to scorer in 2006 after a midseason switch from defender to forward after her sister Megan experienced an ACL injury. She scored nine goals and seven assists, including five goals in four playoff games.

In 2007, she was named West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week.[3]

Rapinoe experienced a torn knee ligament injury in 2007, re-torn in 2008, which was said to be a career-ender;[4][5][6] she did play after that date, until the ligament tore again in 2012.[7]

She later announced that she had retired from soccer and was interested in pursuing a career in medicine. In 2016, she received a Master's degree in Health Studies in Exercise from Portland State.[8]

Playing career

Stjarnan Women

In July 2010, Rapinoe re-emerged on the international soccer scene when it was announced that she had signed with Icelandic professional women's team, Stjarnan Women. She made five appearances for the team and scored two goals.[9][10]

International

In 2006, Rapinoe played for the United States women's national under-23 soccer team.[11]

Coaching career

In 2011, Rachael Rapinoe was chosen to represent the United States by the International Center's Sports Corps program in the Indonesia America Soccer Exchange where she helped conduct three one-day training clinics for an estimated 200–300 female athletes and 30 coaches.[12]

She has hosted youth soccer camps with her sister Megan Rapinoe.[13]

References
  1. "5 Things You Didn't Know about Megan Rapinoe's Roots". March 18, 2021.
  2. "Rachael Rapinoe biography". University of Portland Pilots. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  3. "Rapinoe Shares WCC Player of the Week Honor". West Coast Conference Sports. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  4. "UP star's injury probably a career-ender". Oregon Live. September 4, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  5. "Portland's two-for-one deal makes postseason waves". ESPN. November 24, 2006. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  6. "Rapinoe sisters' reunion takes another bad turn". ESPN. May 9, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  7. "Megan Rapinoe Has a Twin, Because 1 Talented Soccer Player Wasn't Enough For This Family". WebsFavourites.Com. June 28, 2019.
  8. "Alum Rachael Rapinoe Joins the Women's Soccer Staff as a Volunteer Assistant Coach - University of Portland Athletics". Portland Pilots. January 17, 2018.
  9. "American player gets a star". Sport.is. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  10. "Rapinoe to ply her trade in Iceland". Cross Conference. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  11. "Rachael Rapinoe player profile". US Soccer. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  12. "Cori Alexander, Rachael Rapinoe to Coach Indonesian Youth". Portland Pilots. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  13. "Megan and Rachael Rapinoe host soccer camp in Redding". Redding.com. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
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