Debbie Keller Explained

Debbie Keller
Fullname:Deborah Kim Keller
Birth Date:March 24, 1975
Birth Place:Winfield, Illinois, United States
Position:Forward
Collegeyears1:1993–1996
College1:North Carolina Tar Heels
Years1:1997
Clubs1:Rockford Dactyls
Years2:1999
Clubs2:Fortuna Hjørring
Years3:2000
Clubs3:Rockford Dactyls
Nationalyears1:1995–1998
Nationalteam1:United States
Nationalcaps1:46
Nationalgoals1:18

Deborah Kim Keller (born March 24, 1975) is an American retired soccer forward and former member of the United States women's national soccer team. She was the collegiate National Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996.

Early life

Born in Winfield, Illinois, Keller was raised in Naperville where she attended Waubonsie Valley High School and played for the women's soccer team where her mother was the head coach. Throughout her high school career, Keller scored 144 goals and served 92 assists. She was named a Parade All-American twice and was named to the Chicago Tribune Top 20 Scholar-Athlete Team.[1]

North Carolina Tar Heels

Keller attended University of North Carolina from 1993 to 1996 where she played for the Tar Heels led by national team coach, Anson Dorrance.[2] During her junior season, she scored 23 goals and served 14 assists in the 26 games she played. Five of her goals came during Tar Heels' 8–0 defeat of North Carolina State University.[3] The following year, she scored 18 goals and served 16 assists in 22 games.

In 1998, Keller and her Tar Heel teammate Melissa Jennings filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Dorrance that ended ten years later in a settlement.[4] [5]

Playing career

Club

In March 1999 Keller signed for Danish Elitedivisionen team Fortuna Hjørring, scoring on her debut on April 1, 1999.[6] She received a letter of intent from Women's United Soccer Association, but did not join the new league because of Dorrance's involvement in it.[7]

International

Keller played for the United States women's national soccer team from 1995 to 1999. In 1998, her 14 goals ranked third on the team behind Mia Hamm and Tiffeny Milbrett.[8] She was cut from the team before the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and unsuccessfully took legal action to be reinstated, suggesting her exclusion by coach Tony DiCicco had been a retaliation for the Dorrance lawsuit.[9]

Personal life

After retiring from soccer, Keller went to beauty school to become a hairstylist. She was married in 2001 to Chris Hill.[10]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Debbie Keller. Soccer Times. November 9, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20041216224955/http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/keller.htm. December 16, 2004.
  2. News: DeSimone. Bonnie. Outcast with a cause. November 10, 2013. Chicago Tribune. June 15, 2003.
  3. Web site: Tarpley Scores Four Goals As Carolina Blanks Wake Forest. University of North Carolina. November 10, 2013. October 14, 2003.
  4. News: Dorrance, former player settle sexual harassment suit. November 10, 2013. USA Today. January 14, 2008.
  5. News: Is different approach needed?. November 10, 2013. Sports Illustrated. November 23, 1998.
  6. News: Soccer. January 4, 2014. Sports Illustrated. April 19, 1999. Grant Wahl. Grant. Wahl.
  7. News: Four players, four views. January 4, 2014. Soccer America. May 8, 2000. Scott. French. https://web.archive.org/web/20160912002754/http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SoccerAmerica/2000/sa1452d.pdf. September 12, 2016. dead.
  8. News: Jones. Grahame L.. Keller Is a Star on the Outside Looking in. November 10, 2013. Los Angeles Times. March 1, 1999.
  9. Web site: Longman. Jere. Keller Loses Bid to Return to U.S. Women's Team. New York Times. November 10, 2013. May 11, 1999.
  10. News: DeSimone . Bonnie . Raleigh, North Carolina . Outcast with a cause . . June 15, 2003 . August 4, 2022.