Arin Wright

Arin Hadley Wright (born Arin Hadley Walton Gilliland; December 25, 1992) is an American soccer player who currently plays for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women's Soccer League.[2] Wright was also recently loaned to Australian club Newcastle Jets for the 2018–19 W-League season.

Arin Wright
Gilliland with Chicago Red Stars in 2016
Personal information
Full name Arin Hadley Wright
Birth name Arin Hadley Walton Gilliland[1]
Date of birth (1992-12-25) December 25, 1992
Place of birth Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Chicago Red Stars
Number 3
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Kentucky Wildcats (30)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
–2014 Ottawa Fury
2015– Chicago Red Stars 75 (0)
2016–2019 → Newcastle Jets (loan) 22 (10)
International career
2011 United States U20
2013–2014 United States U23
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 28, 2018

Gilliland played her collegiate soccer for Kentucky Wildcats. On January 16, 2015, the Chicago Red Stars selected Gilliland as the eighth overall pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft.

College

In 2014, while at Kentucky, Gilliland was awarded the Honda Inspiration Award which is given to a collegiate athlete "who has overcome hardship and was able to return to play at the collegiate level".[3] She overcame a serious injury and the loss of her mother to cancer as a freshman, but rebounded to become one of the top soccer players in the country.[4][5][6][7]

Club career

Youth career

Arin Gilliland attended and played for West Jessamine High School where she was named All-American, as well as Kentucky's Miss Soccer.[8] Gilliland played club soccer for Ohio Elite. In 2007 was named second team All-State, and in 2008 was named Underclassman Athlete of the Year of Jessamine County, and Academic First Team Region 14. In 2009 was named Central Kentucky Soccer Conference Most Valuable Player. Gilliland was named to Kentucky First team All-State in 2009 and 2010.[1]

Kentucky Wildcats

Gilliland played for Kentucky Wildcats from 2011 to 2014 during which she was named First Team All-American, ESPNW Female Athlete of the Year finalist, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-SEC, 2014 HONDA Award winner,[9] and MAC Hermann Award finalist.[1] During her four years playing for Wildcats Gilliland played over 7,000 minutes, scored 30 goals and provided 25 assists. Gilliland set a new Wildcat record of eight career game-winning goals.[10]

Chicago Red Stars

Gilliland was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft by the Chicago Red Stars. The Red Stars had acquired the pick along with an international roster spot for the 2014 and 2015 seasons from FC Kansas City in exchange for defender Amy LePeilbet.[11] In her first season, Gilliland played 19 games for the Red Stars, starting in 17, for a total of 1533 minutes and provided 2 assists.

In 2016, she was named to the NWSL Best XI for the season and nominated for the Defender of the Year award.[12]

In 2017, Wright appeared in all 24 regular season matches for the Red Stars and their single post-season appearance. Wright started in 24 of those games, resulting in a combined total of 2,130 minutes on the field and 4 assists.[12]

Loan to Newcastle Jets

On November 1, 2016, Gilliland joined Newcastle Jets on loan.[13] In October 2017 she extended her loan for another season.[14]

On November 26, 2018, Wright returned to Newcastle for the remainder of the 2018-19 W-League season, marking her third consecutive year with the team.[15]

International career

Arin Gilliland competed with United States youth national teams at various age-groups:under-15,[16] under-18,[17] under-20,[18] under-23,[19] Gilliland received her first international call up to the senior team on October 6, 2016.[20][21] Wright's call-up marks the first time a University of Kentucky player has been chosen to play for the USWNT.[22]

Personal

Arin Wright is the daughter of Letita (née Walton) and Bruce Gilliland, and has a sibling Saylor.[1] Her mother had great influence on her soccer career.[8] She married her husband Evan Wright in October 2018.[23] In October 2019, the two announced they were expecting a baby in April 2020.[24]

References
  1. "Bio for Arin Gilliland". ukathletics.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  2. "Arin Gilliland". worldfootball.net. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  3. "Arin Gilliland of Kentucky Named Honda Inspiration Award Winner". CWSA. May 30, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  4. "Arin Gilliland of Kentucky Named Honda Inspiration Award Winner". CWSA. May 30, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  5. "Arin Gilliland to Receive Honda Inspiration Award". www.secsports.com. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  6. "Awards Overview". CWSA. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  7. "Past Inspiration Award Winners". CWSA. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  8. "Shine in the Moment: Kentucky's Arin Gilliland". secsports.com. 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  9. "Arin Gilliland to receive 2014 Honda Inspiration Award". wkyt.com.
  10. "Arin Gilliland Drafted By Chicago Red Stars in NWSL Draft". ukathletics.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  11. "Equalizer Soccer – Red Stars trade LePeilbet to FC Kansas City". equalizersoccer.com. March 31, 2014.
  12. "Danielle Colaprico, Yuki Nagasato, and Arin Wright re-sign with Chicago". March 2, 2019. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  13. Parris, Michael (November 1, 2016). "Newcastle Jets sign Chicago Red Stars defender Arin Gilliland for W-League campaign". The Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on September 27, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  14. Kerry, Craig (October 23, 2017). "W-League: Newcastle Jets' US quartet in town ahead of season start against Wanderers". The Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  15. "Confirmed: American maestro returns to Newcastle". November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  16. "U.S. U-15 Girls Fall to Region II 92s at Thanksgiving Interregional Tournament". USSoccer.com. December 1, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  17. "U.S. U-18 WNT Win First Match in La Manga, Spain 3–1 against Sweden". USSoccer.com. March 1, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  18. "U.S. U-20 WNT Finish La Manga Ten Nations Tournament with 2–0 Victory against Norway". USSoccer.com. March 8, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  19. "U.S. U-23 WNT Wins Six Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain with 2–1 Victory Against Norway". USSoccer.com. March 5, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  20. "ELLIS NAMES 24 PLAYERS FOR USA MATCHES VS. SWITZERLAND". Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  21. "Five Red Stars Named for U.S. WNT Camp". Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  22. "Dream: Achieved! Arin Gilliland Called up to United States Women's National Team". ukathletics.com. October 6, 2016. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  23. "Mr. & Mrs. Wright". Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  24. "Arin Wright {gilliland} on Instagram: "For those that were speculating .... you were "Wright" 🤰👼🏼🍼 . Coming April 2020 . It's been hard not being able to play the remainder of…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
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