Shannon Leigh Boxx Spearman (née Boxx; born June 29, 1977) is an American retired soccer player and former member of the United States women's national soccer team, playing the defensive midfielder position. She last played club soccer for the Chicago Red Stars in the American National Women's Soccer League. She won gold medals with the United States at the 2004 Athens Olympics, 2008 Beijing Olympics, and 2012 London Olympics. She has also finished third place or better with the US at the 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 FIFA Women's World Cups. She was a finalist for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year award, and won an NCAA Women's Soccer Championship with Notre Dame in 1995. Shannon Boxx announced her retirement from international and club soccer after winning the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[4] She played her last game on October 21, 2015, when the USWNT tied with Brazil as part of their victory tour.[5]
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Shannon Leigh Boxx Spearman[1] | ||
| Birth name | Shannon Leigh Boxx[2] | ||
| Date of birth | June 29, 1977[3] | ||
| Place of birth | Fontana, California, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1998 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 101 | (39) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994 | Ajax of Los Angeles | ||
| 1999 | Boston Renegades | ||
| 1999–2000 | 1. FC Saarbrücken | ||
| 2000 | Ajax of Los Angeles | ||
| 2001–2002 | San Diego Spirit | 41 | (5) |
| 2003 | New York Power | 21 | (1) |
| 2005 | Ajax of Los Angeles | ||
| 2009 | Los Angeles Sol | 19 | (3) |
| 2010 | Saint Louis Athletica | 6 | (1) |
| 2010 | FC Gold Pride | 14 | (0) |
| 2011 | magicJack | 10 | (0) |
| 2013–2015 | Chicago Red Stars | 7 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2003–2015 | United States | 195 | (27) |
Medal record | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Boxx is the younger sister of Gillian Boxx, who won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics with the United States softball team.[6]
Boxx was diagnosed with lupus in 2007 when she was 30 years old, and went public with her diagnosis shortly before the 2012 London Olympics at which she won gold with the United States team.[7]
In 2020, Boxx joined the ownership group of Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League.[8]
In 2022, Boxx was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.[9]
Early life
editThe multiracial Boxx, whose biological father was Black, was raised by her white single mother in Southern California. In a 2008 interview, she remembered that she had little contact with her African American heritage until she went to Notre Dame:[10]
For me, I really learned about my other half. I took African American studies. I majored in it. I think that was one of the best things I could have ever done. My mom couldn't teach me those things. So I went and taught myself and learned those things when I was at Notre Dame.
Youth Club
editFrom U/12-U/18,[11] Boxx played for the Torrance United Waves Soccer Club, Torrance, California, and helped to lead them to 4 State Cup Championships and two trips to the USYSA National Championship Final Four in 1993 and 1994[12][13] at U/17 and U/19.
High school
editFrom 1991 to 1995, Boxx attended South Torrance High School, where she was a four-sport athlete, playing soccer, volleyball, softball and basketball. She was named to the Parade All-America team for girls' soccer in 1995.[14]
College
editBoxx played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 1995 to 1998. She helped the team win the school's first NCAA Women's Soccer Championship in 1995, beating defending champions North Carolina in the semifinal. Boxx was named to the All-Big East team in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and is tied for the most soccer games played for the Irish at 101 games.[14]
College statistics
edit| College | GP/GS | Goals | Assists | Total points | Win–loss–tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame 1995 | 25/21 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 21–2–2 |
| Notre Dame 1996 | 26/25 | 12 | 16 | 40 | 24–2–0 |
| Notre Dame 1997 | 25/25 | 13 | 17 | 43 | 23–1–1 |
| Notre Dame 1998 | 25/25 | 7 | 14 | 28 | 21–3–1 |
Professional career
edit1999–2000
