Biography
Who is Hope Solo?
Early life and education
Born in Richland, Washington, Hope Solo attended Richland High School. She played as a forward there, scoring one hundred and nine goals and winning three league titles. She graduated from high school after helping her team secure a state championship.
She then enrolled at the University of Washington from 1999 to 2002. She majored in speech communications. Under the guidance of head coach Lesle Gallimore, she shifted permanently to the goalkeeper position. She finished her collegiate career with school records in shutouts, saves, and goals against average. She earned multiple All-Pac-10 honors and became the first goalkeeper to win Pac-10 Player of the Year.
Professional soccer career
After college, she entered the professional leagues. She was drafted by the Philadelphia Charge in 2003. When that league ended, she moved to Europe to continue her career. She played for Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC in Sweden and later Olympique Lyonnais in France.
Upon returning to the United States, she joined the Women's Professional Soccer league. She played for the Saint Louis Athletica, the Atlanta Beat, and magicJack. During these years, she established herself as a top defensive player, leading the league in saves during the 2010 season. She also played for the Seattle Sounders Women and Seattle Reign FC later in her career.
National team achievements
Hope Solo became a major presence for the United States national team, serving as the starting goalkeeper for many years. She played during the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, helping the team reach the semifinals. In 2007, she was benched for the semifinal match, which the team lost to Brazil. This led to public comments that caused friction with her teammates at the time.
She later helped secure gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. During the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, she won the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper and the Bronze Ball award. She helped the team win the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. That final match against Japan remains one of the most-watched soccer games in American history.
Records and statistics
Her professional club career included time with the Seattle Sounders Women and Seattle Reign FC. With the Sounders, her presence helped sell out home games at Starfire Stadium. She holds numerous records for the U.S. National team. These include the most career wins, shutouts, and consecutive minutes played.
She earned her one hundredth and second shutout in 2016. Her defensive consistency made her a key part of the team's success for over a decade. She remains a standard-bearer for American goalkeeping statistics, holding the record for the longest undefeated streak at fifty-five games.
Personal life and media
Outside of soccer, she has engaged in various media projects. Following the 2012 London Olympics, she released an autobiography titled Solo: A Memoir of Hope. She appeared on the television program Dancing with the Stars. She also posed for the Body Issue of ESPN The Magazine.
Hope Solo is married to Jerramy Stevens. Her personal history includes a close relationship with her father, who taught her to play soccer as a child. He was an influence on her athletic development until his passing in 2007. She also maintains connections to her Washington roots.
Birthday and age
Hope Solo was born on July 30, 1981, which makes Hope 45 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Hope shares the date with 49 other famous people.
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