Ashlyn Harris

Ashlyn Michelle Harris (born October 19, 1985) is an American soccer player for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States women's national soccer team. She made her debut for the senior national team on March 11, 2013 and was a member of the championship–winning team at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada and at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

Harris played college soccer for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and helped the team win three NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championships. Professionally, Harris has played for the Saint Louis Athletica, Washington Freedom, and Western New York Flash of Women's Professional Soccer as well as FCR 2001 Duisburg of Bundesliga (women) in Germany and Tyresö FF of the Swedish Damallsvenskan. She has played for the Orlando Pride since 2016.

Early life
Born to Tammye and Mike Harris in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Ashlyn was raised with her older brother, Chris. Growing up, she looked up to her brother and frequently joined him and his friends skateboarding and surfing. Until the age of 14, she played club soccer with the boys teams. She first played for the Palm Bay Rangers and South Brevard United before playing for the Seminole Ice girls team. In 2003, Harris won the state championship with the U-17 Indialantic Force.

Harris attended Satellite High School in Satellite Beach, where she played soccer under coach Fitzgerald Haig. Harris helped the team win state championship titles her sophomore and junior year in 2002 and 2003. Following her senior season, Harris was named the nation's number one recruit by Soccer America. She was then named 2004 Gatorade Player of the Year and 2004 NSCAA Player of the Year. At the end of her high school career, Harris was a four-time Parade Magazine All-American, a four-time NSCAA Youth All-American, and a McDonald's All-American. She was the first female to be named to four consecutive Parade All-American soccer teams. She was named Florida Player of the Year for her last two years at Satellite High School. Harris also made All-Conference, All-District, and All-States teams for all fours years. In her 65 career games at Satellite High School, she recorded 50 shutouts and had 0.29 goals against average. She graduated in May 2004 with a 3.8 GPA.

Video games
Harris 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.

Honors
Following the United States' win at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Harris and her teammates became the first women's sports team to be honored with a Ticker Tape Parade in New York City. Each player received a key to the city from Mayor Bill de Blasio. In October of the same year, the team was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House.

Personal life
Off the field, Harris is known for her distinct sense of style and extensive tattoos and has professed to interests in fashion, music, surfing, and skateboarding. In August 2017, it was announced that she had signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Umbro as its first female brand ambassador. In its announcement of the endorsement, the brand noted that the deal would "usher in a new era for the modern consumer focused on on-field and off-field apparel" and that Harris had been involved in styling her first marketing shoot with the brand. Harris had previously been sponsored by Nike.

In December 2016, Harris and national team coach Jill Ellis travelled to Liberia as part of the U.S. State Department's Sports Envoy program. In addition to participating in meetings with government officials in support of women's sports, Harris and Ellis worked closely with students at the Monrovia Football Academy. While Harris does not have formal coaching experience, she has led goalkeeper training sessions in conjunction with Orlando Pride teammate Ali Krieger's youth camps.

Harris has been in a relationship with Ali Krieger (a woman) since 2010. In March 2019 They announced their engagement via People Magazine. The two got married on December 28, 2019 in Miami. Megan Rapinoe, who played a role in the couple's coming out, served as Harris's maid of honor.