Sarah Huffman

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Sarah Huffman

| image = Sarah Huffman with Armed Forces Entertainment in Wiesbaden (6862851).jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Huffman in 2021

| fullname = Sarah Eileen Huffman{{cite web |url=https://www.fotball.no/fotballdata/person/profil/?fiksId=2584601 |title=Sarah Eileen Huffman |work=Norwegian Football Federation |access-date=June 21, 2020 |language=no |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621103416/https://www.fotball.no/fotballdata/person/profil/?fiksId=2584601 |archive-date=June 21, 2020}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|03|05|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Danbury, Connecticut, United States

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=4}}

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| collegeyears1 = 2002–2005

| college1 = Virginia Cavaliers

| collegecaps1 =

| collegegoals1 =

| years1 = 2007–2008

| clubs1 = Washington Freedom Reserves

| caps1 = 17

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2008

| clubs2 = Røa IL

| caps2 = 13

| goals2 = 14

| years3 = 2009–2010

| clubs3 = Washington Freedom

| caps3 = 22

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2011

| clubs4 = magicJack

| caps4 = 18

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2012

| clubs5 = Pali Blues

| caps5 = 6

| goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2013

| clubs6 = Western New York Flash

| caps6 = 14

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2014

| clubs7 = Portland Thorns

| caps7 = 22

| goals7 = 1

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

| club-update = July 23, 2014

| nationalyears1 = 2000–2002

| nationalteam1 = United States U-19

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalyears2 = 2003–2007

| nationalteam2 = United States U-21

| nationalcaps2 =

| nationalgoals2 =

| nationalyears3 = 2010

| nationalteam3 = United States

| nationalcaps3 = 1

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalteam-update = July 13, 2010

| medaltemplates =

}}

Sarah Eileen Huffman (born March 5, 1984) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder.

Early life

Huffman was born in Danbury, Connecticut. She grew up in Flower Mound, Texas and attended Marcus High School.{{cite web|title=2002 U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team|url=http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/u-19women.htm|publisher=Soccer Times|access-date=January 11, 2013}}

=University of Virginia=

Huffman attended the University of Virginia. A four-year starter, she is one of the top players in the school's history. She was a two-time NSCAA All-American, a two-time Soccer America MVP, and a three-time first team All-ACC selection.{{cite web|title=Sarah Huffman player profile|url=http://bluessoccerclub.com/Team/huffman/index_E.html|publisher=Pali Blues|access-date=January 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719092942/http://bluessoccerclub.com/Team/huffman/index_E.html|archive-date=July 19, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

In 2004, she was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was also Co-MVP of the ACC Tournament as the Cavaliers won the first conference championship in school history. She was named Virginia State Player of the Year and was a finalist for Soccer Buzz National Player of the Year.

As a senior in 2005, she was named Soccer Buzz All-American, Soccer America MVP, and NSCAA All-American.

She ended her collegiate career with 12 goals and 28 assists (second most assists in school history).{{cite web|title=Sarah Huffman coach profile|url=http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/huffman_sarah00.html|publisher=University of Virginia|access-date=January 10, 2013}}{{cite web|title=The Record Book|url=http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/record-book.html|publisher=University of Virginia|access-date=January 11, 2013}}

Playing career

=Club=

File:Becky Sauerbrunn Christie Rampone Sarah Huffman.jpg teammates Becky Sauerbrunn and Christie Rampone in August 2011]]

Huffman was a member of the 2007 W-League champion, Washington Freedom.

In 2008, she played for Norwegian team, Røa IL, and helped the team win the Norwegian Women's Cup.{{cite web|title=Røa vendte til storseier|url=http://fotball.aftenposten.no/kvinner/article119970.ece|publisher=Aftenposten|access-date=January 11, 2013}}

In 2009, Huffman was the number one pick in Round 1 of the 2008 WPS General Draft and signed with the Washington Freedom in Women's Professional Soccer. Under new ownership, the team moved to Florida and was renamed magicJack (WPS).

In 2012, after the WPS folded, Huffman signed with the Pali Blues in the W-League.{{cite web|title=Blues Sign Midfielder Sarah Huffman|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/614210.html|publisher=USL Soccer|access-date=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828123922/http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/614210.html|archive-date=August 28, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|title=Q+A with Pali Blues' Sarah Huffman and Liz Bogus|date=July 4, 2012 |url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2012/07/04/qa-with-pali-blues-sarah-huffman-and-liz-bogus/|publisher=Equalizer Soccer|access-date=January 11, 2013}} She helped the team to an undefeated season and the Western Conference championship title.{{cite web|title=Blues Finish the Season Undefeated with 1–0 Victory over Seattle|url=http://www.bluessoccerclub.com/NEWS/645398.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130215155621/http://www.bluessoccerclub.com/NEWS/645398.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 15, 2013|publisher=Pali Blues|access-date=January 11, 2013}}{{cite web|title=Pali Blues Win Western Conference Championship 1–0 Against Seattle|url=http://www.bluessoccerclub.com/home/647720.html|publisher=Pali Blues|access-date=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105030619/http://www.bluessoccerclub.com/home/647720.html|archive-date=November 5, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

In 2013, Huffman signed with the Western New York Flash.

