Sofia Huerta

Sofia Christine Huerta (born December 14, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League.

Sofia Huerta
Huerta in 2017
Personal information
Full name Sofia Christine Huerta
Date of birth (1992-12-14) December 14, 1992
Place of birth Boise, Idaho, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 OL Reign
Number 20
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Santa Clara Broncos 81 (47)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Chicago Red Stars 74 (22)
2016–2017 → Adelaide United (loan) 12 (8)
2018–2019 Houston Dash 25 (8)
2018–2020 → Sydney FC (loan) 22 (6)
2020– OL Reign 1 (0)
National team‡
2012 United States U20
2012 Mexico U20 4 (3)
2012–2013 Mexico 4 (2)
2017– United States 7 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of January 16, 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 12, 2018

Huerta played collegiately for the Santa Clara Broncos from 2011 to 2014, before starting her professional career with Chicago Red Stars. She was traded to Houston Dash in 2018.

Having represented Mexico internationally, Huerta filed a one-time switch and debuted with the U.S. women's national soccer team on September 15, 2017. After facing her former national team on April 8, 2018, she became the first female player to play both for and against the U.S. national team and the Mexico women's national football team.

Early life

The daughter of Mauricio Huerta, an electrical engineer, and Jody Jensen Huerta, Huerta attended Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho. She played soccer, basketball, and ran track. She was named Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year twice in soccer, playing for FC NOVA, All-Idaho First Team Basketball selection (2011), and set high-school records for fastest time running the 100 and 300-meter hurdle races (2011). She was also named to several All-Academic teams (2007–2011).[1]

Santa Clara Broncos, 2011–2014

Huerta was a four-year starter as a forward for Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. As a freshman, she was All-West Coast Conference, scoring eight goals and two assists. As a sophomore, she was again All-West Coast Conference and NCAA Division 1 Women All-West Region Second Team. She scored six goals and six assists. As a junior in 2013, she was again First Team All-WCC, scoring 16 goals and with 8 assists, leading her team in goals scored and tying for the lead in assists. She was a third-team All-American selection.[2] In her senior year in 2014 she scored 17 goals with 3 assists and was again a third-team All-American selection and co-player of the year in the West Coast Conference.[1]

Club career

Chicago Red Stars, 2015–2018

Huerta was drafted to play for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League in the college draft on January 16, 2015. She was the eleventh player selected overall.[3] On May 9, 2015, with teammate and United States international forward Christen Press away at World Cup training camp, Huerta scored her first 2 professional goals in a 3–0 win against Boston Breakers to place the Red Stars at the top of the NWSL league.[4] She was subsequently named NWSL Player of the Week for week five.[5] In week six of NWSL season Huerta scored 2 goals against the Houston Dash to level the score and tie the match, and was named Player of the Week for week 6.[6] On June 3, 2015, Huerta was voted NWSL Player of the Month for the month of May by the media.[7] On September 9, 2015, the NWSL announced that Huerta was selected as a finalist for the NWSL Rookie of the Year Award for the 2015 season, along with Sam Mewis and the eventual winner, fellow Red Star Danielle Colaprico.[8][9]

Huerta was on the Second XI of the NWSL in 2015 as a forward and in 2017 as a midfielder. On April 24, 2018 she was named player of the week by the NWSL.[10] The NWSL Media Association named Huerta player of the month for April,[11]

On June 16, 2018 it was announced that Huerta would be unavailable for Chicago's match that night against the Portland Thorns due to a pending trade.[12] On June 18, 2018, Huerta and Taylor Comeau were traded to the Houston Dash as part of a three team trade which also included the Utah Royals.[13] Huerta had requested the trade in hopes of getting more playing time as an outside back, which is the position where USWNT coach Jill Ellis had Huerta playing for the United States.[14]

Loan to Adelaide United

In October 2016, Huerta was loaned to Australian W-League club Adelaide United along with her Red Stars teammates Katie Naughton and Danielle Colaprico.[15] Playing in the midfield, Huerta scored 8 goals and had 5 assists in a 12-match season.[16][17] She was named Professional Footballers Australia Player of the Month for the W-League in January 2017.[18] Huerta was awarded Adelaide United's W-League Player of the Year at the club's annual award ceremony.[19] Huerta came in 3rd in the race for the Julie Dolan Medal receiving 17 votes.[20]

Houston Dash, 2018–2019
Sofia Huerta in 2018

After being acquired by the Dash on June 18, she starred in Houston's next game on June 22, where Huerta scored the Dash's only goal in a 3–1 loss to Portland.[21] Huerta played primarily as a midfielder and forward for Houston, even though she wanted to play outside back.[14] She appeared in 12 games and scored 5 goals. Huerta was named to the NWSL Second XI.[22]

Loan to Sydney FC

It was announced on September 28, 2018 that Huerta would be joining Sydney FC in the W-League for the 2018–19 W-League season. She was one of four American players joining the club, alongside former Red Stars teammate Danielle Colaprico, Aubrey Bledsoe of the Washington Spirit and Savannah McCaskill of Sky Blue FC.[23] When Huerta signed with Sydney they agreed to play her at outside back, as she hopes to get called back in to the USWNT.[14]

Huerta played in every minute of every game in the 2018–19 season for Sydney. She scored a goal in Sydney's semi–final match against Brisbane, which Sydney won 2–1. Huerta scored again in the Grand Final, helping Sydney to a 4–2 victory over Perth, winning the 2018–19 W-League Championship.[24]

OL Reign, 2020–present

On February 3, 2020, OL Reign acquired Huerta and Amber Brooks from Houston in exchange for Shea Groom, Megan Oyster, and a conditional draft pick.[25]

