Rodman was born in Newport Beach, California, to Michelle Moyer and former professional basketball player Dennis Rodman.[5] She and her brother, DJ Rodman, were raised primarily by their mother in southern California.[6][7][8][9] Rodman has said she went through long stretches without speaking to her father, and she briefly lived with her mother in their car.[10] She also has a half-sister.[11]
Rodman began playing soccer at age four and said it "felt like home" to her as young as seven or eight.[12] She was encouraged by her mother and sister to pursue her dream of becoming a professional soccer player.[13]
Rodman initially committed to play collegiate soccer for the UCLA Bruins before deciding to follow her older brother to the Washington State Cougars beginning in the 2020 season.[17] However, she never played a match in college as her freshman season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and she decided to turn professional.[8]
Club career
At age 18, Rodman became the youngest player to be drafted in NWSL history when the Washington Spirit selected her as their first draft pick (second overall) at the 2021 NWSL College Draft.[18][7][8] Prior to being drafted by the Spirit, Rodman had never been to Washington, D.C.[19]
On April 10, 2021, Rodman made her professional debut during a 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup match, scoring a goal within five minutes of being subbed on.[20][21][22] She competed in all four of the Spirit's matches during the Challenge Cup. She assisted on the winning goal scored by Ashley Sanchez in the team's 1–0 win over Racing Louisville FC on April 15. The Spirit finished in fourth place in the East Division with a 1–2–1 record.[23]
During the 2021 NWSL season, Rodman was the Spirit's second-highest scorer with seven goals.[24] The team finished in third place during the regular season with a 11–7–6 record and advanced to the playoffs.[25] After the Spirit defeated North Carolina Courage 1–0,[26] Rodman scored in the Spirit's 2–1 win against OL Reign to advance to the final, where they faced Chicago Red Stars.[27] Rodman helped lift the Spirit to their first league championship with an assist on the winning goal scored by Kelley O'Hara. At age 19, Rodman became the youngest player in league history to record an assist in the playoffs.[28]
Rodman with the Spirit in 2023
On November 17, 2021, Rodman was named NWSL Rookie of the Year and to the NWSL Best XI.[29][30] She earned U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year honors the following month.[31] On February 2, 2022, Rodman signed a contract extension with the Washington Spirit running until after the 2024 season, with an option for 2025.[32] It was reported that the new contract was worth $1.1 million, making Rodman the highest paid player in NWSL history.[33][34]
In January 2022, Rodman was named to the senior national team's camp for the first time ahead of the 2022 SheBelieves Cup.[44] She made her national team debut on February 17, 2022, in a 0–0 draw with Czech Republic at the tournament,[45] and scored her first goal on April 12, 2022, in a friendly against Uzbekistan, in her third national team appearance.[46] In June 2022, Rodman was named to the U.S. roster for the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship team.[47]
In June 2023, Rodman was named to the U.S. squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.[48] During a World Cup send-off international friendly against Wales on July 9, she scored a brace leading the U.S. to a 2–0 win after subbing in for Alex Morgan during the 46th minute.[49] Named Woman of the Match, Rodman is the youngest player to score a brace in team history.[49][50] Head coach Vlatko Andonovski described her second goal as "world class".[51]
Rodman with the U.S. national team and now Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, July 2023
Rodman made her World Cup debut during the team's first group stage match against Vietnam: a 3–0 win.[52]
On June 26, 2024, Rodman was one of the 18 players named by Emma Hayes to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[53] After scoring two goals in the group stage, she scored in extra time in the first knockout game against Japan on August 3 to advance to the semifinals.[54] She started in the gold medal game against Brazil, which the United States won 1–0 on a goal from Mallory Swanson.[55]
In December 2024 she was voted by The Guardian at the 5th place among the top 100 women footballers in the world.[56]
Personal life
As of July 2023, Rodman was in a relationship with Chris Kuzemka.[57]
In December 2024, Rodman appeared on the Call Her Daddy podcast and spoke about her relationship with her father, Dennis, saying, "He’s not a dad. Maybe by blood, but nothing else." She described him as a controlling parent and said as a child, she gave up on living with him because of his party lifestyle. As an adult, Rodman said she "lost hope in ever getting him back" after he attended one of her Washington Spirit matches in 2021 unannounced and then did not speak to her again until 2023.[10]
Other work
Rodman has endorsement deals with Red Bull,[59]Oakley,[60] and Adidas.[61] She is the author of a children's book, entitled Wake Up and Kick It.[62] In June 2022, Rodman was featured in ESPN SportsCenter's "Trinity Rodman" as part of ESPN's Fifty/50 month-long programming in honor of the 50th anniversary of Title IX in the United States.[63][64] She has starred in television commercials for Verizon,[65]Rexona,[66] and Fox Soccer.[67]
Alexandra Morgan Carrasco is an American former professional soccer player who last played as a striker for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which she was the captain of, and the United States national team. She co-captained the United States with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020 and with Lindsay Horan in 2023.
Kelley Maureen O'Hara is an American former professional soccer player. She represented the United States national team on 160 occasions, winning two FIFA Women's World Cups and an Olympic gold medal. She spent most of her club career with National Women's Soccer League club NJ/NY Gotham FC. Known for her intensity, she played primarily as a wingback but played as a forward in college and occasionally played an attacking role in her professional career.
Lindsey Michelle Horan is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Première Ligue club Lyon and captains the United States national team.
Crystal Alyssia Soubrier is an American professional soccer player for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Gotham FC and the United States national team. She can play a variety of positions at forward, midfield, or defense.
Samantha June Mewis is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. Mewis is the editor-in-chief and podcast host of The Women's Game from Men in Blazers.
Lynn Raenie Williams is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. The NWSL's all-time leading scorer, she was drafted out of Pepperdine University by the Western New York Flash in 2015.
Emily Ann Sonnett is an American professional soccer player who plays for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club NJ/NY Gotham FC and the United States national team. She can play the positions of center back, full back, or defensive midfielder.
Rosemary Kathleen Lavelle is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Mallory Pugh Swanson is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team (USWNT).
Andi Maureen Sullivan is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Ashley Marie Hatch is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Ashley Nicole Sanchez is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Sophia Olivia Smith is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Tierna Lillis Davidson is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She was drafted first overall by the Chicago Red Stars in the 2019 NWSL College Draft after playing three years at Stanford.
Olivia Lynn Moultrie is an American professional soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She is the youngest American women's soccer player to turn professional, at age 13 in 2019. In 2021, she filed a lawsuit against the NWSL that successfully removed the league's age limit and debuted for the Thorns that year at age 15. She was called up to the United States national team in 2023.
Naomi Haile Girma is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
Samantha Grace Coffey is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and for the United States national team. She was drafted by the Thorns in 2021 after playing college soccer at Boston College and Penn State.
Mia Renee Fishel is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Women's Super League club Chelsea and United States national team.
Alyssa Paola Thompson is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States women's national team. She was named the national Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021. She was selected first overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft by Angel City while in high school.
Jaedyn Reese Shaw is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
