# Emily Sonnett
**Emily Sonnett** (full name Emily Ann Sonnett, born 1993) is an American professional soccer defender for Gotham FC of the [National Women's Soccer League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-womens-soccer-league) (NWSL) and a veteran of the United States women's national team (USWNT), with whom she won the 2019 [FIFA Women's World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-womens-world-cup), a 2021 Olympic bronze medal, and the 2024 Olympic gold medal[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett). A native of [Marietta, Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/marietta-georgia), she was the first overall pick of the 2016 NWSL College Draft and is the only player in NWSL history to win a league championship with three different clubs[2](https://virginiasports.com/news/2016/01/15/three-cavaliers-taken-in-nwsl-draft) • [3](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993, Marietta, Georgia; height 5' 7"[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett) |
| Position | Defender; plays center back for club and outside back for the national team[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett) |
| USWNT totals | 118 appearances, 2 goals, 7 assists; first cap October 25, 2015 vs. Brazil[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett) |
| International honors | 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup champion; 2024 Olympic gold medalist; 2021 Olympic bronze medalist[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett) |
| Draft | No. 1 pick of the 2016 NWSL College Draft, by Portland Thorns FC[2](https://virginiasports.com/news/2016/01/15/three-cavaliers-taken-in-nwsl-draft) |
| Championship clubs | Portland Thorns, Washington Spirit (2021), and Gotham FC (2025) league titles[3](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season) |
| Current status | Underwent surgery in July 2026 for a ruptured left patellar tendon; ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season[3](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season) |
## College career at Virginia
Sonnett played four seasons of college soccer at the [University of Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-virginia), anchoring a back line that produced 15 shutouts in her senior season, including 14 shutout victories. Virginia allowed only 12 goals that year for a 0.50 goals-against average and gave up an average of only six shots per game. She was named [Atlantic Coast Conference](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlantic-coast-conference) (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year, was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, the sport's national player-of-the-year award, and was an All-ACC first team selection[2](https://virginiasports.com/news/2016/01/15/three-cavaliers-taken-in-nwsl-draft).
Virginia finished that 2015 season 19-1-3 and won the ACC regular-season championship with a 9-1 conference record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals[2](https://virginiasports.com/news/2016/01/15/three-cavaliers-taken-in-nwsl-draft). She graduated from Virginia in 2015 with a degree in [Sociology](https://www.edgepedia.org/sociology)[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett). When [Portland Thorns FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-thorns-fc) selected her with the first pick of the January 2016 draft, it was the second consecutive season a Virginia player went first overall, and the third straight year the top pick came from the ACC[2](https://virginiasports.com/news/2016/01/15/three-cavaliers-taken-in-nwsl-draft).
## NWSL career
**Portland Thorns.** Over four seasons in Portland, Sonnett appeared in 72 regular-season games, starting all but one, with six goals and two assists[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett). The Thorns won the league championship in her second season[5](https://as.com/us/2019/01/10/futbol/1547149269_897119.html), and in 2018 she made 22 appearances as Portland reached the NWSL final for the second year in a row, losing to the North Carolina Courage[5](https://as.com/us/2019/01/10/futbol/1547149269_897119.html). In 2017 she also played on loan to [Sydney FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/sydney-fc) in Australia, helping the team reach the Grand Final[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett).
**Washington Spirit.** In her first year with the Spirit in 2021, she played 1,263 minutes in 15 matches with 14 starts. Her play in the back was credited as a major reason the Spirit finished third in the league despite two COVID-related forfeits and then won three playoff games to take the club's first championship[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett).
**Gotham FC.** Sonnett signed as a free agent on January 4, 2024, joining NJ/NY Gotham FC from her previous club, Seattle Reign FC[4](https://images.nwslsoccer.com/image/private/t_q-good/prd/ffqxlnqw59rmvg05hlrl.pdf). Through the 2026 season she made 64 appearances for Gotham and won three trophies with the club: the 2025 [NWSL Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/nwsl-championship), the 2025 Concacaf W Champions Cup, and the 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup[3](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season). With those titles, Gotham FC describes her as the only player in NWSL history to win a league championship with three different clubs[3](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season). She has been recognized three times as an all-league defender, including selection to the 2025 NWSL Second XI[3](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season), and played every minute of Gotham's 2025 NWSL regular season[6](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fcs-emily-sonnett-named-to-us-womens-national-team-roster).
