Bethany Balcer
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Bethany Catherine Balcer[1] | ||
Date of birth | March 7, 1997 | ||
Place of birth | Hudsonville, Michigan, United States | ||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
Position(s) |
Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Seattle Reign FC[a] | ||
Number | 8 | ||
Youth career | |||
Michigan Fire Juniors | |||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2015–2018 | Spring Arbor Cougars | 98 | (129) |
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2017 |
Grand Rapids FC | 12 | (19) |
2018 |
Seattle Sounders Women | ||
2019– | Seattle Reign FC | 88 | (28) |
International career‡ | |||
2019 | United States U23 | 2 | |
2021– | United States | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 11, 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 26, 2021 |
Bethany Catherine Balcer (born March 7, 1997) is an American professional
Balcer played collegiate soccer at
Early life
Balcer grew up in Hudsonville, Michigan and attended Unity Christian High School, where she played varsity soccer and basketball.[4] She is the fourth of five children.
Collegiate career
Balcer attended Spring Arbor University from 2015 to 2019, where she was a four-year starter on its varsity soccer team.[5] The Cougars advanced to the NAIA Final Four every year and won two national titles with Balcer on the team.
While in college, Balcer played as an amateur with senior teams over the summer. She led
Club career
Seattle Reign FC, 2019–
Balcer was invited to the
In the 2024 NWSL season opener, Balcer converted a penalty in the third minute for a 1–0 victory against Washington Spirit.[11]
International career
Balcer received her first call-up to the United States women's national soccer team in December 2019.[12] She made her international debut on November 26, 2021, against Australia.[13][14] She was previously a member of the United States women's national under-23 soccer team.[15]
Personal life
Balcer is a Christian.[16]
Her brother Nicholas is a soccer referee
Career statistics
Club
- As of November 11, 2023
Club | Season | League | Cup[b] | Playoffs[c] | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Seattle Reign FC[a] | 2019 | NWSL | 24 | 6 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 6 | ||
2020 | — | 5 | 1 | — | 4[d] | 2 | 9 | 3 | ||||
2021 | 23 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 9 | |||
2022 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 9 | |||
2023 | 22 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 7 | |||
Career total | 88 | 28 | 19 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 117 | 34 |
- ^ a b Seattle Reign FC was named Reign FC in 2019 and OL Reign from 2020–2023
- ^ Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup
- ^ Includes NWSL Playoffs
- ^ NWSL Fall Series
International
- As of match played November 26, 2021
National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
United States | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 1 | 0 |
Honors
OL Reign
Individual
- NWSL Rookie of the Year: 2019[22]
- NWSL Players' Rookie of the Year: 2019[22]
- NWSL Second XI: 2019[23]
- NWSL Player of the Week: 2021: Weeks 12,[24] 16[25]
References
- ^ "National team roster – 2022 Concacaf W Championship: USA" (PDF). CONCACAF. June 8, 2022. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
- ^ a b "Balcer Joins Reign FC for Preseason Camp". Spring Arbor Cougars. March 7, 2019. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ a b "Reign FC Announce Signing of Forward Bethany Balcer". Reign FC. April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Balcer to Bring Attacking Skills to Lady Cougars in 2015". Spring Arbor Cougars. January 24, 2014. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Bethany Balcer". Spring Arbor Cougars. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Balcer seizing opportunity with Seattle Sounders Women". Spring Arbor Cougars. June 12, 2018. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Balcer signs professional contract with NWSL's Reign FC". Spring Arbor Cougars. April 14, 2019. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ Henderson, Chris. "Pretty sure Francis Marion was still DI when Salem was there. Didn't even consider figuring in Canadian colleges (Robinson). Forgot all about Cordner and Pires". Twitter. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ Cristobal, Jacob (April 14, 2019). "Reign FC open season with a draw at Houston Dash". Sounder at Heart. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ VanDyke, Josh (April 22, 2019). "Bethany Balcer steps in for Olympian and scores first goal with Reign FC". MLive.com. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "Reign score quickly in season opener, make it stand up vs. Spirit". The Seattle Times. March 17, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ "ANDONOVSKI NAMES 24-PLAYER ROSTER FOR U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM DECEMBER IDENTIFICATION TRAINING CAMP IN FLORIDA". US Soccer. November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
- ^ "Australia vs United States". US Soccer. November 26, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
- ^ "Australia vs USWNT Match Report". US Soccer. November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
- ^ VanDyke, Josh (August 21, 2019). "Bethany Balcer named to U.S. U-23 Women's National Team". MLive.com. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ Pentz, Matt (June 30, 2020). "Bethany Balcer's NWSL journey of faith, acceptance and seizing opportunities". The Athletic. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
- ^ Padilla, Lenny (December 6, 2017). "Bethany Balcer earns National Soccer Player of the Year for second time". mLive. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ "PRO2 Assistant Referees". PRO Referees. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ "Soccer Box Score (Final) 2023 NCAA Women's College Cup Clemson vs. Florida St" (PDF). Clemson Tigers. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ Azzi, Alex (October 2, 2022). "OL Reign wins 2022 NWSL Shield, Gotham denies Thorns". NBC Sports. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ^ "OL Reign Claim 2022 Women's Cup Title with 2–1 Win over Louisville". King 5. August 20, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ^ a b Yoesting, Travis (September 22, 2021). "Bethany's Burritos: Balcer Details Her Insulting Reward For Winning 2019 NWSL Rookie Of The Year". The 18. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
- ^ "Balcer, Barnes, and Rapinoe Named to NWSL Second XI". OL Reign. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
- ^ "Budweiser Player of the Week | Bethany Balcer, OL Reign, Week 12". National Women's Soccer League. August 12, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Bethany Balcer Named NWSL Player of the Week". Just Women's Sports. August 13, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
External links
- Bethany Balcer at the National Women's Soccer League
- Bethany Balcer at Seattle Reign FC
- Bethany Balcer at Spring Arbor Cougars (archived)