editIn 1999, Boxx played for the Boston Renegades of the W-League, and then went to Germany to play for 1. FC Saarbrücken in the women's Bundesliga. However, she was unhappy and considered retiring from soccer.[15]
WUSA
editIn 2001, Women's United Soccer Association began play, and Boxx was drafted by the San Diego Spirit in the third round of the entry draft, with the 19th pick overall.[14]
In the 2001 season, Boxx started all 21 matches for the Spirit, missing 20 minutes of the entire season, and was named to the All-WUSA team.[15] However, her playing time was reduced the following season, and in September 2002, she was sent to the New York Power, in a six-player trade that gave San Diego the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, used to select Aly Wagner.[16]
With New York, Boxx returned to form, starting all 21 games, scoring once and assisting a career-high eight times, and was named to the 2003 All-WUSA squad.[17] Former women's national team coach and league commissioner Tony DiCicco called Boxx "the best in our league at (defensive midfield) – physical, strong, technical".[15]
| WUSA | GP/GS | MIN | Goals | Assists | Total points | Win–loss–tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Spirit 2001 | 21/21 | 1870 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 7–7–7 |
| San Diego Spirit 2002 | 20/15 | 1349 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5–11–5 |
| New York Power 2003 | 21/21 | 1868 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 7–9–5 |
WPS
edit
In 2009, Boxx signed to the Los Angeles Sol for the inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer and was named team captain. She started in 18 of the 19 matches she played for the Sol, scoring three goals with three assists. Boxx was named to the WPS First Team and played in the WPS All-Star Game. The Sol finished in first place during the regular season with a 12–3–5 record.[14]
In 2010, she was signed to the Saint Louis Athletica during the Los Angeles Sol dispersal draft.[18]
Later in the season after Saint Louis Athletica folded, she was traded to the FC Gold Pride.[19] Boxx helped the team win the WPS regular season title and championship. She started in 19 of the 20 games she played in, while scoring one goal and providing five assists. She was a WPS All-Star Game starter and received the fifth overall votes.[14]
For the 2011 WPS season, Boxx signed with magicJack and played 833 minutes in 10 games starting in them all. She helped the club make a run to the playoffs in the second half of the season and win the quarterfinal match against the Boston Breakers.[14]
NWSL
editIn 2013, she joined Chicago Red Stars in the new National Women's Soccer League. Due to injury Boxx played 2 matches in 2013, played in 5 matches in 2014 due to pregnancy and birth of her first child, and in 2015 played 4 times due World Cup duties. On July 27, 2015, Boxx announced retirement from NWSL and Red Stars effective immediately.[20]
International career
edit
Although Boxx was a member of the United States Under-21 national team pool, she did not receive her first senior cap until August 2003, when U.S. national team coach April Heinrichs named her to the team's 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, making her the first uncapped player to be named to a U.S. Women's World Cup squad.[17] Prior to the call-up, following the suspension of WUSA, Boxx had planned to take a coaching position at Cal State-Dominguez Hills and pursue a graduate degree at Pepperdine University.[17]
Boxx scored a goal in each of the two pre-World Cup friendlies, against Costa Rica and Mexico, and in the opening match of the World Cup against Sweden, Boxx became the first American woman to score three goals in her first three matches with the national team.[15]
Boxx started five matches at the Women's World Cup, scoring again against Canada in the third place match. She was voted the player of the match against Canada by the FIFA Technical Study Group, who said Boxx "seized control of the game, spurred on her team-mates and finally scored the decisive goal in USA's victory".[6]
Boxx started 31 of 32 national team matches she played in 2004, including all six matches at the 2004 Olympics, where she scored a goal, assisted on another and helped the team win a gold medal.[14] She scored eight goals over the course of the year, including a hat trick against Trinidad and Tobago in an Olympic qualifying match. Boxx came in seventh in the voting for the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award.