**2026 injury.** In July 2026, Sonnett suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in her left knee early in the first half of a 2-2 draw at Portland's Providence Park and underwent surgery. Gotham FC confirmed on July 31, 2026 that she would miss the remainder of the season; at that point she was 32 years old[3](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season).
## United States national team
Sonnett earned her first cap on October 25, 2015, against Brazil in [Orlando, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/orlando-florida)[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett). Her value to the team has rested on positional flexibility: U.S. Soccer notes that she has played several positions on the back line across a decade of service, appearing at outside back for the national team while featuring at center back for her club[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett).
At the 2019 Women's World Cup in France, she played in one match, coming on at the end of the USA's second Group F game against Chile as the team won the tournament[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett). She made her first Olympic team in 2021 and played three matches in Japan, earning a bronze medal, and returned for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the United States won gold[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett) • [7](https://time.com/6992172/uswnt-roster-2024-alex-morgan/). She was one of only two defenders on the 2024 squad, alongside Tierna Davidson, returning from a previous Olympics, on a roster whose 18 players averaged 26.8 years of age[7](https://time.com/6992172/uswnt-roster-2024-alex-morgan/).
Her first international goal came late in her career by the standards of field players. On July 14, 2022, at the Concacaf Women's Championship in [Monterrey](https://www.edgepedia.org/monterrey), Mexico, she scored against [Costa Rica](https://www.edgepedia.org/costa-rica) in the 34th minute, in her 69th cap; U.S. Soccer notes that only Kate Markgraf, who needed 193 caps, waited longer before scoring a first USWNT goal[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett). The previous match, a full 90 minutes against Mexico in the same tournament, saw her head a ball on frame in the 89th minute that led to [Kristie Mewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/kristie-mewis) scoring the game-winner[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett).
## Personal life
Sonnett's twin sister Emma played soccer at the [University of Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-georgia)[1](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett). She is known as a fan of Atlanta food spots, telling Axios before the 2024 Olympics that the Marietta native's favorite local stops are the coffee shop Muchacho on the Beltline and [Waffle House](https://www.edgepedia.org/waffle-house)[8](https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2024/07/12/emily-sonnett-olympic-soccers-favorite-atlanta-places).
## References
1. [Emily Sonnett, USWNT profile, U.S. Soccer](https://www.ussoccer.com/players/s/emily-sonnett)
2. [Three Cavaliers Taken In NWSL Draft, Virginia Cavaliers Official Athletic Site (January 14, 2016)](https://virginiasports.com/news/2016/01/15/three-cavaliers-taken-in-nwsl-draft)
3. [Gotham FC Defender Emily Sonnett Ruled Out for Season, Gotham FC (July 31, 2026)](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fc-defender-emily-sonnett-ruled-out-for-season)
4. [Emily Sonnett NWSL player card, NWSL](https://images.nwslsoccer.com/image/private/t_q-good/prd/ffqxlnqw59rmvg05hlrl.pdf)
5. [¿Qué fue de las 6 jugadoras elegidas pick 1 de la NWSL?, AS (in Spanish)](https://as.com/us/2019/01/10/futbol/1547149269_897119.html)
6. [Gotham FC's Emily Sonnett Named to U.S. Women's National Team Roster, Gotham FC (May 20, 2025)](https://www.gothamfc.com/news/gotham-fcs-emily-sonnett-named-to-us-womens-national-team-roster)
7. [Why Alex Morgan Was Left Off the 2024 Olympic Roster, TIME (June 26, 2024)](https://time.com/6992172/uswnt-roster-2024-alex-morgan/)
8. [Where Olympian Emily Sonnett goes: Muchacho and Waffle House, Axios Atlanta (July 12, 2024)](https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2024/07/12/emily-sonnett-olympic-soccers-favorite-atlanta-places)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Women's footballers › Surnames M to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license