Whitney Engen

Whitney Engen

Engen in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Whitney Elizabeth Engen
Date of birth	(1987-11-28) November 28, 1987
Place of birth	Torrance, California, United States
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Boston Breakers
Youth career
	Slammers FC
2006–2009	North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009	Pali Blues
2010	Chicago Red Stars	24	(0)
2011	Western New York Flash	17	(0)
2011	→ Tyresö FF (loan)	6	(1)
2012	Pali Blues
2013	Liverpool Ladies	13	(1)
2013–2014	Tyresö FF
2014	Houston Dash	11	(0)
2015	Western New York Flash	5	(0)
2016–	Boston Breakers	0	(0)
International career‡
2006–2007	United States U-20
2009	United States U-23
2011–	United States	29	(4)
Medal record FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 Canada Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of July 29, 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 20, 2015

Whitney Elizabeth Engen (born November 28, 1987) is an American professional soccer player who plays for the Boston Breakers of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States women's national soccer team.

Early life

Born in Torrance, California to parents Chris and Kim Engen, Whitney attended Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estates, California where she was named her Most Valuable Offensive Player as a freshman and Most Valuable Player as a sophomore. She lettered for two years as a forward and attacking midfielder on the varsity soccer team, but missed her junior season with an injury and then concentrated on club soccer during her senior year. Engen played club soccer for nine years, the last four with Slammers Futbol Club (SFC) and helped lead SFC to back-to-back state and regional titles from 2004–2005. She twice took part in national championship tournaments with her club, taking second in 2004 and third in 2005. Engen also played on the '86 Olympic Development Program (ODP) team that clinched regional and national titles. Engen was ranked among the Top 25 recruits in the nation by Soccer Buzz in 2006.

University of North Carolina

Engen attended the University of North Carolina. She began her college career with the Tar Heels playing as a forward before transitioning to central defense.

As a freshman, Engen played in 27 games for the Tar Heels, starting 24. She was Carolina's third-leading point producer with 37 and tied for second on the team in goals with 12 and in assists with 13. She won the UNC soccer team's Gift of Fury award. During her sophomore year, Engen played in all 23 games that she played in, scoring six goals and providing eight assists. She ranked third in point total on the team with 20 and was named to the All-ACC Academic team. As a junior, Engen moved into the starting role at center back after playing her first two years as a starting striker. She started all 28 games and led the team in minutes played with 2,518, playing the last 1,211 minutes of the season without taking a break. Engen recorded three assists and tied the school record for games played and games started in a season with 28.

A highly decorated player, Engen received the following honors during her junior and senior years alone with the Tar Heels:

• Second-Team Soccer Buzz All-America
• Third-Team NSCAA All-America
• Second-Team All-ACC
• Women's College Cup All-Tournament Team
• All-ACC Tournament
• ACC All-Academic Team
• NSCAA/adidas First-Team Collegiate Scholar All-America Team
• First-Team NSCAA All-Southeast Region
• First-Team Soccer Buzz All-Southeast Region
• Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week (September 23, 2008)
• Soccer America National Team of the Week (September 23, 2008)
• Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week (September 23, 2008)
• MVP of 2008 Duke adidas Classic
• 2008 Duke adidas Classic All-Tournament Team

Club career

Pali Blues

Engen joined Pali Blues in 2009.

Chicago Red Stars

On January 15, 2010, Engen was drafted fourth overall to the Chicago Red Stars in the 2010 WPS Draft.

Western New York Flash

Engen transferred to Western New York Flash for the 2011 season. She was named WPS Defender of the Year as the Flash won the Championship.

Tyresö FF

At the end of the WPS season, Engen joined Swedish team Tyresö FF on loan, playing six games and scoring one goal in the Damallsvenskan.

Second stint at Pali Blues

Returning to America to find that the WPS had collapsed, Engen rejoined W-League team Pali Blues.

Liverpool L.F.C.

