Hannah Anderson (soccer)

Last updated

Hannah Anderson
NC Courage vs Chicago Red Stars (Jun 2024) 065.jpg
Anderson with the Chicago Red Stars in 2024
Personal information
Full name Hannah Leigh Anderson [1]
Date of birth (2001-04-03) April 3, 2001 (age 24)
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position Center back
Team information
Current team
 Orlando Pride
Number 41
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2023 Texas Tech Red Raiders 96 (14)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2024–2025 Chicago Stars 27 (0)
2026– Orlando Pride 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:06, November 3, 2025 (UTC)

Hannah Leigh Anderson (born April 3, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, earning first-team All-American honors in 2023. She was selected by Chicago Stars FC in the third round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.

Contents

Early life

Anderson grew up in Plano, Texas, the middle of three children born to Russell Anderson and Suzy McAnally. Her father played kicker for the SMU football team, and her mother played for SMU basketball. Anderson lettered in her two years of high school soccer at Liberty High School in Frisco before playing only club soccer with FC Dallas's academy team. [2]

College career

Anderson started all 96 games for the Texas Tech Red Raiders for five years, scoring 14 goals from the backline. [3] In 2019, she led the team's freshman class with four goals and was selected to the Big 12 Conference all-freshman team. She scored three goals as a junior in 2021 and two as a senior in 2022, being named first-team All-Big 12 in 2022. [2]

Anderson returned as a graduate student in 2023, using a fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She captained the Red Raiders to the Big 12 regular-season title for the first time in program history and earned their first NCAA tournament berth since 2019. [4] She scored a career-high five goals, including three game winners, with one at the last second against Texas. [2] [5] The team advanced to the NCAA tournament third round before losing to North Carolina. [6] Anderson was named the Big 12 Defender of the Year, first-team All-Big 12, and first-team All-American, and was one of five finalists for the Honda Sports Award. [3]

Club career

Chicago Stars

Anderson was drafted by the Chicago Red Stars (later renamed Chicago Stars FC) with the 31st overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NWSL Draft. [3] She was signed to a one-year contract with the option to extend another year. [7] She made her professional debut on May 25, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Maximiliane Rall in a 1–0 loss to Racing Louisville FC. [8] On June 8, she made her first professional start in a 2–1 loss to Bay FC at historic Wrigley Field that drew over 35,000 fans, an NWSL record at the time. [9] On August 28, she signed a three-year extension with the Stars to keep her under contract through 2027. [10] She finished her rookie season as a fixture for Chicago, playing in 16 games with 15 starts, as the club placed eight in the league. [11] In the playoffs, she started as the Red Stars lost 4–1 to the eventual double-winners Orlando Pride. [11]

Anderson began her second season starting in a season-opening 6–0 loss to the Orlando Pride, the worst loss in Chicago Stars history. [12] She played in only 11 games, starting 4, in the regular season in 2025, as the Stars finished last in the standings. [13]

Orlando Pride

On January 8, 2026, Anderson was traded to the Orlando Pride in exchange for US$70,000 in intraleague transfer funds, signing a new two-year contract through 2027. [14]

References

  1. ↑ "Texas Tech University Fall 2023" (PDF). Texas Tech University. p. 25. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Hannah Anderson – Women's Soccer". Texas Tech Red Raiders . Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "Three Red Raiders selected in NWSL Draft". Texas Tech Red Raiders. January 13, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  4. ↑ Giese, Nathan (November 10, 2023). "Evolution of Hannah Anderson helps Texas Tech soccer return to NCAA Tournament". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . Archived from the original on November 10, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Texas Tech walks off on epic free-kick goal". ESPN . Retrieved July 22, 2024.
    "Women's Team of the Week: September 26". TopDrawerSoccer . September 26, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  6. ↑ Giese, Nathan (January 19, 2023). "'Let them lead': Texas Tech soccer seniors leave mark on coach Tom Stone, program". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . Archived from the original on July 22, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Chicago Red Stars Sign Third-Round Draft Pick Hannah Anderson". Chicago Red Stars. March 12, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  8. ↑ Chatz, Joe (June 6, 2024). "Chicago Red Stars Notebook: Wrigley Week, Hannah Anderson on NWSL Debut, More". On Tap Sports Net. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Chicago Red Stars Break NWSL Attendance Record, Fall to Bay FC, 0–2". Chicago Red Stars. June 8, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Chicago Red Stars Sign Rookie Defender Hannah Anderson to Three-Year Extension". Chicago Red Stars. August 28, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  11. 1 2 "Hannah Anderson 2024 Match Logs". FBref.com . Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  12. ↑ Lloyd-Hughes, Theo (March 15, 2025). "Chicago Stars suffer worst loss in franchise history, falling 6-0 to reigning champion Orlando Pride in opener". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Hannah Anderson 2025 Match Logs". FBref.com . Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Orlando Pride acquires defender Hannah Anderson in trade with Chicago Stars FC". Orlando Pride. January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
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