Shannon Boxx
Encyclopedia
Shannon Boxx is an American
soccer midfielder
currently playing for magicJack
of Women's Professional Soccer
and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team
.
She won the Gold Medal with the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics
, and played for the US at the 2003 and 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup
. She was a finalist for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year award, and won an NCAA Women's Soccer Championship
with Notre Dame
in 1995.
Boxx is the younger sister of Gillian Boxx
, who won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics
with the United States softball team.
Boxx, whose biological father was black
, was raised by her white
single mother in Southern California. In a 2008 interview, she remembered that she had little contact with her African American heritage until she went to Notre Dame
:
and helped to lead them to 4 State Cup Championships and two trips to the USYSA National Championship Final Four in 1993 & 1994 at U/17 and U/19.
in Torrance, California
, where she was a four-sport athlete, playing soccer, volleyball, softball, and basketball. She was named to the Parade
All-America team for girls' soccer in 1995.
from 1995 to 1998.
She helped the Fighting Irish win the school's first NCAA Women's Soccer Championship
in 1995, beating defending champions North Carolina
in the semifinal. Boxx was named to the All-Big East
team in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and is tied for the most soccer games played for the Irish at 101 games.
of the W-League
, and then went to Germany to play for 1. FC Saarbrücken
in the women's Bundesliga
. However, she was unhappy and considered retiring from soccer.
began play, and Boxx was drafted by the San Diego Spirit
in the third round of the entry draft, with the 19th pick overall.
In the 2001 season, Boxx started all 21 matches for the Spirit, missing 20 minutes of the entire season, and was named to the All-WUSA team. However, her playing time was reduced the following season, and in September 2002, she was sent to the New York Power
, in a six-player trade that gave San Diego the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, used to select Aly Wagner
.
With New York, Boxx returned to form, starting all 21 games, scoring once and assisting a career-high eight times, and was named to the 2003 All-WUSA squad. Former women's national team
coach and league commissioner Tony DiCicco
called Boxx "the best in our league at (defensive midfield) -- physical, strong, technical".
coach April Heinrichs named her to the team's 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, making her the first uncapped player to be named to a U.S. Women's World Cup squad. Prior to the call-up, following the suspension of WUSA
, Boxx had planned to take a coaching position at Cal State-Dominguez Hills
and pursue a graduate degree at Pepperdine University
.
Boxx scored a goal in each of the two pre-World Cup friendlies, against Costa Rica
and Mexico
, and in the opening match of the World Cup against Sweden
, Boxx became the first American woman to score three goals in her first three matches with the national team.
Boxx started five matches at the Women's World Cup, scoring again against Canada
in the third place match. She was voted the player of the match against Canada by the FIFA Technical Study Group, who said Boxx "seized control of the game, spurred on her team-mates and finally scored the decisive goal in USA's victory".
Boxx started 31 of 32 national team matches she played in 2004, including all six matches at the 2004 Olympics
, where she scored a goal, assisted on another and helped the team win a Gold Medal. She scored eight goals over the course of the year, including a hat trick against Trinidad and Tobago
in an Olympic qualifying match. Boxx came in seventh in the voting for the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award.
In 2005, Boxx started all nine matches US national team matches, playing all but 23 minutes of all matches played. She was a finalist for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year, coming in third behind Birgit Prinz
and Marta.
Boxx missed most of 2006, first for surgery to repair torn cartilage in her right hip, and then for torn medial collateral ligament
s she suffered on her first day back in training with the national team. She returned in 2007 after an eight-month layoff, and was named to the United States' squad for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. Boxx helped the team reach the semifinal match against Brazil
, but she was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, and the United States went on to lose 4-0.
Boxx played every minute of all five U.S. games in the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing.
(*Correct )
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
currently playing for magicJack
MagicJack (WPS)
MagicJack was an American professional soccer club based in Boca Raton, Florida. The team competed in Women's Professional Soccer. MagicJack was originally founded in 2001 as the Washington Freedom of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association. In 2011, the team relocated to Boca Raton, Florida...
of Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
.
