Rachel Rasmussen

{{Short description|New Zealand and Samoan netball player}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2015}}

{{Infobox netball biography

|name = Rachel Rasmussen

|image =

|caption =

|updated = 4 April 2020

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|6|5|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

|death_date =

|death_place =

|height = {{height|m=1.83|precision=0}}

|school = Avondale College

|relatives = Grace Rasmussen (sister)

|positions = GK, GD

|clubyears1 = 2000–07

|clubteam1 = Auckland Diamonds

|clubyears2 = 2008–09

|clubteam2 = Northern Mystics

|clubapps2 = 26

|clubyears3 = 2010

|clubteam3 = Central Pulse ({{tooltip|TRP|Temporary replacement player}})

|clubyears4 = 2011

|clubteam4 = Northern Mystics

|nationalyears1 = 2003, 2019

|nationalteam1 = Samoa

|nationalyears2 = 2010

|nationalteam2 = New Zealand

|medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{NZL}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|World Netball Series}}

{{MedalGold|2010 Liverpool|Fastnet}}

}}

Rachel Rasmussen (born 5 June 1984 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a New Zealand netball player of Samoan descent who plays in the position of goal defense and goal keeper.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nwc2019.co.uk/people/rachel-rasmussen/|title=Rachel Rasmussen|last=|first=|date=|website=Netball World Cup|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-04}}{{cite web|author=Ash, Julie|title=Netball: A little knowledge may be dangerous for Samoa |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=3513496|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=19 July 2003|accessdate=22 January 2019}} She has represented both New Zealand and Samoa at the international level.{{Cite web|url=https://netball.draftcentral.com.au/player/rachel-rasmussen/|title=Rachel Rasmussen|website=Netball Draft Central|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-04}} Rasmussen was signed with the Auckland Diamonds in the Coca-Cola Cup (later the National Bank Cup) in 2000,{{cite news|author=Rutherford, Jenni|title=Avondale now among the basketballing elite|work=The New Zealand Herald|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/college-sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=153&objectid=154772|date=10 October 2000|accessdate=22 January 2019}} continuing with the side until the competition's end in 2007. With the start of the ANZ Championship in 2008, she remained in Auckland with the new Northern Mystics side, alongside her sister Grace. She played two years with the Mystics, but was not signed on for 2010. However, she received a callup to the Wellington-based Central Pulse as a temporary replacement player for injured defender Katrina Grant.{{cite news|author=Worthington, Sam|title=Pulse line up against former team-mates|work=The Dominion Post|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/netball/3672065/Pulse-line-up-against-former-team-mates|date=8 May 2010|accessdate=22 January 2019}}

In international netball, Rasmussen played with New Zealand U21 at the World Youth Netball Championships, winning silver in 2000 and gold in 2005.{{cite news|title=Young NZ side wary of English|work=The New Zealand Herald|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=145631|date=25 July 2000|accessdate=22 January 2019}}{{cite news|author=Ash, Julie|title=Kelston first five saves the day|work=The New Zealand Herald|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/college-sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=153&objectid=1|date=16 August 2005|accessdate=22 January 2019}} She has also represented Samoa at international level, playing in the 2003 Netball World Championships.{{cite news|author=Ash, Julie|title=A little knowledge may be dangerous for Samoa|work=The New Zealand Herald|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=3513496|date=19 July 2009|accessdate=22 January 2019}} She was again selected to represent New Zealand at the 2010 World Netball Series with younger sister Grace.{{cite news|author=Johannsen, Dana|title=Wider Silver Ferns squad join defence of Fastnet title|work=The New Zealand Herald|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/netball/news/article.cfm?c_id=69&objectid=10681715|date=19 October 2010|accessdate=22 January 2019}}

She has signed on with the Southern Steel for the 2013 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/7918889/Southern-Steel-snap-up-Rachel-Rasmussen|title=Southern Steel snap up Rachel Rasmussen|author=Egan, Brendon|website=Stuff.co.nz|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=7 November 2012|accessdate=22 January 2019}}

She again represented Samoa at the 2019 Netball World Cup after 16 years.{{Cite web|url=https://netball.draftcentral.com.au/team/samoa/|title=Samoa|website=Netball Draft Central|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-04}}