Rose Lavelle
Rosemary Kathleen Lavelle is an American professional soccer player for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League, the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. She started six games for the United States at the 2019 France World Cup, scored three goals, and was awarded the Bronze Ball at the FIFA Women's World Cup awards. The same year, she was named the sixth best player in the world at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019 and was one of three midfielders named to the 2019 FIFA FIFPro World XI.
Lavelle represented the United States at multiple youth levels before making her senior international debut in 2017. After finishing her collegiate career with the Wisconsin Badgers in 2016, Lavelle began her professional career with Boston Breakers before moving to Washington Spirit a year later.
Early life
Lavelle was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to parents Marty and Janet, and was raised with three siblings, John, Nora and Mary. She played competitive soccer in her hometown of Cincinnati, initially with the Lakota United Soccer Club and later with the Cincinnati United Premier Soccer Club. As part of a third-grade book report, Lavelle chose to write about professional soccer star Mia Hamm. While attending Mount Notre Dame High School in Ohio, she played on the girl's varsity soccer team all four years. She played as a Badger at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and was added to the roster for the United States Women's National Soccer Team in 2015.A four-year varsity girl's soccer player at Mount Notre Dame High School, Lavelle was named Cincinnati's Player of the Year by The Cincinnati Enquirer her senior year. The same year, she scored 15 goals for her team. Lavelle finished her high school career as the team's leading scorer with 57 goals. She was twice-named NSCAA All-Region as a junior and senior and received first-team all-state honors. She was awarded the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Sports Women of the Year award in 2013.
Lavelle played club soccer for Cincinnati United Premier team starting on the U-14 premier league for five years until attending college.
Wisconsin Badgers, 2013–2016
Accepted to the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2013, Lavelle was a starting player in her first 19 matches in the Big Ten Conference. She was named Freshman of the Year, led the team with 73 shots, and her six goals ranked second on the team. As a junior, she was named first-team All-American by NSCAA. The last time a Wisconsin Badger achieved this was in 1991.Club career
Summer Leagues, 2014–2016
Lavelle played with the Dayton Dutch Lions in the USL W-League during the 2014 season.During her college break in the summer of 2015, Lavelle played for the Seattle Sounders Women of the W-League, where she was named all-league.
After the W-League folded she returned to the Lions for the 2016 Women's Premier Soccer League season.
Boston Breakers, 2017
On January 12, 2017, Lavelle was selected as the number one overall draft pick at the 2017 NWSL College Draft by the Boston Breakers. Lavelle started her professional career well, scoring two goals in eight games and was named Player of the Month for April. However, after suffering a hamstring injury in June while on international duty, Lavelle would miss over two months and finished the season with only ten appearances with the team. The Breakers then folded before the start of the 2018 season.Washington Spirit, 2018–present
A dispersal draft was held by the NWSL to distribute Breakers players across the league. Lavelle was the first overall pick by Washington Spirit, who acquired the first pick through a trade with Sky Blue FC. Due to injury and international duty Lavelle only appeared in eleven games for the Spirit in 2018. The following year, she made six appearances for the Spirit, scoring one goal and recording one assist. Lavelle was selected for the 2019 NWSL Best XI roster.Club summary
International career
Lavelle represented the United States at multiple youth levels. On November 24, 2015, Lavelle was called to train with the United States women's national soccer team. One of eight players who joined the team's Victory Tour following the 2015 Women's World Cup, she earned her first senior international cap on March 4, 2017, during a match against England at the 2017 SheBelieves Cup. She was named Player of the Match following the team's 1–0 loss.2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, France
In September 2018, Lavelle was named to the national team roster for the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship, the qualifying tournament for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. She appeared in all five games for the U.S. and scored three goals. Her final goal of the tournament was scored in the second minute of the championship game against Canada, helping the U.S to a 2–0 victory, and their second straight CONCACAF Championship.Lavelle started six games for the U.S. at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, scored three goals, and was awarded the Bronze Ball at the FIFA Women's World Cup awards as the third best player in the tournament. During the team's first group stage match against Thailand, Lavelle scored a brace helping the U.S. win 13–0. During the U.S. knockout round match against Spain, she drew a penalty kick that was converted by Megan Rapinoe to seal the team's 2–1 win and advance to the quarterfinals. Lavelle scored the U.S.' second goal in the final against the Netherlands helping the team win 2–0.
Lavelle was named one of the world's top 11 players by The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019, and was chosen as one of the world's top three midfielders by her professional peers in the 2019 FIFA FIFPro World XI.
Player statistics
World Cup appearances
International goals
Goal | Date | Location | Opponent | Cap | Lineup | Min | Assist/pass | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 2017-04-09 | Houston, Texas | 4 | Start | 37' | Mallory Pugh | Friendly | |||
| 2 | 2017-06-08 | Gothenburg, Sweden | 5 | Start | 56' | Crystal Dunn | Friendly | |||
| 3 | 2018-08-02 | Chicago, Illinois | 11 | Start | 33' | Lindsey Horan | Tournament of Nations | |||
| 4 | 2018-10-10 | Cary, North Carolina | 16 | Start | 41' | Tobin Heath | CONCACAF Championship: Group A | |||
| 5 | 2018-10-10 | Cary, North Carolina | 16 | Start | 43' | unassisted | CONCACAF Championship: Group A | |||
| 6 | 2018-10-17 | Frisco, Texas | 18 | Start | 2' | unassisted | CONCACAF Championship: Final | |||
| 7 | 2019-05-16 | St. Louis, Missouri | 26 | Start | 40' | Lindsey Horan | Friendly | |||
| 8 | 2019-06-11 | Reims, France | 27 | Start | 20' | Alex Morgan | World Cup: Group F | |||
| 9 | 2019-06-11 | Reims, France | 27 | Start | 56' | Sam Mewis | World Cup: Group F | |||
| 10 | 2019-07-07 | Lyon, France | 33 | Start | 69' | Sam Mewis | World Cup: Final | |||
| 11 | 2020-01-31 | Houston, Texas | 40 | Start | 21' | Lynn Williams | Olympic qualifier: Group A | |||
| 12 | 2020-02-07 | Carson, California | 41 | Start | 5' | Megan Rapinoe | Olympic qualifier: Semifinal |
Honors
United States- Tournament of Nations: 2018
- CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2018
- FIFA Women's World Cup: 2019
- CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2020
- SheBelieves Cup: 2020
- FIFA Women's World Cup Bronze Ball: 2019
- IFFHS Women's World Team: 2019
- Hermann Trophy semi-finalist
- Big Ten Midfielder of the Year
- Big Ten Freshman of the Year
- U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year Finalist
- 2014 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship Golden Ball
- First Team All-Big Ten
- 2016 NCAA Senior Class Award Finalist
- All-Big Ten Freshman Team
- Big Ten Freshman of the Week
- Soccer America Preseason All-America Team
- NSCAA First Team All-American
- NSCAA Second Team All-American
- NSCAA All-Great Lakes First Team
- NSCAA All-Great Lakes Third Team
- National Women's Soccer League Player of the Month
- National Women's Soccer League Best XI
Personal life and endorsements