Sara Whalen

Sara Whalen

Personal information
Full name	Sara Eve Whalen
Date of birth	(1976-04-28) April 28, 1976
Place of birth	Natick, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1994–97	Connecticut Huskies
1997–99	Long Island Lady Riders
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–02	New York Power	31
International career‡
1997–2000	United States	65	(7)
Medal record Women's football (soccer) Representing the United States Olympic Games 2000 Sydney Team Competition FIFA Women's World Cup 1999 United States Team competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of December 25, 2013 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of December 25, 2013

Sara Whalen Hess (born April 28, 1976), née Whalen, is an American retired professional soccer player. Whalen played for the United States Women's National Soccer Team from 1997 to 2000, and was a founding player of WUSA.

Early life

Born in Natick, Massachusetts to John and Linda Whalen, Sara was raised in Greenlawn, New York with her sister Deborah. She attended Harborfields High School in her hometown where she played varsity soccer, basketball, and track (as a sprinter).

Connecticut Huskies

After high school, Whalen went to The University of Connecticut, where she was a defender and forward for their women's soccer team. While playing soccer for Connecticut, Whalen was a three-time All-American and was the 1997 NSCAA Division 1 National Player of the Year as well as being named to Soccer America's Collegiate Team of the Decade for the 1990s. Whalen scored both goals in the 1997 NCAA Final Four semifinal match against Notre Dame, as Connecticut won 2–1 to record one of the biggest upsets in NCAA women's soccer history by defeating the previously unbeaten Irish. Whalen was the 1995 and 1996 Big East Defensive Player of the Year, before playing striker her senior season where she recorded 21 goals and 22 assists to lead her team in scoring.

Playing career

International

In 1997, Whalen began her career for the US Women's National Soccer Team as an outside defender. She earned her first cap against France, while still in college. The following year, 1998, Whalen had a very successful season scoring two goals and garnering three assists. In 1999, Whalen helped the US Women's National Team win the Women's World Cup, playing every minute of extra-time in the final against China. Whalen was pictured on the cover of Time Magazine hugging Brandi Chastain. The following year, Whalen won a silver medal as a part of the US Women's team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Club

In 2001, Whalen was a founding player of the Women's United Soccer Association, playing alongside US teammates Christie Pearce and Tiffeny Milbrett for the New York Power. On June 26, 2002, in a game against the Carolina Courage, Whalen tore her ACL and MCL after a collision with German international Birgit Prinz. This occurred just after recovering from a broken rib. Whalen had surgery, but noticed her knee was infected shortly thereafter. During her second surgery Whalen had a severe allergic reaction, nearly dying. The doctors realized that the infection was in one of the screws, within the ligament of her knee, which had to be removed. Whalen had to go through five surgeries, including moving ligaments from her right to left knee, to repair her injury. This marked the end of Whalen's professional soccer career.

Personal life

Whalen, who is Jewish, graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in psychology. She received her masters degree in psychology from Fordham University and her doctorate from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Whalen lives in New York with her husband, Jon Hess, a Nasdaq trader and former Princeton University lacrosse player and children. In 2004, she ran the New York Marathon in 4 hours 19 minutes 38 seconds.

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in football
• List of 2000 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of select Jewish football (association; soccer) players