Sam Coffey

Chosen as Thorns captain for 2025, Sam Coffey’s experience and ability to command the midfield is invaluable for Portland as she continues to establish herself as one of the best players in Thorns, NWSL and USWNT history.

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A second-round draft pick in the 2021 NWSL College Draft, Coffey chose to finish out her collegiate career before inking her first professional contract with the Thorns ahead of the 2022 season. Anchoring the midfield, Coffey could not have asked for a better rookie season; she helped the Thorns lift its historic third NWSL Championship and was a finalist for the 2022 NWSL Rookie of the Year. She also received NWSL Best XI First Team honors her rookie year and would do so again in 2023.

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Her impressive rookie season landed her a spot on the U.S. Women’s National Team, and she has since become a consistent call-up for the USWNT. With 28 caps and counting (plus a goal and two assists), Coffey has helped the U.S. win the following: gold at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, 2024 SheBelieves Cup and 2022 CONCACAF W Championship.

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Coffey played collegiate soccer at Boston College (2017-18) and Penn State (2019-21), helping the latter secure three consecutive NCAA DI Tournament appearances between 2019 and 2021. Winning the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2019, her collegiate honors also include being a 2018 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and 2018 (ACC) and 2020 (Big Ten) Midfielder of the Year as well as becoming the 50^th player in NCAA DI history to tally 40 goals and assists.

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