ABOUT HOPE
- Date of Birth: July 30, 1981
- College: University of Washington
- Birthplace: Richland, Washington
A World Cup Champion, three-time Olympic medalist and winner of the 2011 and 2015 FIFA World Cup Golden Glove awards, Hope Solo is widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world. She has more caps, wins, shutouts and starts than any other goalkeeper in U.S. history.
During the 2015 World Cup in Canada, she achieved her lifelong dream as a soccer player: delivering the USWNT its first World Cup gold since 1999.
I think it’s my personality to overcome things, learn from them and become stronger, both personally and professionally.
BIO
EARLY LIFE
Hope Amelia Solo was born on July 30, 1981 in Richland, Washington to Judy and Jeffrey. She is of Italian-American descent. At an early age, Hope enjoyed basketball, snowboarding, and beach volleyball—but once she was taught the game of soccer by her father, her love for the sport only grew. From 1996 to 1999, Hope competed as a forward for the Richland High School Bombers. Over her high school career, she scored a total of 109 goals, including two in the State Championship in 1999.
Despite her offensive skill at the high school level, Hope knew that goalkeeping was her ticket. A two-time Parade All-American, Solo played keeper at the club level for Three Rivers Soccer Club. It was at that position where U.S. Soccer began to take notice of the budding star.
She became the keeper for the U.S. Women’s U18 squad and helped the team capture gold in the Pan-American games, posting clean sheets in the semi-final and final match.
In 1999, Solo enrolled at the University of Washington and earned a spot as the starting goalkeeper for the Huskies. Under the guidance of former national team keeper Amy Griffin, Hope’s skills continued to grow, and she became a four-time All-Pac-10 athlete and a three-time NSCAA All-American. As a senior, she was the only goalkeeper in contention for the prestigious Hermann Award, and left UW as the Huskies’ all-time leader in shutouts (18), saves (325), and goals against average (1.02).
ALL-WORLD KEEPER
In 2003, she was drafted to the WUSA’s Philadelphia Charge. By 2005, Hope became the starting goalkeeper for the USWNT and earned seven shutouts in seven starts. In 2007, Solo started 15 games for the National Team and allowed just eight goals as the U.S. posted a record of 13-0-2 with her in net. She also started four games in the 2007 FIFA World Cup, posting three shutouts while leading the American women to a bronze medal finish.
In the summer of 2008, Hope once again joined the U.S. Women’s Olympic Soccer team, this time as the starting keeper. In Beijing, the United States team advanced to the gold medal match against China. In the final, Solo was able to fend off the aggressive Chinese offense, earning a shutout and a 1-0 gold medal win in extra time.
In 2008, Solo was drafted to the St. Louis Athletica in the newly formed WPS. There she was named the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year and became the first keeper to win the U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year. In 2010, Hope led the WPS in saves for the Atlanta Beat.
Hope missed much of 2011 WC qualifying with a shoulder injury but shrugged it off to start once again in the 2011 FIFA tournament, where she helped guide the squad all the way to the final match—but the team narrowly missed the gold medal, falling 3-1 in a shootout with Japan.
Solo won her second Olympic gold medal in the 2012 games in London capped by her game-winning save in the final match a 2-1 triumph over Japan.
Ahead of the 2015 World Cup, Hope displayed her elite goalkeeping once again in the Algarve Cup, allowing just one goal in four games and finishing the tournament with three consecutive shutouts to anchor a gold-medal run.
OFF THE FIELD
When not playing soccer, Hope enjoys reading, basketball, beach volleyball, and spending time outdoors. She is interested in traveling the world and loves giving back through community service projects. Hope is a representative of the Women’s Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King to advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity.
Solo joined national teammates Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach in running the Chicago Marathon in order to raise money for the Seattle Humane Society. Hope was also a participant of the Game Changers program with countless other star athletes. With Game Changers, Hope spent time with children, fulfilling their dreams to meet their sports heroes.
In 2011, Solo competed on Season 13 of Dancing with the Stars. Hope and her partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, advanced to the semifinal round. Hope has appeared on the cover of Fitness Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Vogue. In 2011, she graced the cover of ESPN The Magazine‘s Body Issue, a celebration of the athletic human form. In 2012, she penned an autobiography, Solo: a Memoir of Hope, which debuted at No. 3 on the New York Times best seller list.
Hope is married to former Seattle Seahawks tight end, Jerramy Stevens. Both Hope and Jerramy are proud UW alums. She is also an animal lover and owns two dogs, Onyx and Sasha.
