Heather O'Reilly

Heather Ann O'Reilly (born January 2, 1985) is an American professional women's soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage.

She played for the United States women's national soccer team (USWNT), with whom she won three Olympic gold medals and a FIFA Women's World Cup.

As a junior in 2001, she led the team to the New Jersey state high school title.

Throughout high school, O'Reilly was a member of the National Honor Society and played on the school's basketball team.

During her senior year, she was named All-American and National Player of the Year by Parade Magazine.

In 2002, she was named the Gatorade High School National Player of the Year and the National Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year.

She was also named by Soccer America as the top college recruit in the country.

From 2003 to 2006, she played college soccer for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH).

During her club career, O'Reilly played for the New Jersey Wildcats (USL W-League), Sky Blue FC (WPS), Boston Breakers (WPSL Elite and NWSL), FC Kansas City (NWSL), Arsenal Ladies (FA WSL), North Carolina Courage (NWSL), and Shelbourne (WNL).

O'Reilly was an education major at the University of North Carolina, where she played forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer program from 2003 through 2006.

She appeared 97 times for the Tar Heels, scoring 59 goals and assisting on 49 others.

She led her team to the national Championships in 2003 and 2006.

During her senior year, ESPN the Magazine named her the All-American Player of the Year and was awarded the NCAA's Today's Top VIII Award following her senior year.

As a senior, she won the Honda Sports Award as the nation's top soccer player.

O'Reilly played for New Jersey Wildcats of W-League from 2004 to 2005, winning the Championship in 2005.

In 2008, O'Reilly's No. 20 jersey was retired by the program, joining athletes April Heinrichs, Lorrie Fair, Tisha Venturini, Kristine Lilly and Mia Hamm, along with 13 others.

O'Reilly was allocated to Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer on September 16, 2008, along with fellow U.S. national team players Natasha Kai and Christie Rampone.

She appeared in 17 matches as co-captain during the 2009 inaugural season, leading Sky Blue to an unexpected playoff berth.

During the Championship 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs match against Los Angeles, she scored the only goal helping her team clinch the Championship title.

Following her husband's enrollment in Harvard Business School, O'Reilly trained with and played two matches with the Boston Breakers of the Women's Premier Soccer League Elite in 2012 after the WPS folded and during breaks with her national team duties.

She was allocated to the Breakers in 2013 at the initiation of the new National Women's Soccer League.

On October 27, 2014, FC Kansas City announced that it had acquired O'Reilly in a trade that sent Morgan Marlborough and Kassey Kallman to the Breakers.

Upon her initial retirement from international play in September 2016, she is one of the world's most capped soccer players with over 230 international appearances to her name.

She is a skilled flank player, currently tied for fifth with Julie Foudy in USWNT history for assists.

She is also the eighth most capped player in USWNT history.

On January 18, 2017, Arsenal announced they had signed O'Reilly.

The club is a member of the top division of the Football Association Women's Super League, the highest level of women's professional soccer in England.

After 38 appearances in all competitions and four goals, it was confirmed by Arsenal that she would leave the club in the summer of 2018.

After FC Kansas City ceased operations, the Utah Royals FC maintained O'Reilly's NWSL rights.

On June 28, 2018, the Courage traded Makenzy Doniak and a 2019 3rd round pick for O'Reilly and a 2019 2nd round pick.

O'Reilly appeared in 8 regular season games and both playoff games for the Courage.

North Carolina won the NWSL Shield & NWSL Championship.

On October 27, 2019, she played her final match for the North Carolina Courage before retiring, winning the 2019 NWSL championship.

She is currently an analyst for Fox Sports.

O'Reilly announced on July 28, 2022, that she would be coming out of retirement to play for Women's National League side Shelbourne and take part in their upcoming UEFA Women's Champions League campaign.

She scored a match-winning goal against ZNK Pomurje on her debut.

, O'Reilly is a volunteer assistant coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team and player-coach for the North Carolina Courage U23 side competing in the USL W League.

Born to Andrew and Carol O'Reilly, Heather O'Reilly is the youngest of four children.

Growing up in East Brunswick, New Jersey, O'Reilly attended Saint Bartholomew's School and later played on the girls soccer team at East Brunswick High School.

In her four-year career, she scored 143 goals.