International career

Huerta was not selected by the United States team for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan in August 2012; she was elected for the Mexico team. Playing with a broken elbow, she scored three of Mexico's seven goals in its two win and two loss performance.[26] In December 2012, Huerta played for the Mexico women's national football team at the City of São Paulo International Women's Football Tournament, scoring two goals. Huerta was a second-half substitute for Mexico in its September 4, 2013 match with the United States. In December 2014, Huerta announced that she was not going to continue to play with the Mexico national team, but would attempt to become a member of the U.S. national team.[27]

The United States Soccer Federation announced in July 2017 that they were submitting a request to FIFA to change Huerta's affiliation to the United States women's national soccer team.[28] The change was approved on September 14, 2017.[29]

Huerta earned her first cap for the United States versus New Zealand two days later (September 16, 2017), coming on as a substitute in the 51st minute. She also was credited with her first assist for the United States for her pass to Alex Morgan in the 79th minute of her debut game.[30] Huerta thus became the first female player to play both for the United States national team and against the United States national team (as a member of the Mexico national team).[31]

Huerta was on the provisional roster for the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship but was not named to the final 20 player roster.[32] She has not received a call-up to the USWNT since June 2018 after being called in to every camp in the past year, because of this Huerta has sought out club opportunities to play outside back in hopes of getting back on the roster.[14]

Career statistics

As of April 20, 2019

League Club Season League Playoffs Total
Apps AssistsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
NCAA Santa Clara Broncos 2011–12 22 2 8 22 8
2012–13 17 6 6 17 6
2013–14 22 8 16 22 16
2014–15 20 3 17 20 17
total 81 19 47 81 47
NWSL Chicago Red Stars 2015 19 3 6 1 0 20 6
2016 20 2 7 1 0 21 7
2017 24 4 6 1 0 25 6
Houston Dash 2018 23 6 8 — 0 8
2019 2 0 1 0 1
total 88 15 28 3 0 91 28
W-League Adelaide United (loan) 2016–17 12 5 8 — 12 8
Sydney FC (loan) 2018–19 12 3 3 2 1 14 4
total 24 8 11 2 1 26 12
Career total 193 42 88 5 1 193 88

Honors

Club

Sydney FC

International

United States

Individual

References
  1. "Sofia Huerta". Santa Clara University. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  2. "2013 NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division I Women's All-America Team". NSCAA.com. National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  3. "NWSL Announces Results of the 2015 College Draft". NWSLsoccer.com. National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  4. "Breakers fall to Red Stars, 3–0, On the road; Chicago's Sofia Huerta scored two goals in the win". NWSLsoccer.com. National Women's Soccer League.
  5. "Huerta voted player of the Week". NWSLsoccer.com. National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  6. "Red Stars Huerta voted NWSL player of the week; Huerta, 22, recorded her second brace of the 2015 NWSL season on Friday night". NWSLsoccer.com. National Women's Soccer League.
  7. "Red Stars' Sofia Huerta voted NWSL player of the month". NWSLsoccer.com. National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  8. "2015 NWSL awards finalists revealed". NWSLsoccer.com. National Women's Soccer League. September 9, 2015. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  9. "Danielle Colaprico voted rookie of the year". NWSLsoccer.com. National Women's Soccer League. September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  10. "Sofia Huerta", http://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/#player-of-the-week-sofia-huerta, accessed April 24, 2018
  11. "NWSL Names Sofia Huerta Player Of The Month". May 3, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  12. "Chicago Pending Trade Leaves Players Unavailable for Tonight's Match". June 16, 2018.
  13. "Trade alert: Press, Johnson to Utah; Huerta, Comeau to Houston; Elby to Chicago". June 18, 2018.
  14. "'I'm going to get another opportunity' with the USWNT: Sofia Huerta is sticking to the plan". November 15, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  15. "Danielle Colaprico and Sofia Huerta join Adelaide United for Season 9". The Women's Game. October 30, 2016. Archived from the original on October 30, 2016.
  16. S. Huerta at Soccerway. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  17. "W-League Ladder". W-League.com.au. Football Federation Australia. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  18. "Huerta and Nabbout named PFA Players of the Month". Professional Footballers Australia. February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  19. FC, Adelaide United (May 10, 2017). "Congratulations @schuerta, very well deserved! #AUFC #ForeverUnitedpic.twitter.com/Oa1RkTRTY1".
  20. Zelić, Lucy (May 1, 2017). "A very close race in the end for the Julie Dolan medal. Well done to all. #DolanWarrenpic.twitter.com/DESZvR6C8C".
  21. "GOAL: Sofia Huerta scores in her Dash debut". June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  22. "S.HUERTA". Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  23. "@SydneyFC". September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  24. "FIXTURES". Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  25. "SOFIA HUERTA AND AMBER BROOKS ACQUIRED IN TRADE WITH DASH". Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  26. "Huerta shines on the biggest stage". FIFA.com. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  27. "Huerta to spurn Mexico, hope for shot with USWNT". The Equalizer. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  28. "Ellis Names Roster for 2017 Tournament of Nations". www.ussoccer.com.
  29. "FIFA Approves Change of National Association for Sofia Huerta". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  30. "O'Hara Earns 100th Cap as WNT Downs New Zealand 3–1 in Denver Behind First Half Ertz Brace". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  31. U.S. NWT Kicks off Two-Game Set vs Korea Republic in New Orleans", Crescent City Sports, http://crescentcitysports.com/u-s-wnt-kicks-off-two-game-set-vs-korea-republic-in-new-orleans/, accessed October 18, 2017
  32. "Provisional USA roster for World Cup qualifying released". September 10, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  33. "WNT WINS 2018 SHEBELIEVES CUP WITH 1–0 VICTORY VS. ENGLAND". March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
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