In October 2012, Engen signed with English club Liverpool Ladies for the 2013 FA WSL season. With Liverpool challenging Arsenal for the WSL title, Tyresö announced in August 2013 that they had agreed a deal to re-sign Engen on the expiry of her Liverpool contract. She was expected to move back to Sweden in late September or early October and would be available to play for Tyresö in their UEFA Women's Champions League fixtures.

Second stint at Tyresö FF

Engen was one of five American players at Tyresö who were all asked by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) to return to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris came back for the beginning of the 2014 NWSL season while Engen, Meghan Klingenberg and Christen Press delayed their return until the end of Tyresö's Champions League campaign.

Houston Dash

Engen was allocated to expansion team Houston Dash in January 2014.

Second stint at Western New York Flash

In October 2014, the Houston Dash traded her to the Western New York Flash in return for Carli Lloyd.

Second stint at Chicago Red Stars

In November 2015, the Western New York Flash traded Engen to the Chicago Red Stars.

Boston Breakers

On November 23, 2015, it was announced that Engen had been traded from Chicago to Boston, along with Chicago's second round draft pick in the 2016 NWSL college draft and their natural second round pick in the 2017 NWSL college draft- in exchange for goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and a third round selection in the 2016 NWSL college draft.

International career

In February 2011, Engen was named to the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team roster for the 2011 Algarve Cup. In 2013, under new head coach, Tom Sermanni, Engen was named to the roster for the 2013 Algarve Cup as well as two friendlies against Scotland. Engen was also on the roster of the United States national soccer team for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

International goals

	Key (expand for notes on “international goals” and sorting)
Location	Geographic location of the venue where the competition occurred Sorted by country name first, then by city name
Lineup	Start – played entire match on minute (off player) – substituted on at the minute indicated, and player was substituted off at the same time off minute (on player) – substituted off at the minute indicated, and player was substituted on at the same time (c) – captain Sorted by minutes played
Min	The minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal.
Assist/pass	The ball was passed by the player, which assisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information.
penalty or pk	Goal scored on penalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.)
Score	The match score after the goal was scored. Sorted by goal difference, then by goal scored by the player's team
Result	The final score. Sorted by goal difference in the match, then by goal difference in penalty-shoot-out if it is taken, followed by goal scored by the player's team in the match, then by goal scored in the penalty-shoot-out. For matches with identical final scores, match ending in extra-time without penalty-shoot-out is a tougher match, therefore precede matches that ended in regulation
aet	The score at the end of extra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90' regulation
pso	Penalty-shoot-out score shown in parenthesis; the match was tied at the end of extra-time
	Light-purple background color – exhibition or closed door international friendly match
	Light-yellow background color – match at an invitational tournament
	Light-blue background color – FIFA women's world cup qualification match
NOTE: some keys may not apply for a particular football player

Goal	Date	Location	Opponent	Lineup	Min	Assist/pass	Score	Result	Competition
1	2013-03-08	Albufeira	China PR	Start	84	unassisted	5550.05005 5–0	5550.05005 5–0	Algarve Cup – group stage
2	2014-09-13	Sandy	Mexico	45. on 46' (off Sauerbrunn)	58	Christen Press	5650.06005 6–0	5850.08005 8–0	Friendly match
3	2014-10-17	Chicago	Guatemala	Start	58	Megan Rapinoe	5400.04005 4–0	5500.05005 5–0	World Cup qualifier:Group A
4	2015-08-16	Pittsburgh	Costa Rica	45. on 46' (off Johnston)	63	Abby Wambach	5800.08005 8–0	5800.08005 8–0	Friendly

In popular culture

Video Games

Engen was featured along with her national teammates in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series in FIFA 16, the first time women players were included in the game.

Ticker Tape Parade and White House Honor

Following the United States' win at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Engen and her teammates became the first women's sports team to be honored with a Ticker Tape Parade in New York City. Each player received a key to the city from Mayor Bill de Blasio. In October of the same year, the team was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House.

See also

• Foreign players in the FA WSL

References

Match report

External links

• Whitney Engen – FIFA competition record
• US Soccer player profile
• North Carolina player profile
• Whitney Engen on Twitter