Vanessa DiBernardo

Vanessa Sue DiBernardo (born May 15, 1992) is an American soccer player. She plays for Chicago Red Stars and was a member of the United States U-23 women's national soccer team.

Vanessa DiBernardo
DiBernardo with Chicago Red Stars in 2015
Personal information
Full name Vanessa Sue DiBernardo[1]
Date of birth (1992-05-15) May 15, 1992
Place of birth Naperville, Illinois, U.S.
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Chicago Red Stars
Number 10
Youth career
2000–2010 America’s Soccer Club
2007–2010 Waubonsie Valley
2008 Chicago Red Eleven
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Illinois Fighting Illini 73 (43)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 Chicago Red Stars (WPSL)
2012–2013 Chicago Eclipse Select
2014– Chicago Red Stars 86 (7)
2015–2017 → Perth Glory (loan) 22 (12)
National team‡
United States U-17
2011–2012 United States U-20 20 (3)
2013–2015 United States U-23 7 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 23, 2017
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of January 25, 2014

Early life

DiBernardo was raised in Naperville, Illinois where she attended Waubonsie Valley High School and helped lead the soccer team to state championship wins in 2007, 2008, and 2010.[2][3] In 2009, she was named to the ESPN Rise All-American Third Team and earned Beacon News Girls Soccer Player of the Year and Chicago Sun-Times All-Area honors.[2] During her senior year in 2010, she was named Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year,[4] IHSSCA Illinois Player of the Year, and was ranked fifty-first in the country for high school seniors by Top Drawer Soccer.[2]

College career

University of Illinois

As a freshman in 2010, DiBernardo led the Big Ten Conference in goals and points and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.[5] During her sophomore year, she led her team with 17 goals[2] and was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.[6] Despite missing a portion of her junior season due to the 2012 U-20 World Cup, DiBernardo still led the Illini in points, goals, and shots.[2] In October 2012, she was named Player of the Week by the Big Ten Conference, Top Drawer Soccer and College Sports Madness after scoring a hat-trick and helping the team defeat the University of Michigan.[7] Unable to play the full season again due to a knee injury[8] which kept her out for seven games, she tallied seven goals in 15 games and had a career high seven assists.[2] DiBernardo finished her Illini career setting the school's record for most career assists and tying the school's record for most career shots.[2] She was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List for a third time.[9] In 2014, she was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor, which recognizes one male and one female student from the graduating class of each Big Ten member school, for demonstrating joint athletic and academic excellence throughout their college career.[10]

Club career

Chicago Red Eleven

In 2008, DiBernardo played for the Chicago Red Eleven in the W-League.[2]

Chicago Red Stars, 2014–present

DiBernardo was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft by the Chicago Red Stars.[11][12][13] She previously played for Red Stars' head coach Rory Dames with the Red Stars' WPSL team in 2011 and with the Chicago Eclipse Select in 2012–2013.[14] Of her and Julie Johnston's signing, Coach Dames said, "In Julie and Vanessa, we picked up the best holding midfielder and the best attacking midfielder in the draft. They will form the spine of our team down the middle for years to come. With both of them having the experience of winning the U20 World Cup, they are both proven winners at the highest level."[15]

In her rookie season DiBernardo appeared in 23 out of 24 matches and scored 1 goal and provided 3 assists.

In 2015 DiBernardo played in all 21 matches for the Red Stars, she scored 2 goals and provide 5 assists, and was voted by fans as the team Unsung Hero. The Red Stars finished the season in 2nd place and qualified for the play-offs for the first time. Chicago lost to FC Kansas City 3–0 in the semi-final.[16]

DiBernardo once again played in every match for Chicago in 2016. She provided 7 assists in 2016 which led the team and was the second highest in the league. Chicago once again qualified for the play-offs but lost the semi-final in extra time to the Washington Spirit.[16] DiBernardo was named to the 2016 NWSL Second XI.[17]

In 2017 DiBernardo appeared in 21 games and scored 3 goals. Chicago was eliminated in the semi-finals for the third straight season.[16]

DiBernardo suffered a stress fracture in her hip during the 2018 Thorns Spring Invitational which would sideline her for the first two months of the 2018 NWSL season.[18] She returned to the field on June 17 against the Portland Thorns. DiBernardo appeared in 12 games in 2018 and scored 2 goals.