She won the Gold Medal with the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, and played for the US at the 2003 and 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
. She was a finalist for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year award, and won an NCAA Women's Soccer Championship
NCAA Women's Soccer Championship
NCAA Women's Soccer Championships are divided into three divisions. This article lists NCAA Women's soccer championships.-Division I:The NCAA began conducting a Women's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1982 with a 12-team tournament...
with Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
in 1995.
Boxx is the younger sister of Gillian Boxx
Gillian Boxx
Gillian Boxx won an Olympic gold medal as a catcher on the United States women's national softball team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA...
, who won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics
Softball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Softball made its first appearance as an official medal sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics. The competition was held at historic Golden Park in Columbus, Georgia. Final results for the Softball competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics:-Medal summary:...
with the United States softball team.
Early life
The multiracialMultiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
Boxx, whose biological father was black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, was raised by her white
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
single mother in Southern California. In a 2008 interview, she remembered that she had little contact with her African American heritage until she went to Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
:
Youth Club
From U/12-U/18 played for the Torrance United Waves Soccer Club, Torrance, CaliforniaTorrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
and helped to lead them to 4 State Cup Championships and two trips to the USYSA National Championship Final Four in 1993 & 1994 at U/17 and U/19.
High school
From 1991 to 1995, Boxx attended South Torrance High SchoolSouth High School (Torrance)
South High School is a public high school in Torrance, California. It is one of five high schools in the Torrance Unified School District.-History:...
in Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
, where she was a four-sport athlete, playing soccer, volleyball, softball, and basketball. She was named to the Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
All-America team for girls' soccer in 1995.
College
Boxx played for the University of Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
from 1995 to 1998.
She helped the Fighting Irish win the school's first NCAA Women's Soccer Championship
NCAA Women's Soccer Championship
NCAA Women's Soccer Championships are divided into three divisions. This article lists NCAA Women's soccer championships.-Division I:The NCAA began conducting a Women's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1982 with a 12-team tournament...
in 1995, beating defending champions North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...
in the semifinal. Boxx was named to the All-Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
team in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and is tied for the most soccer games played for the Irish at 101 games.
College statistics
| College | GP/GS | Goals | Assists | Total Points | Win-Loss-Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame 1995 | 25/21 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 21-2-2 |
| Notre Dame 1996 | 26/25 | 12 | 16 | 40 | 24-2-0 |
| Notre Dame 1997 | 25/25 | 13 | 17 | 43 | 23-1-1 |
| Notre Dame 1998 | 25/25 | 7 | 14 | 28 | 21-3-1 |
1999-2000
In 1999, Boxx played for the Boston RenegadesBoston Renegades
Boston Renegades was an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2003. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team plays in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference...
of the W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
, and then went to Germany to play for 1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903...
in the women's Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga (women)
The Women's Football Bundesliga is the main league competition for women's football in Germany. In 1990 the German Football Association created the German Women's Bundesliga, based on the model of the men's Bundesliga. It was first played with north and south divisions, but in 1997 the groups...
. However, she was unhappy and considered retiring from soccer.
WUSA
In 2001, Women's United Soccer AssociationWomen's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
began play, and Boxx was drafted by the San Diego Spirit
San Diego Spirit
The San Diego Spirit was a professional soccer team that played in the Women's United Soccer Association. The team played at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego in San Diego, California. The team began play in 2001...
in the third round of the entry draft, with the 19th pick overall.
In the 2001 season, Boxx started all 21 matches for the Spirit, missing 20 minutes of the entire season, and was named to the All-WUSA team. However, her playing time was reduced the following season, and in September 2002, she was sent to the New York Power
New York Power
The New York Power was a professional soccer team that played in the Women's United Soccer Association. The team played at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, New York. The team began play in 2001...
, in a six-player trade that gave San Diego the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, used to select Aly Wagner
Aly Wagner
Alyson Kay "Aly" Wagner is a former American soccer midfielder who last played for Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer. She was a member of the United States women's national soccer team...
.
