Michele Weissenhofer
{{short description|American professional soccer player (born 1987)}}
{{Expand German|topic=bio|Michele Weissenhofer|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Michele Weissenhofer
| image = Michele Weissenhofer flip throw at 2006 NCAAW Tournament final.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Weissenhofer attempting a flip throw-in
| fullname = Michele Lynn Weissenhofer{{cite web |url=https://und.com/roster/michele-weissenhofer/ |title=Michele Weissenhofer |work=University of Notre Dame |date=9 July 2018 |access-date=November 18, 2021}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|8|18}}
| birth_place = Naperville, Illinois
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=4}}
| position = Striker
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| collegeyears1 = 2006–2009
| college1 = Notre Dame Fighting Irish
| collegecaps1 =
| collegegoals1 =
| years1 = 2010
| clubs1 = Chicago Red Stars
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2010–2011
| clubs2 = SGS Essen
| caps2 = 20
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2011–2012
| clubs3 = Chicago Red Stars
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 2014
| clubs4 = Chicago Red Stars
| caps4 = 1
| goals4 = 0
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| medaltemplates =
| club-update =
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Michele Weissenhofer Fumagalli (born August 18, 1987) is a retired American professional soccer player who last played as a striker for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).{{Cite web|date=2013-04-26|title=2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft Selections – National Women's Soccer League|url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/Players/Supplemental-Draft/index_E.html|access-date=2021-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426000510/http://www.nwslsoccer.com/Players/Supplemental-Draft/index_E.html|archive-date=2013-04-26}}{{Cite news|date=2008-11-28|title=Michele Weissenhofer|pages=2–11|work=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75664050/michele-weissenhofer/|access-date=2021-04-13}} She is currently the performance dietitian for Chicago Fire FC in the MLS.{{cite web|title= Chicago Fire dietitian shares health tips for New Year's resolutions|date=January 2023 |url=https://abc7chicago.com/new-year-resolution-2023-chicago-fire-healthy-food/12636887/|accessdate=February 15, 2023}}
Early life
Weissenhofer was born and raised in Naperville, Illinois. She graduated from Neuqua Valley High School, where in addition to soccer she also played varsity basketball. As a child she participated in gymnastics, which helped her in developing the flip throw-in that became a signature of her soccer career.
Her father played college football and her mother played college softball and was a cheerleader, both at North Central College. Her uncle was a linebacker for the University of Notre Dame.
Playing career
=High School=
Choosing to focus on her club career with Eclipse Select Soccer Club, Weissenhofer only played three years of high school soccer at Neuqua Valley High School. In 2005 she won a state title alongside her future college teammates, Brittany Bock and Amanda Clark.{{cite web|title= Amanda Clark Bio|date=9 July 2018 |url=https://und.com/sports/wsoc/roster/season/2008-09/player/amanda-clark/|publisher= University of Notre Dame|accessdate=February 11, 2023}}
=College=
Weissenhofer attended the University of Notre Dame. She was sidelined for portions of her tenure with the Fighting Irish due to injuries, but still notched 90 games-played with 63 starts. During her tenure, Notre Dame won three Big East Conference titles. The team made four consecutive trips to the NCAA College Cup (Weissenhofer and the rest of her senior class were only the second Notre Dame group to achieve this), including making it to the championship game in 2006 and 2008.{{cite web|title= WEISSENHOFER SELECTED IN 2010 WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER DRAFT|date=15 January 2010 |url=https://und.com/weissenhofer-selected-in-2010-women-s-professional-soccer-draft/|publisher= University of Notre Dame|accessdate=February 11, 2023}}
=WPS=
Weissenhofer was selected by the Chicago Red Stars with the 33rd overall pick in the 2010 WPS Draft.{{cite web|title= North Carolina's Heath Selected First in 2010 WPS Draft|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/326690-north-carolinas-heath-selected-first-in-2010-wps-draft|publisher= Bleacher Report|accessdate=February 13, 2023}} Although she didn't make the first team roster, she was added to the developmental roster.{{cite web|title= Chicago Red Stars 2010 Season Preview|date=6 April 2010 |url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2010/04/06/chicago-red-stars-2010-season-preview/|publisher= The Equalizer |accessdate=February 13, 2023}}
=Frauen-Bundesliga=
In July 2010, Weissenhofer joined SGS Essen to play in the Frauen-Bundesliga. She stayed with the club through March 2011, scoring six goals in twenty-three games.{{cite web|title= Michele Weissenhofer Player Profile |url=https://www.dfb.de/en/data-center/people/michele-weissenhofer/player/|publisher= Deutscher Fußball-Bund |accessdate=February 13, 2023}}
=WPSL=
