In a long list of accolades, Sophia Smith is now tasked with a up-to-date goal – playing the striker position to aid the U.S. Women’s National Team recapture Olympic gold. As the Portland Thorns No. 1 draft pick draft, Smith took the league by storm in 2020, winning MVP in her third season along with other awards.
New Grails Docu-Series Explores 2 Black Entrepreneurs’ Mission To Change Sports Fashion
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Here are five facts about this first-time Olympian and Colorado native.
She Met Her Biggest Inspiration as a Young Girl
Smith embodies a Walt Disney quote that says, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Growing up in Colorado, Smith was inspired by forward Abby Wambach, USWNT’s all-time leading goal scorer. In December 2020, Smith was the youngest player on the national team, and she tweeted a picture thanking Wambach for “inspiring her to follow her dreams.”
She’s Accustomed to Winning and Performing on the Big Stage
After suffering a season-ending ankle injury in her freshman year at Stanford, Smith led the Cardinals to their third national title in 2019 as a sophomore. She scored 17 goals and had 9 assists in 21 appearances, receiving numerous awards for her stellar season en route to being drafted by the Portland Thorns.
She Broke the Family Legacy of College Basketball Athletes
Smith was born to play sports, but veered into a different direction than her dad, Kenny, and sister, Savannah. Both played basketball at the University of Wyoming and University of Northern Colorado, respectively. Her dad said he knew she would become a soccer star after watching her dominate a 3-on-3 league when she was 6 years elderly.
She Just Got Engaged to Her Longtime Boyfriend
In 2019, Smith started dating Stanford football player Michael Wilson. They have been through hefty and slim, including injuries that sidelined Wilson during most of his junior and senior years. Despite the setbacks and a fifth-year injury, the Arizona Cardinals drafted him in 2023. In June 2024, the couple became engaged.
She is the highest-paid national women’s soccer player
Smith had a stellar 2022 campaign that saw her win MVP honors after she led the Portland Thorns to their third league title. In 2023, she became the first player in Thorns history to win the golden boot award as the league’s top scorer with 11 goals in 17 matches. The Thorns made her the highest-paid player in NWSL history in March 2024. Her contract was never released, but she makes more than Mallory Swanson’s $2 million playing for the Chicago Red Stars.
George Hamilton III is a sports journalist based in Los Angeles.
