Anna Heilferty Explained

Anna Heilferty
Birth Date:17 April 1999
Birth Place:Falls Church, Virginia, U.S.
Height:5 ft 4 in
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Washington Spirit
Clubnumber:21
Youthyears1:–2017
Youthclubs1:Justice High School
Collegeyears1:2017–2020
College1:Boston University Terriers
Collegecaps1:62
Collegegoals1:13
Years1:2021–
Clubs1:Washington Spirit
Caps1:41
Goals1:0
Nationalyears1:2022
Nationalteam1:United States U23
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Club-Update:March 31, 2024

Anna Heilferty (born April 17, 1999) is an American professional women's soccer player who plays as a defender for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Youth career

Heilferty is a native of Falls Church, Virginia, and attended Justice High School, then named JEB Stuart High School. The Washington Post named her its high school women's soccer player of the year in 2017.[1] [2]

College career

Heilferty attended Boston University, where she played for the Boston University Terriers women's soccer team. She made 62 appearances, and scored 13 goals and 10 assists.[1] The Patriot League named her its rookie of the year in 2017, and in 2018 named her the Patriot League Tournament's most valuable player and to the All-Patriot League first team.[3] [4] Initially playing as an attacker and leading the team in goals and assists as a sophomore, she moved to left back in her junior year.

Club career

Heilferty, a fan of the Washington Spirit as a child, trained with the team during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Spirit selected Heilferty with the 19th-overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft.[1] She was the first Boston University player to be drafted into the NWSL.[5]

Washington Spirit, 2021–

Heilferty made her professional debut on April 10, 2021, in the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup.[6] The team played her in multiple positions, including on both wings, at left back, and as a midfielder.[7] She played 47 minutes as a substitute for Tara McKeown in the 2021 NWSL Championship match against the Chicago Red Stars, which the Spirit won 2–1.[8]

On January 17, 2023, the Spirit extended Heilferty's contract through 2024 with an option for an additional year. The team also officially converted her to a defender.[7] [9] On February 25, 2023, the Spirit announced that Heilferty would miss the 2023 season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered during preseason.[10] [11]

Heilferty made her return to the pitch on March 23, 2024, in the Spirit's 2024 home opener match against Bay FC.[12] In her second match back from injury, Heilferty suffered a season-ending ACL tear on April 26, 2024.[13] It would be Heilferty's second ACL injury in just over a year.[14]

International career

The United States women's national under-23 soccer team selected Heilferty for the 2022 Three-Nations Tournament in Sweden.[15] [16]

Personal life

On May 12, 2022, Heilferty joined the Department of Energy and Environment as the first ambassador for the Government of the District of Columbia's Sustainable DC environmental initiative.[17]

Career statistics

College

ClubSeasonGoals
201721 5
201822 6
201919 2
Career totals62 13

Club

Club! rowspan=2 scope="col"
SeasonLeagueCup[18] Playoffs[19] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Washington Spirit2021NWSL1904030260
202221080290
2023000000
20242020
Career total42012030570

Honors

Washington Spirit

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Falls Church Native Anna Heilferty Joins the Washington Spirit . February 1, 2021 . July 24, 2023 . . Ellen . O'Brien.
  2. News: Soccer . H6, H9 . June 11, 2017 . July 24, 2023 . The Washington Post.
  3. Web site: Anna Heilferty . . July 24, 2023.
  4. News: Patriot League recognizes five women's soccer players, head coach . November 1, 2018 . July 24, 2023 . . Lily . Betts.
  5. News: Boston University's Anna Heilferty picked by Washington Spirit in 2021 NWSL Draft . January 14, 2021 . July 24, 2023 . New England Soccer Journal . Jonathan . Sigal . subscription.
  6. North Carolina defeats Washington, 3-2, in back-and-forth match . National Women's Soccer League.
  7. BU alumna Anna Heilferty, NWSL champion, talks rookie year . April 11, 2022 . July 24, 2023 . Boston University News Service.
  8. Web site: Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Red Stars Match Report . November 20, 2021 . July 24, 2023 . FBref.
  9. News: Official: Anna Heilferty extends Washington Spirit contract . January 17, 2023 . July 24, 2023 . Black and Red United . André . Carlisle.
  10. News: Washington Spirit's Anna Heilferty will miss 2023 season due to injury . February 25, 2023 . July 24, 2023 . The District Press . Annie . Elliott.
  11. News: The NWSL newcomers you need to know for 2023 . March 22, 2023 . July 24, 2023 . Pro Soccer Wire . Jason . Anderson . USA Today.
  12. Web site: Spirit . Washington . 2024-03-24 . Recap: Spirit win home opener against Bay FC in front of record crowd . 2024-07-07 . Washington Spirit . en-US.
  13. Web site: Spirit . Washington . 2024-04-30 . Washington Spirit Defender Anna Heilferty to Miss Remainder of 2024 Season with Injury . 2024-07-07 . Washington Spirit . en-US.
  14. Web site: 2024-04-30 . Washington Spirit’s Anna Heilferty tears ACL . 2024-07-07 . The District Press . en-US.
  15. News: Eight NWSL players named to U-23 US Women's Youth National Team . June 15, 2022 . July 24, 2023 . Just Women's Sports . Emma . Hruby.
  16. News: U.S. U-23 Women's Youth National Team earns 4-1 win over India at Three-Nations Tournament . June 27, 2022 . July 24, 2023 . SoccerWire.
  17. DOEE Announces Washington Spirit Player Anna Heilferty as District's First-Ever Sustainable DC Ambassador . May 12, 2022 . July 24, 2023 . Government of the District of Columbia.
  18. Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup
  19. Includes NWSL Playoffs