April 5, 2014 Huffman was traded with a player to be named later to the Portland Thorns for Courtney Wetzel, Kathryn Williamson, and a first-round pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. That pick later became Jaelene Hinkle. Huffman had earlier decided to live in Portland in the house she bought with her spouse Abby Wambach, who will play 2014 with Western New York Flash.{{cite web|url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2014/04/05/portland-thorns-trade-williamson-wetzel-wny-flash-huffman-boquete/|title=Equalizer Soccer – Thorns send Williamson, Wetzel, pick to Flash for Huffman, player to be named|date=April 5, 2014 }} April 7, 2014, Portland Thorns revealed that the player to be named later was Verónica Boquete.{{cite web| url = http://www.timbers.com/news/2014/04/thorns-fc-acquire-spanish-international-veronica-bouquete-midfielder-sarah-huffman-west| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140408221531/http://www.timbers.com/news/2014/04/thorns-fc-acquire-spanish-international-veronica-bouquete-midfielder-sarah-huffman-west| archive-date = 2014-04-08| title = Thorns FC acquire Spanish international Verónica Boquete, midfielder Sarah Huffman from Western New York Flash in exchange for midfielder Courtney Wetzel, defender Kathryn Williamson, 2015 NWSL College Draft First Round Draft Pick}}

On November 18, 2014, Huffman announced her retirement from professional soccer.{{cite web| url = http://www.timbers.com/thornsfc/2014/11/thorns-fc-defender-sarah-huffman-announces-retirement| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020434/http://www.timbers.com/thornsfc/2014/11/thorns-fc-defender-sarah-huffman-announces-retirement| archive-date = 2014-11-29| title = Thorns FC defender Sarah Huffman announces retirement}}

=International=

Huffman was a member of the U-16, U-17, U-19, U-21, and U-23 United States women's national soccer teams. She helped her team win the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship and won the Nordic Cup with the U-21s in 2004, 2005, and 2007.

In 2010, she was called to play with the United States women's national soccer team.{{cite web|title=Huffman and Lindsey Called into National Team Camp|url=http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/091610aaa.html|publisher=University of Virginia|access-date=January 11, 2013}}

Coaching career

Huffman is a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater, University of Virginia.{{cite web|title=Sarah Huffman coach profile|url=http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/huffman_sarah00.html|publisher=University of Virginia|access-date=January 11, 2013}}

Personal life

Huffman resides in Portland, Oregon. Her nickname is "Huffy."{{cite web|title=Keep an eye on Sarah Huffman|url=http://wleague.uslsoccer.com/home/626554.html|publisher=W League|access-date=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413150554/http://wleague.uslsoccer.com/home/626554.html|archive-date=April 13, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} Huffman came out as gay in a statement on the Athlete Ally website supporting equality in sports.{{cite web|url=http://www.afterellen.com/soccer-player-sarah-huffman-comes-out-in-athlete-ally-announcement/07/2013/|title=Soccer player Sarah Huffman comes out in Athlete Ally announcement|work=AfterEllen|date=July 25, 2013|first=Trish|last=Bendix|access-date=December 18, 2014}} On October 5, 2013, she married her longtime girlfriend, Abby Wambach, in Hawaii.{{cite web|title=Abby Wambach Marries Longtime Girlfriend In Hawaii |date=October 8, 2013 |url=http://deadspin.com/abby-wambach-marries-longtime-girlfriend-in-hawaii-1442706879|access-date=October 9, 2013}} In September 2016, in a new autobiography, Wambach announced that she and Huffman were divorcing. Their divorce was finalized in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2016/11/26/abby-wambach-divorce-official/|title=Abby Wambach -- Fastest Divorce Ever ... Focusing On New Girlfriend|date=November 26, 2016 |access-date=June 13, 2018}}

Honors

Western New York Flash

NWSL Shield: 2013

Individual

ACC Defensive Player of the Year: 2004

References

External links

{{FIFA player|190205}}
[http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/wnt/h/sarah-huffman.aspx US Soccer player profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090221151536/http://womensprosoccer.com/player_ektid5580.aspx?team=dc Women's Professional Soccer player profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120719092942/http://bluessoccerclub.com/Team/huffman/index_E.html Pali Blues player profile]
{{Twitter}}
{{soccerway|sarah-huffmann/61246}}

{{Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Year navbox}}

Category:1984 births

Category:Living people

Category:Virginia Cavaliers women's soccer players

Category:Røa IL players

Category:American expatriate women's soccer players

Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Norway

Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Norway

Category:Washington Freedom (soccer) players

Category:Soccer players from Texas

Category:MagicJack (WPS) players

Category:Sportspeople from Flower Mound, Texas