In 2005, Boxx started all nine matches US national team matches, playing all but 23 minutes of all matches played. She was a finalist for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year, coming in third behind Birgit Prinz and Marta.[21]
Boxx missed most of 2006, first for surgery to repair torn cartilage in her right hip, and then for torn medial collateral ligaments she suffered on her first day back in training with the national team.[22] She returned in 2007 after an eight-month layoff, and was named to the United States' squad for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. Boxx helped the team reach the semifinal match against Brazil, but she was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, and the United States went on to lose 4–0.[23] Boxx played every minute of all five U.S. games in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
In 2011, she played in all but one of the World Cup games, earning defensive team honors for her efforts throughout the tournament. During the World Cup final against Japan, which went to overtime penalty shoot-out, Boxx was one of the Americans elected to take one of the penalty kicks, and had her shot saved by Japan's goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori.[24]
| National team | GP/GS | MIN | Goals | Assists | Total points | Win–loss–tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 9/9 | 762 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 7–1–1 |
| 2004 | 32/31 | 2714 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 26–2–4 |
| 2005 | 9/9 | 733 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8–0–1 |
| 2006 | 9/9 | 793 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6–0–3 |
| 2007 | 10/8 | 623 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10–0–0 |
| 2008 | 33/33 | 2747 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 34–1–1 |
| 2009 | 8/7 | 614 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7–0–1 |
| 2010 | 18/18 | 1399 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 7–1–1 |
| 2011 | 17/17 | 1344 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 13–3–4 |
| 2012 | 27/23 | 1836 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 27–1–3 |
(*Correct as of December 15, 2012[update])
International goals
edit| Key (expand for notes on "international goals" and sorting) | |
|---|---|
| Location | Geographic location of the venue where the competition occurred Sorted by country name first, then by city name |
| Lineup | Start – played entire match on minute (off player) – substituted on at the minute indicated, and player was substituted off at the same time off minute (on player) – substituted off at the minute indicated, and player was substituted on at the same time |
| # | NumberOfGoals.goalNumber scored by the player in the match (alternate notation to Goal in match) |
| Min | The minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal. |
| Assist/pass | The ball was passed by the player, which assisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information. |
| penalty or pk | Goal scored on penalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.) |
| Score | The match score after the goal was scored. Sorted by goal difference, then by goal scored by the player's team |
| Result | The final score. Sorted by goal difference in the match, then by goal difference in penalty-shoot-out if it is taken, followed by goal scored by the player's team in the match, then by goal scored in the penalty-shoot-out. For matches with identical final scores, match ending in extra-time without penalty-shoot-out is a tougher match, therefore precede matches that ended in regulation |
| aet | The score at the end of extra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90' regulation |
| pso | Penalty-shoot-out score shown in parentheses; the match was tied at the end of extra-time |
| Light-purple background color – exhibition or closed door international friendly match | |
| Light-yellow background color – match at an invitational tournament | |
| Light-orange background color – Olympic women's football qualification match | |
| Orange background color – Olympic women's football tournament | |
| Blue background color – FIFA women's world cup final tournament | |
|
NOTE: some keys may not apply for a particular football player | |
In popular culture
editVideo games
editBoxx was featured along with her national teammates in the EA Sports' FIFA video game series in FIFA 16, the first time women players were included in the game.[25]
Ticker-tape parade and White House honor
editFollowing the United States' win at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Boxx and her teammates became the first women's sports team to be honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City.[26] Each player received a key to the city from Mayor Bill de Blasio.[27] In October of the same year, the team was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House.[28]
See also
edit
- List of footballers with 100 or more caps
- List of Olympic medalists in football
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
- List of 2004 Summer Olympics medal winners
- List of 2008 Summer Olympics medal winners
- All-time Los Angeles Sol roster
- All-time Saint Louis Athletica roster
References
edit- ^ "WNT Battles Back to Draw in First of Two Victory Tour Show Downs vs Brazil". United States Soccer Federation. Seattle. October 22, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 – List of Players: USA" (PDF). FIFA. July 6, 2015. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 8, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- ^ "Boxx, Shannon". Current Biography Yearbook 2011. Ipswich, Massachusetts: H. W. Wilson. 2011. pp. 73–76. ISBN 9780824211219.
- ^ "I'm Home". July 27, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ^ Bird, Liviu. "Shannon Boxx bids farewell as USWNT looks ahead to Rio with new players". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
- ^ a b "Shannon Boxx: USA's cool-headed heroine". FIFA.com. November 30, 2005. Archived from the original on January 17, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
- ^ "Olympic soccer player Shannon Boxx's battle with lupus". August 16, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
- ^ "Shannon Boxx". Angel City FC. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ "Clint Dempsey, Hope Solo, Shannon Boxx Headline the National Soccer Hall of Fame's 2022 Class | National Soccer Hall of Fame". Clint Dempsey, Hope Solo, Shannon Boxx Headline the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s 2022 Class | National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ "The Starting 11: Shannon Boxx". Women's Professional Soccer. January 30, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "US Soccer – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Archived from the original on July 17, 2008.
- ^ "East Region - State Sites | US Youth Soccer" (PDF).
- ^ "East Region - State Sites | US Youth Soccer" (PDF).
