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7 women of color seen on soccer stage

Fred Jeter | 7/20/2023, 6 p.m.
The United States Women’s National Soccer team has history, recent momentum, and racial diversity on its side heading into this …

The United States Women’s National Soccer team has history, recent momentum, and racial diversity on its side heading into this year’s World Cup.

The once every four years event is July 20 through Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

History: Uncle Sam is seeking its third straight Cup after prevailing in 2015 and 2019.

Momentum: The U.S. has won nine straight international matches in preparation for the Cup, including eight against Cup qualifiers.

Diversity: The roster features seven women of color, including Trinity Rodman, the gifted daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman.

Rodman scored a bracket (soccer lingo for two goals) in the U.S.’s recent 2-0 international friendly match over Wales on July 9.

Rodman’s talent and family name has lifted her to the forefront on the patch and beyond it.

Already she has endorsements from Red Bull, Oakley and Adidas and has appeared in TV commercials for Verizon and Rexona.

She also has authored a children’s book called “Wake up and Kick it.”

Meet the USWNT women of color:

Trinity Rodman, forward, age 21, No. 20, from Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Alana Cook, defense, age 26, No. 12, Far Hills, N.J.

Crystal Dunn, defense, age 25, No. 19, Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Naomi Girma, defense, age 23, No. 4, San Jose, Calif.

Lynn Williams, forward, age 30, No. 6, Fresno, Calif.

Alyssa Thompson, forward, age 18, No. 7, Studio City, Calif.

Sophia Smith, forward, age 23, No. 11, Windsor, Colo.

Nicknamed the “Stars and Stripes,” the USWNT is the most successful program in the history of women’s soccer.

They have won the 1991, ’99, 2015 and ’19 World Cups, the 1996, 2004, ’08 and ’12 Summer Olympics and nine CON-CACAF Gold Cups.

The USWNT was formed in 1985 and in 1986 Kim Crabbe became the squad’s first Black athlete.

From Reston, Va., Crabbe led George Mason University to the 1985 NCAA title before joining the national team and playing until 1988.