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Rodman Helped Lead Washington Spirit to NWSL Title in Her Rookie Year
CHICAGO (Dec. 16, 2021) – Forward Trinity Rodman was voted the Chipotle U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year after a standout year with the Washington Spirit, which culminated in a league championship and NWSL Rookie of the Year honors. She joins a long line of talented players to win the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year Award, which was first awarded in 1998 to current U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone.
“To see my name alongside the list of amazing players who have won this award in the past is unbelievable,” said Rodman. “It’s an honor to receive this award from U.S. Soccer and our amazing fanbase. This year was a journey for me both mentally and physically as I settled into my new life as a professional. I want to thank my family, teammates, coaching and medical staffs for everything they have done for me on and off the field. It truly takes a village. I am so incredibly proud of what my Spirit teammates and I accomplished this season, and I would be humbled to get an opportunity to play for the U.S. again and represent our country in 2022.”
For the first time, fans were able to vote for the U.S. Soccer Player and Young Player of the Year Awards with those votes weighted at 15% of the total. Rodman earned 48 percent of the overall vote for the Young Female Player of the Year. Midfielder Catarina Macario was second (32%) and defender Emily Fox was third (13%).
Votes for U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year awards are collected from respective National Team coaches, National Team players who earned a cap in 2021, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, U.S. Soccer Athletes’ Council, National Women’s Soccer League head coaches and select media members, administrators and college coaches.
Rodman, who turned 19 in May, was the youngest player to be drafted in NWSL history, going to the Washington Spirit with the second overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.
Her performances were key in helping the Spirit finish third in the league before going on to win the NWSL championship in one of the best title runs in sports this year. Rodman was one of the sensations of the 2021 NWSL season, scoring six goals (including two game-winners) with six assists, which tied for the league lead. She was second in the NWSL in shots and shots on goal. She played in 25 games with 22 starts spanning more than 2,000 minutes and was named the 2021 NWSL Rookie of the Year.
Rodman scored in her NWSL Challenge Cup debut, becoming the youngest American to score in ancNWSL competition. During the regular season she scored against Chicago (twice), Kansas City, New Jersey/New York, North Carolina and Houston. Rodman was a major part of the USA’s U-20 cycle in 2020 and played in the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Twenty of the 24 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year winners have earned caps with the full USWNT and 15 of them have gone on to play in a FIFA Women’s World Cup.
PREVIOUS U.S. SOCCER YOUNG FEMALE AWARD WINNERS:
| Year | Young Female Player of the Year |
| 1998 | Cindy Parlow |
| 1999 | Lorrie Fair |
| 2000 | Aly Wagner |
| 2001 | Aleisha Cramer |
| 2002 | Lindsay Tarpley |
| 2003 | Cat Reddick |
| 2004 | Heather O’Reilly |
| 2005 | Lori Chalupny |
| 2006 | Danesha Adams |
| 2007 | Lauren Cheney |
| 2008 | Kristie Mewis |
| 2009 | Tobin Heath |
| 2010 | Bianca Henninger |
| 2011 | Sydney Leroux |
| 2012 | Julie Johnston |
| 2013 | Lindsey Horan |
| 2014 | Morgan Brian |
| 2015 | Mallory Pugh |
| 2016 | Ashley Sanchez |
| 2017 | Sophia Smith |
| 2018 | Tierna Davidson |
| 2019 | Brianna Pinto |
| 2020 | Naomi Girma |
| 2021 | Trinity Rodman |