Weissenhofer rejoined the Chicago Red Stars for their 2011 season{{cite web |title= Red Stars 2011 Roster Page|url=http://www.redstarsgear.com/roster2011.html|archivedate=2011-07-15|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110715170324/http://www.redstarsgear.com/roster2011.html|publisher=Internet Archive from Chicago Red Stars |url-status= usurped|accessdate=February 14, 2023}} after the club had to drop down to the WPSL due to the owners being unable to come up with the funds to play in the 2011 WPS season.{{cite web |title=Letter From Chicago Red Stars Owners |url=http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/news/general/101213-redstars-letter.aspx|archivedate=2011-04-07|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110407113806/http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/news/general/101213-redstars-letter.aspx|publisher=Internet Archive from Women's Pro Soccer |accessdate=February 14, 2023}} She finished the season with nine goals and eight assists. She led the league in assists and finished second for total points.{{cite web |title=2011 WPSL Stats |url=http://www.wpsl.info/stats/|archivedate=2011-12-11|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111211103231/http://www.wpsl.info/stats/|publisher=Internet Archive from WPSL|accessdate=February 14, 2023}} She was named to the All-WPSL First Team.{{cite web |title=Red Stars Sign Three Returnees to Roster |url=http://chicagoredstars.net/2012/04/11/red-stars-sign-three-returnees-to-roster/|archivedate=2012-06-13|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120613205327/http://chicagoredstars.net/2012/04/11/red-stars-sign-three-returnees-to-roster/|publisher=Internet Archive from Chicago Red Stars|accessdate=February 14, 2023}} The Red Stars reached the championship game, but they lost 2–1 to the Orange County Waves in extra time. Weissenhofer had the assist on the Red Stars' goal with a flip throw-in.{{cite web |title=ORANGE COUNTY WAVES 2, CHICAGO RED STARS 1|url=http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=1366|archivedate=2011-12-24 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111224115144/http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=1366|publisher=Internet Archive from WPSL|accessdate=February 14, 2023}}
=WPSL Elite=
In 2012, Weissenhofer played for the Red Stars in the first and only season of the WPSL Elite.{{cite web|title= Red Stars open 2012 with familiar faces|date=18 May 2012 |url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2012/05/18/red-stars-open-2012-with-familiar-faces/|publisher= The Equalizer|accessdate=February 14, 2023}} The Red Stars made it to the championship game, losing on penalties to the WNY Flash.{{cite web |title=WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH WIN INAUGURAL WPSL ELITE CHAMPIONSHIP|url=http://www.wpslelite.com/news/index.php?news_id=1647| archivedate=2012-08-12 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120812035022/http://www.wpslelite.com/news/index.php?news_id=1647|publisher=Internet Archive from WPSL Elite|url-status=usurped|accessdate=February 14, 2023}}
=NWSL=
Weissenhofer was taken by the Portland Thorns in the 2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft,{{cite web|title= Results: Ochs taken first in NWSL Supplemental Draft|date=7 February 2013 |url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2013/02/07/in-progress-nwsl-supplemental-draft-results/|publisher= The Equalizer|accessdate=February 12, 2023}} but she did not make the final roster.
In 2014, with five players missing due to national team call-ups, the Chicago Red Stars called-up Weissenhofer as an amateur player for their game against the WNY Flash on June 18.{{cite web |title=Red Stars Meet WNY Flash Tonight in Rochester |url=http://chicagoredstars.com/red-stars-meet-wny-flash-tonight-in-rochester/|archivedate=2016-03-04|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070852/http://chicagoredstars.com/red-stars-meet-wny-flash-tonight-in-rochester/|publisher=Internet Archive from Chicago Red Stars |accessdate=February 12, 2023}} She entered the game in the 76th minute and recorded one shot on goal in a 2–0 loss for the Red Stars.{{cite web |title=FLASH SHUT OUT RED STARS, 2–0|url=http://www.nwslsoccer.com/News/818379.html|archivedate=2014-07-02|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140702075134/http://www.nwslsoccer.com/News/818379.html|publisher=Internet Archive from National Women's Soccer League |accessdate=February 12, 2023}}
Post-playing
Using her marketing degree from Notre Dame, Weissenhofer worked for Gatorade. In 2016, she earned a degree in dietetics from Benedictine University. She previously worked for Northwestern Medicine as an outpatient oncology dietitian.{{cite web|title=Former Notre Dame soccer standout Michele Fumagalli, mom of a toddler, beats long odds to reach CrossFit Games|date=17 July 2018 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/sports/ct-abn-spt-crossfit-games-michele-fumagalli-st-0718-story.html|publisher= Chicago Tribune|accessdate=February 12, 2023}} She currently works for the Chicago Fire as the Performance Dietician.{{cite web |title=Chicago Fire FC Announces Performance and Medical Staff for 2022 Season|date=25 February 2022 |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/chicago-fire-fc-announces-performance-and-medical-staff-for-2022-season/n-5795038|publisher= Our Sports Central |accessdate=February 15, 2023}}
Personal life
In 2014, Michele married John Fumagalli.{{cite web|title=Michele and John|url=https://registry.theknot.com/michele-weissenhofer-john-fumagalli-june-2014-il/5520977|publisher= the knot|accessdate=February 12, 2023}} She has two children, a daughter and a son.{{cite web|title=James's Birth Story|date=15 December 2020 |url=https://www.fitplatenutrition.com/fit-plate-blog/jamesbirthstory|publisher= Fit Plate Nutrition|accessdate=February 12, 2023}}
References
External links
- {{soccerway|michelle-weissenhofer/128318}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weissenhofer, Michele}}
Category:Women's association football forwards
Category:National Women's Soccer League players
Category:Chicago Red Stars players
Category:American women's soccer players
Category:21st-century American sportswomen
Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's soccer players
Category:Women's Premier Soccer League Elite players
Category:American expatriate women's soccer players in Germany