Sarah Gorden

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Sarah Gorden
Gorden with the Chicago Red Stars
Personal information
Full name Sarah L. Gorden[1]
Date of birth (1992-09-13) September 13, 1992 (age 31)
Place of birth Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Angel City
Number 11
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2015 DePaul Blue Demons 77 (1)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2021 Chicago Red Stars 76 (0)
2022– Angel City 26 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 30, 2024

Sarah L. Gorden (born September 13, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Angel City FC in the NWSL.

Early life[edit]

The adopted[2] daughter of Jeff and Sue Gorden, Sarah Gorden began playing soccer at age four. When she began playing competitively, her speed on the pitch inspired her to join her high school track team.[3] While attending James B. Conant High School she played as a defender for the Eclipse Select Soccer Club.

DePaul Blue Demons[edit]

Gorden attended DePaul university from 2011 to 2015, following in the footsteps of her parents who were both student athletes at DePaul. Gorden majored in journalism and competed as a hurdler on the track team for her first two years of university in addition to playing soccer.[4]

She scored her first collegiate goal on September 11, 2011, against Minnesota.[5]

Gorden did not compete in the 2013 season due to pregnancy.[6] She returned to the Blue Demons in 2014 to lead the team's defense to a conference title and an NCAA tournament appearance while allowing the fewest goals in the Big East Conference.[7] In 2014, Gorden was named to the All-Big East second team.[8] In 2015, Gorden was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week four times,[9] and was named to the All-Big East first team.[10]

Club career[edit]

Gorden (top) with Angel City FC in 2023

Chicago Red Stars, 2016–2021[edit]

Gorden was drafted by Chicago Red Stars in the 3rd round of the 2016 NWSL College Draft.[11] She made her professional debut in the season opener against the Houston Dash, subbing in for Alyssa Mautz in the 83rd minute of play.[12]

In January 2021, Gorden was signed to a two-year contract renewal with Chicago Red Stars.[13]

On October 29, 2021, Gorden became Chicago's first Iron Woman by playing every minute of the 2021 NWSL season.[14]

Angel City FC, 2022–[edit]

On December 3, 2021, Gorden's rights were traded to Angel City FC ahead of the upcoming expansion draft.[15] After missing the entire 2022 season due to an ACL injury, Gorden went on to return and play every minute of the 2023 regular season and became an Iron Woman for the second time in her career in the teams run to their first playoffs appearance and was also named in the NWSL Best XI at the conclusion of the season.[16]

On December 19, 2023 it was announced that Gorden has signed a new contract with Angel City which would keep her at the club until 2026 with a mutual option for 2027.[17] For the 2024 season, Gorden was named as Vice Captain of the team.

International career[edit]

Gorden received her first call-up to the United States women's national soccer team in December 2019.[18] In October 2020, Gorden was again called up to the United States national team.[19]

Personal life[edit]

She gave birth to a son, Caiden, in 2014.[6]

In September 2020, Gorden launched a nonprofit organization, HoodSpace.[20]

In April 2021, Gorden and her boyfriend alleged that they were racially profiled by a security guard at BBVA Stadium.[21]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of March 30, 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Playoffs[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chicago Red Stars 2016 NWSL 4 0 4 0
2017 5 0 5 0
2018 17 0 17 0
2019 23 0 2 0 26 0
2020 0 0 9 0 9 0
2021 24 0 4 0 3 0 31 0
Total 74 0 13 0 5 0 92 0
Angel City FC 2022 NWSL 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023 22 0 5 0 1 0 1 0 29 0
2024 3 0 3 0
Total 25 0 5 0 1 0 1 0 32 0
Career total 98 0 18 0 6 0 1 0 123 0

Honors[edit]

Individual

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Class Notes" (PDF). DePaul Magazine. Vol. 1, no. 412018. DePaul University. December 28, 2016. p. 39 (10 of PDF). Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Includes NWSL Playoffs.
  3. ^ "Sarah Gorden: A Tale of Two Sports". The DePaulia. May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  4. ^ "DePaul University Official Athletic SiteSarah Gorden Bio – Depaul University Official Athletic Site". www.depaulbluedemons.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  5. ^ "Gorden Simply Golden in Win Over Minnesota". DePaul University Athletics.
  6. ^ a b Costabile, Annie (May 11, 2019). "Mother's Day special: Parenting while playing, Red Stars moms doing both". Chicago Sun-Times.
  7. ^ "Sarah Gorden's journey to being drafted by the National Women's Soccer League's Chicago Red Stars". The DePaulia. January 24, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  8. ^ "Seven Blue Demons Earn All-BIG EAST Postseason Honors". DePaul University Athletics.
  9. ^ "Sarah Gorden – Women's Soccer". DePaul University Athletics.
  10. ^ "Cerny Honored as BIG EAST Freshman of the Year". DePaul University Athletics.
  11. ^ "Red Stars Select Seven Players in 2016 Draft". Archived from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  12. ^ "Chicago Falls 3–1 to Hosts Houston in NWSL Opener – Chicago Red Stars". chicagoredstars.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  13. ^ Goldner, Lindsay (January 13, 2021). "Chicago Announces Contract Renewals Ahead of 2021 NWSL Season". Chicago Red Stars. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  14. ^ Watkins, Claire (November 4, 2021). "Red Stars Iron Woman Sarah Gorden embodies the spirit of Chicago". Just Women's Sports.
  15. ^ "Angel City FC signs USWNT star Julie Ertz, Sarah Gorden from Chicago Red Stars". ESPN. December 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Gorden, McCaskill, and Vignola Earn Best XI Honors". Angel City. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  17. ^ "Defender Sarah Gorden Re-signs with Angel City". Angel City. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  18. ^ "ANDONOVSKI NAMES 24-PLAYER ROSTER FOR U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM DECEMBER IDENTIFICATION TRAINING CAMP IN FLORIDA". US Soccer. November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  19. ^ Goldner, Lindsay (October 8, 2020). "Six Chicago Red Stars Called Up to U.S. WNT Camp". Chicago Red Stars.
  20. ^ Costabile, Annie (September 3, 2020). "Sarah Gorden's nonprofit HoodSpace is focused on creating space for girls of color to prioritize mental health". Chicago Sun-Times.
  21. ^ Costabile, Annie (April 10, 2021). "NWSL investigating Red Stars defender Sarah Gorden's accusation of racial profiling after Challenge Cup opener". Chicago Sun-Times.
  22. ^ "NWSL Announces the Winners of Mastercard Inaugural 2021 Best XI Awards". October 17, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  23. ^ "NWSL Announces Winners of 2023 Mastercard Best XI Awards". November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  24. ^ "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  25. ^ "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  26. ^ "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  27. ^ "National Women's Soccer League Official Site | NWSL". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved January 13, 2024.

External links[edit]