Cat Whitehill

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Cat Whitehill bigraphy, stories - American association footballer

Cat Whitehill : biography

10 February 1982 –

Catherine Reddick Whitehill (born February 10, 1982), née Catherine Anne Reddick, is an American professional soccer defender currently playing with the Boston Breakers in the NWSL. She previously played for the Washington Freedom and the Atlanta Beat in the WPS as well as the United States women’s national soccer team from 2000 to 2010. On November 28, 2012, while serving as a television commentator for a match between USA and Republic of Ireland, Cat Whitehill expressed an interest in working her way back into the national team.

Broadcasting career

Whitehill was paired with Beth Mowins as a color commentator on ESPN’s tertiary broadcast team for the telecasts of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She has also worked the sidelines for Fox Soccer Channel and for 2012 men’s and women’s NCAA College Cup matches on ESPNU.

Advocacy

Whitehill is an advocate for the rights of women to participate in sports. On February 1, 2006, she testified at a committee hearing of the United States Senate in support of Title IX, the civil rights law that, among other things, provides women and girls the same opportunities to participate in school sports that boys and men are offered. In her testimony, she described having to play on boys’ soccer teams as a young girl in Alabama because there were no opportunities for girls to play organized soccer there at the time.

Personal life

Whitehill married Dr. Robert Whitehill, M.D., a pediatric junior resident at Children’s Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center, New Year’s Eve 2005. They live in the Back Bay, Massachusetts.

Early life

Whitehill was born in Richmond, Virginia, but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama attending Briarwood Christian School. While there, she had 211 goals for her career, but was the only player to make the top 10 in the single-season category twice (78 in 1999 and 72 in 1999).

University of North Carolina

Whitehill attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a university which has produced several top American players, including Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Eddie Pope. In 2003, she was awarded the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy.

Playing career

Club

Whitehill played for the Washington Freedom and the Atlanta Beat (WPS) in the WPS. After the folding of the WPS in early 2012, she signed with the Boston Breakers in the WPSL.

International

Whitehill debuted for the United States women’s national soccer team on July 6, 2000, against Italy, and had since become a regular for her national side.

On June 10, 2008, Whitehill injured her knee during training for the Peace Queen Cup, and consequently missing the Beijing 2008 Olympics, along with Abby Wambach and Leslie Osborne who had the same injury in 2008. Whitehill played her first match for the national team after recovery, on July 19, 2009 in a friendly against Canada; a match in which Abby Wambach scored her one hundredth career international goal. She last played for the USWNT on March 31, 2010 at Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah against Mexico in first ever snow game for USWNT.

International goals

Cat Whitehill scored 11 goals in 134 matches for the United States women’s national soccer team. Whitehill is unusual in having scored more than a few goals while playing in a defender position. On July 15, 2006 at Blaine, Minnesota, she scored a goal from a 70 yard free kick against Sweden, which is the longest shot to have scored a goal for the USWNT.

Goal Date # Location Opponent Lineup Min Assist/pass Score Result Competition
1 url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Articles/2001/03/Goals-From-Marquand-Schott-And-Reddick-Not-Enough-As-Young-U-S-Women-Fall-4-3-To-Norway-In-Algarve-C.aspx|title=Goals from Marquand, Schott and Reddick Not Enough as Young U.S. Women Fall, 4-3, to Norway in Algarve Cup |publisher=U.S.Soccer}} 1.1 POR}}Quarteira NOR}} 90.}}Start 56 unassisted 3|1 5250.03005}} 3|4 4950.03005}} Algarve Cup
2 2003-09-28 2.1 Columbus OH Start 48 Foudy 2|0 5250.02005}} FIFA Women’s World Cup
3 2.2 66 MacMillan 3|0 5350.03005}}
4 url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2004/03/U-S-Advances-To-Algarve-Final-Despite-3-1-Loss-To-Sweden.aspx|title=U.S. Advances to Algarve Final Despite 3-1 Loss to Sweden |publisher=U.S.Soccer}} 1.1 POR}}Lagos, Portugal SWE}} 90.}}Start 85 Chastain 1|3 4850.01005}} 1|3 4850.01005}} Algarve Cup
5 url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2004/10/Lilly-Scores-100Th-Career-Goal-As-U-S-Downs-New-Zealand-5-0.aspx|title=Lilly Scores 100th Career Goal as U.S. Downs New Zealand 5-0 |publisher=U.S.Soccer}} 1.1 USA}}Portland OR NZL}} 90.}}Start 81 Chastain 5|0 5550.05005}} 5|0 5550.05005}} Friendly
6 url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2004/10/Parlow-Hat-Trick-Paces-U-S-Women-To-5-1-Win-Over-Ireland.aspx|title=Parlow Hat Trick Paces U.S. Women to 5-1 Win Over Ireland|publisher=U.S.Soccer}} 1.1 USA}}Chicago IRL}} 90.}}Start 56 Hamm 4|0 5450.04005}} 5|1 5450.05005}} Friendly
7 url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2006/07/Lillys-Late-Goal-Gives-U-S-WNT-Hard-Fought-3-2-Victory-Vs-Sweden.aspx|title=Lilly’s Late Goal Gives U.S. WNT Hard Fought 3-2 Victory vs. Sweden|publisher=U.S.Soccer}} 1.1 USA}}Blaine MN SWE}} 90.}}Start 89 unassisted 2|1 5150.02005}} 3|2 5150.03005}} Friendly
8 2006-07-23 2.1 San Diego CA Start 39 Frimpong 2|0 5250.02005}} Friendly
9 2.2 89 unassisted 4|0 5450.04005}}
10 url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2006/08/Krisitine-Lilly-And-Cat-Whitehill-Lead-U-S-Women-Past-China-4-1-In-Bridgeview-Ill.aspx|title=Krisitine Lilly and Cat Whitehill Lead U.S. Women Past China, 4-1, in Bridgeview, Illinois|publisher=U.S.Soccer}} 1.1 USA}}Chicago CHN}} 90.}}Start 30 unassisted 1|1 5050.01005}} 4|1 5350.04005}} Friendly
11 url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2006/11/U-S-WNT-Defeats-The-Netherlands-2-0-To-Advance-To-2006-Peace-Queen-Cup-Championship.aspx|title=U.S. WNT Defeats the Netherlands, 2-0, To Advance to 2006 Peace Queen Cup Championship|publisher=U.S.Soccer}} 1.1 KOR}}Suwon NED}} 90.}}Start 47+ unassisted 2|0 5250.02005}} 2|0 5250.02005}} Peace Queen Cup
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