Who is Trinity Rodman? Star striker's goal lifts USWNT to quarterfinal win

After getting through the group stage of the 2024 Paris Olympics with relative ease — winning its three games by a combined score of 9-2 — the United States women’s national soccer team encountered a bit of a roadblock Saturday in the quarterfinals.

Playing against a Japan team that’s only two spots behind them in the FIFA world rankings, the Americans dominated possession, but were held in check for much of the day, playing with a noticeable lack of urgency and resorting far too often to lateral passes between players in the midfield and along the backline.

Late in the match, with the possibility of a penalty shootout looming, that frustration gave way to euphoria.

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In extra time and with the teams still stuck in a scoreless deadlock, Trinity Rodman brought down a brilliantly placed 40-yard pass from Crystal Dunn near the 18-yard box. She cut back and fired a left-footed strike that found the side netting to deliver the USWNT a hard-earned 1-0 victory and a spot in the semifinals, where it will face Germany on Tuesday.

Rodman’s goal, her third of the Olympics, earned her praise on social media from the likes of Draymond Green and Carli Lloyd and served as yet another reminder of her importance to a team that has endured bouts of offensive impotence going back to the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Here’s more about Rodman, including her professional and international career, college and stats:

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Trinity Rodman career

Rodman’s performance thus far in the Olympics has not only helped carry the USWNT on its quest for its first gold medal since the 2012 London Games, but it has reaffirmed her status as one of the brightest stars in American soccer.

As the USWNT transitions to a new generation, with mainstays like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan either retired or not on the Olympic roster, Rodman is one of several players being counted on to help continue the decorated tradition of American women’s soccer.

Greatness has long been expected of her.

In 2021, at just 18 years old, she was taken by the Washington Spirit with the No. 2 overall pick in the National Women’s Soccer League draft, making her the youngest player to be selected in the league’s history. She made her professional debut in April 2021 and had an immediate impact, scoring a goal five minutes after being subbed into the match against the North Carolina Courage. That success carried over through the rest of the season and into the playoffs. In the NWSL championship that year, she assisted on Kelley O’Hara’s game-winning goal to lift the Spirit to its first and only title.

By the end of the season, Rodman was named the NWSL Rookie of the Year and made the NWSL Best XI.  The following year, she was named a finalist for the Ballon d'Or Féminin, presented annually to the best women’s soccer player in the world.

In February 2022, she signed a four-year deal worth a reported $1.1 million with the Spirit, the largest contract in NWSL history.

Rodman is now in her fourth season with the Spirit, with whom she has five goals and four assists this season.

Since her USWNT senior team debut in February 2022, Rodman has made her mark on the international side, as well.

She became the 69th teenager in USWNT history to earn a cap, and in April 2022, she scored her first international goal. Though she didn’t score for the Americans during their ill-fated four-game run in the 2023 World Cup, she has been incredibly productive during the Paris Olympics, with three goals in four games. Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith — the USWNT’s much-lauded top line — have accounted for eight of the Americans’ 10 goals in the Olympics.

She has interests away from the field, too. In 2022, she released a children’s book , “Wake Up and Kick It with Trinity Rodman.”

Rodman is the daughter of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, but was raised primarily by her mother, Michelle Moyer, who Rodman says is her favorite superhero, according to her USWNT bio .

REQUIRED READING: Trinity Rodman plays the hero in USWNT victory over Japan — even if she doesn't remember

Trinity Rodman college

Born and raised in southern California, Rodman originally committed to play at UCLA before reversing course and following her brother DJ to Washington State, where he had just completed his freshman season on the school’s basketball team.

She ultimately never played a game for the Cougars, as what would have been her freshman season in 2020 was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After being drafted by the Spirit, she opted to begin her professional career.

Trinity Rodman age

Born in May 2002, Rodman is 22 years old. She’s the third-youngest player on the 18-member USWNT roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Trinity Rodman stats

Rodman has 43 international caps for the USWNT. During that time, she has scored nine goals and recorded nine assists.

Across four seasons with the Spirit, Rodman has 21 goals and eight assists.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Trinity Rodman? Star striker's goal lifts USWNT to quarterfinal win