With New York, Boxx returned to form, starting all 21 games, scoring once and assisting a career-high eight times, and was named to the 2003 All-WUSA squad. Former women's national team
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
coach and league commissioner Tony DiCicco
Tony DiCicco
Tony DiCicco is an American soccer player, coach, and commentator. He is best known as the coach of the United States women's national soccer team from 1994 to 1999, during which time the team won an Olympic gold medal in 1996 and the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.In 1970, DiCicco graduated from...
called Boxx "the best in our league at (defensive midfield) -- physical, strong, technical".
| WUSA | GP/GS | MIN | Goals | Assists | Total Points | Win-Loss-Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Spirit 2001 | 21/21 | 1870 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 7-7-7 |
| San Diego Spirit 2002 | 20/15 | 1349 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5-11-5 |
| New York Power 2003 | 21/21 | 1868 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 7-9-5 |
International career
Although Boxx was a member of the United States Under-21 national team pool, she did not receive her first senior cap until August 2003, when U.S. national teamUnited States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
coach April Heinrichs named her to the team's 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, making her the first uncapped player to be named to a U.S. Women's World Cup squad. Prior to the call-up, following the suspension of WUSA
Women's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
, Boxx had planned to take a coaching position at Cal State-Dominguez Hills
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, Dominguez Hills is a public university located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County and was founded in 1960...
and pursue a graduate degree at Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
.
Boxx scored a goal in each of the two pre-World Cup friendlies, against Costa Rica
Costa Rica women's national football team
The Costa Rica women's national football team is the national women's team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. They are one of the top women's national football teams in the Central American region region along with Guatemala.-World Cup record:-CONCACAF...
and Mexico
Mexico women's national football team
The Mexico women's national football team represents Mexico in international women's football competition and is controlled by the Mexican Football Federation. In the 1970s, the team gained popularity, with Mexico finishing 3rd in a unofficial Women's World Cup held in Italy...
, and in the opening match of the World Cup against Sweden
Sweden women's national football team
Sweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...
, Boxx became the first American woman to score three goals in her first three matches with the national team.
Boxx started five matches at the Women's World Cup, scoring again against Canada
Canada women's national soccer team
The Canada women's national soccer team is overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association. The team reached its all-time high of 6th in the March 2011 rankings. The team reached international prominence finishing in 4th place at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2003, losing to their archrival American team...
in the third place match. She was voted the player of the match against Canada by the FIFA Technical Study Group, who said Boxx "seized control of the game, spurred on her team-mates and finally scored the decisive goal in USA's victory".
Boxx started 31 of 32 national team matches she played in 2004, including all six matches at the 2004 Olympics
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's tournament
-Seeding:-Group E:---------Group F:---------Group G:---------------------Knockout stage:-Quarter finals:-------------Semi finals:-----Bronze medal match:-Final:-Medalists:...
, where she scored a goal, assisted on another and helped the team win a Gold Medal. She scored eight goals over the course of the year, including a hat trick against Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago women's national football team
The Trinidad & Tobago women's national football team is nicknamed the 'Soca Princesses'. They are one of the top women's national football teams in the Caribbean region along with Jamaica and Haiti...
in an Olympic qualifying match. Boxx came in seventh in the voting for the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award.
In 2005, Boxx started all nine matches US national team matches, playing all but 23 minutes of all matches played. She was a finalist for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year, coming in third behind Birgit Prinz
Birgit Prinz
Birgit Prinz is a former German female professional association football player. She last played for 1. FFC Frankfurt and the German national team. Prinz is one of the game's most prolific strikers and the FIFA Women's World Cup all-time leading scorer with 14 goals . She has been named FIFA...
and Marta.
Boxx missed most of 2006, first for surgery to repair torn cartilage in her right hip, and then for torn medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
s she suffered on her first day back in training with the national team. She returned in 2007 after an eight-month layoff, and was named to the United States' squad for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. Boxx helped the team reach the semifinal match against Brazil
Brazil women's national football team
The Brazil women's national football team represents Brazil in international women's association football. Brazil played their first game on July 22, 1986 against the United States....
, but she was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, and the United States went on to lose 4-0.
Boxx played every minute of all five U.S. games in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing.
| National Team | GP/GS | MIN | Goals | Assists | Total Points | Win-Loss-Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 9/9 | 762 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 7-1-1 |
| 2004 | 32/31 | 2714 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 26-2-4 |
| 2005 | 9/9 | 733 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8-0-1 |
| 2006 | 9/9 | 793 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6-0-3 |
| 2007 | 10/8 | 623 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10-0-0 |