Loan to Perth Glory

DiBernardo joined Perth Glory of the W-League on loan for the 2015–16 season.[19] She returned to Perth for the 2016–17 season and scored 6 goals in 14 games. Perth advanced to the 2017 Grand Final but lost to Melbourne City 2–0.[16]

International career

DiBernardo has represented the United States at the under-20 and under-23 levels.[20] During the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, she helped the U.S. advance to the semi-finals after scoring the game-opening goal against China. The team defeated China 2–1.[21] The team later defeated Germany 1–0 to clinch the championship.[22]

In August 2013, DiBernardo was called up to the senior national team camp ahead of a friendly match against Mexico on September 3 while still in college. She did not end up playing in the match.[23][24]

In December 2019, DiBernardo was called up for a training camp with the senior national team.[25]

Personal life

DiBernado's father Angelo DiBernardo competed at 1984 Summer Olympics and other international matches, as a member of the USA men's national soccer team; they are the only father/daughter relationship among soccer players that represented USA.[20][26] Her father was born in Argentina of Italian descent, so Vanessa would be eligible to play for either country's national team.[27]

Honors

Club

International

See also

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Japan 2012 – List of Players: USA" (PDF). FIFA. September 14, 2012. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 17, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  2. "Vanessa DiBernardo". University of Illinois. Archived from the original on February 10, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  3. Helfgot, Mike (March 29, 2010). "Girls soccer preview: Waubonsie Valley's Vanessa DiBernardo is a big name for high school soccer". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  4. "Waubonsie's Vanessa DiBernardo named Gatorade Illinois Girls Soccer POY". Chicago Tribune. May 13, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  5. "Big Ten Conference Announces Women's Soccer Postseason Honors". Big Ten Conference. November 10, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  6. "DiBernardo Named To MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List". University of Illinois. Archived from the original on February 10, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  7. "Athlete profile, Vanessa DiBernardo". The Columbia Chronicle. October 15, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  8. "Dibernardo Recovering From Injury". WRSP Fox Illinois. October 3, 2013. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  9. "Hermann Trophy: DiBernardo, Roccaro, Miller make watch list". Chicagoland Soccer News. August 20, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  10. Vorva, Jeff (May 8, 2014). "Naperville's DiBernardo receives Big Ten Medal". Naperville Sun.
  11. Hays, Graham (January 17, 2014). "Who scored in NWSL Draft?". espnW. ESPN. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  12. "Chicago Red Stars Select Johnston, DiBernardo, and Brock in 2014 NWSL College Draft". Our Sports Central. January 17, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  13. Lauletta, Dan (January 18, 2014). "Red Stars snag U-20 WC vets Johnston, DiBernardo". The Equalizer. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  14. "College Report: Waubonsie Valley's Vanessa DiBernardo drafted 4th by Chicago Red Stars". The Beacon-News. Aurora, Illinois: Sun-Times Media. January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  15. Braeback, Jeremiah. "Red Stars add Johnston, DiBernardo, Brock in 2014 College Draft". NWSL News. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  16. "V.DiBERNARDO". Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  17. "Christie Rampone named to 2016 NWSL Second XI". October 6, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  18. "Shining again: Naperville natives Vanessa DiBernardo, Casey Short come back from injuries to spark Chicago Red Stars". July 19, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  19. "US International Vanessa DiBernardo goes for Glory". Perth Glory. November 12, 2015.
  20. "Injured Megan Rapinoe Replaced by Vanessa DiBernardo on U.S. WNT Roster That Will Face Mexico on Sept. 3 at RFK Stadium". U.S.Soccer. August 29, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  21. Bell, Jack (August 31, 2012). "U.S. Women Advance to Semifinals at U-20 World Cup". The New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  22. "Naperville's DiBernardo helps U.S. win World Cup". Daily Herald. Associated Press. September 8, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  23. "Injured Megan Rapinoe Replaced by Vanessa DiBernardo on U.S. WNT Roster That Will Face Mexico on Sept. 3 at RFK Stadium". U.S. Soccer. August 29, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  24. Grainey, Tim (September 10, 2013). "Vanessa DiBernardo sets sights on NWSL, USWNT". The Equalizer. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  25. "ANDONOVSKI NAMES 24-PLAYER ROSTER FOR U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM DECEMBER IDENTIFICATION TRAINING CAMP IN FLORIDA". US Soccer. November 17, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  26. "DiBernardo Follows in Fathers Footsteps". U.S. Soccer. August 6, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  27. "Vanessa DiBernardo sets sights on NWSL, USWNT". The Equalizer. September 10, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
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