| Laurie Hill | |
| Fullname: | Laurie Anne Hill Rozenel |
| Birth Name: | Laurie Anne Hill[1] |
| Birth Date: | 11 February 1970 |
| Birth Place: | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Height: | [2] |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Collegeyears1: | 1988–1991 |
| College1: | UC Santa Barbara |
| Collegecaps1: | 74 |
| Collegegoals1: | 27 |
| Nationalteam1: | Mexico |
Laurie Anne Hill Rozenel[3] (born 11 February 1970) is a retired footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in the United States, she represented the Mexico women's national team.
Hill was born on February 11, 1970, in Los Angeles, California, and was raised in the same area.[2] Her mother was born in Mexico City, Mexico to American parents.[2] Hill attended the University of California, Santa Barbara and was a student-athlete on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos women's soccer team.[4] [5] Hill became UC Santa Barbara's career leader in minutes played (6,422) and was named a three-time All American from 1989 through 1991.[6] [7] Following her UCSB career, she was inducted into the UC Santa Barbara Athletics Hall of Fame.[8]
Hill played for the Southern California Nitemares as a teenager.[9] After she graduated from UC Santa Barbara, she went to Japan to play professionally for a year before returning to Southern California.[2]
Hill rejoined the Nitemares in 1995 as they became a founding member of the USL W-League.[9] [10] For the 1995 W-League season, Hill was named the league's first MVP.[10] She also featured for the Sacramento Storm.
Following the 1999 Women's World Cup, Hill was selected to be a part of a travelling exhibition against the United States Women's National Team.[9] She would later be drafted to the Women's United Soccer Association's Philadelphia Charge in the 15th round of the 2000 WUSA Draft.[11] She quit playing soccer before the Charge played their first game after deciding to focus on a nursing career.[9] [12]
Hill, being American born and raised, attempted to join the United States women's national soccer team.[2] She never made an appearance for the team.[13]
After a series of changes in Mexican laws, Hill was eligible to attempt to join the Mexico women's national football team prior to the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.[2] [4] After the Mexico national team played a scrimmage against the Sacramento Storm, Hill, who played for the Storm, approached the Mexican officials about joining the team.[14]
Hill was successful in joining the team for their first Women's World Cup appearance and was one of over half of the 20–player roster that had American ties.[15] Hill served as a co-captain for the team and appeared in all three group matches.[16]
Hill was nicknamed "The Thrill" after her play on the field.[17] After soccer, she met her husband, Johnny, in the Summer 2001 and moved to Ireland.[9] She works in nursing and is a mother to three children.[9]