- ^ a b c d e f g "Shannon Boxx Biography". USsoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Longman, Jere (September 25, 2003). "SOCCER; Boxx Goes From Spectator to Steadfast Midfielder". New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
- ^ "San Diego selects Wagner first in WUSA draft". CNNSI.com. February 2, 2003. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
- ^ a b c Wyllie, John Philip (December 2003). "Outside the box: how U.S. midfielder Shannon Boxx, the oldest debutante in national team history, secured her post-WUSA career – Women's United Soccer Association – Interview". Soccer Digest. Archived from the original on October 21, 2004. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
- ^ "St. Louis Athletica Select Shannon Boxx With Top Pick in LA Sol Dispersal Draft". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
- ^ "WPS: Boxx returns to California, joins Gold Pride". ESPN. June 2, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
- ^ "CHICAGO AND U.S. STAR SHANNON BOXX RETIRES FROM NWSL PLAY; Legendary midfielder's national team career to end at conclusion of 2015". nwslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2015.
- ^ "Marta and Boxx toast a fantastic year". FIFA.com. December 20, 2005. Archived from the original on January 13, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
- ^ Ruibal, Sal (August 24, 2007). "USA's Boxx looking like the player of old". USA Today. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
- ^ Ruibal, Sal (September 27, 2007). "Goalie switch fails to work as USA falls to Brazil". USA Today. Retrieved January 26, 2008.
- ^ "United States lose to Japan in penalties 3–1". Fox Sports. Associated Press. July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ^ Barnes, Katie (September 28, 2015). "Why 'FIFA 16' is a Landmark for Women". ESPN. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ "U.S. women celebrate World Cup with ticker-tape parade in New York City". USA Today. July 11, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ "Team USA parades NYC's "Canyon of Heroes"". CBS News. July 10, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Wagner, Laura (October 27, 2015). "Obama To U.S. Women's Soccer Team: 'Playing Like A Girl Means You're A Badass'". NPR. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- Match reports
- ^ "U.S. Rolls Past Costa Rica 5–0 on Road to Women's World Cup". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012.
- ^ "Five Different Players Score as U.S. Tops Mexico, 5–0, in Final Pre-Cup Match". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012.
- ^ "Hamm's Three Assists Lead U.S. Past Sweden in Opener". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Downs Canada, 3–1, to Take Third Place in FIFA Women's World Cup". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012.
- ^ "Tarpley Scores Two as WNT Downs Sweden 3–0 in Opener of Four Nations Tournament in China on Friday". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. WNT Dominate Trinidad and Tobago 7–0". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. WNT Defeat Costa Rica 4–0 to Qualify for 2004 Olympics". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women Defeat Australia, 3–1, as Mia Hamm Scores 150th Career Goal". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Olympic Women's Soccer Team Downs Greece 3–0 in Opening Match of Olympics". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012.
- ^ "Hamm, Foudy Close Careers With 5–0 Victory Over Mexico". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012.
- ^ "Fotopoulos Scores Twice as U.S. Women Defeat Iceland, 3–0". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012.
- ^ "Lilly Earns 300th Cap as U.S. Women Defeat Norway, 3–1, to Open Four Nations Tournament". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women Defeat Japan, 4–1, at Spartan Stadium in San Jose". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women Defeat Finland, 4–0, at The Home Depot Center; U.S. Finish Domestic Schedule Undefeated and Now Head To The 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women Score Three Times in 13 Minutes During Second Half to Blow Open Quarterfinal and Defeat England, 3–0, to Advance to Semifinal of 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. WNT Wins 2008 Four Nations Tournament With 1–0 Victory Against China". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012.
- ^ "Sweden Edges U.S. Women on Penalties in Algarve Final". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women Score Twice In Each Half to Defeat Canada 4–0 at BMO Field in Toronto". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013.
- ^ "USA Defeats Mexico 3–0 in First Domestic Match of 2010". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women Put Four Past Finland in Group A Finale". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012.
- ^ "Carli Lloyd, Shannon Boxx and Amy Rodriguez Score as the U.S. Women's National Team Downs Brazil 3–0 in Chiba, Japan". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Comes Back to Defeat Australia 2–1 at The Home Depot Center". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Provides Head Coach Pia Sundhage with 6–2 Victory in Final Match in Charge". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Women's National Team Begin Year with 4–1 Win against Scotland". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on February 14, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. WNT Opens the 2013 Algarve Cup with 3–0 Win Against Iceland". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013.
External links
edit
- Official website
- Shannon Boxx – FIFA competition record (archived)
- US Soccer player profile
- Notre Dame player profile
- Los Angeles Sol player profile
- Chicago Red Stars player profile Archived June 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine