Natalie Neaton facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Natalie Margaret Neaton | ||
| Date of birth | May 24, 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Brighton, Michigan, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1992 | Detroit Country Day Yellowjackets | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–1995 | William & Mary Tribe | 81 | (81) |
| International career | |||
| 1995–1998 | United States | 6 | (4) |
Natalie Margaret Neaton, born on May 24, 1974, is a former American soccer player. She was a forward, which means she played at the front of the team, trying to score goals. Natalie played six games for the U.S. Women's National Team from 1995 to 1998. She is also a special member of the William & Mary Athletic Hall of Fame.
Contents
Natalie Neaton's Soccer Journey
High School Success
Natalie Neaton played soccer for the Detroit Country Day Yellowjackets in high school. She was an amazing scorer, getting 222 goals in just four seasons! That was almost the national record for goals scored. She was also a talented basketball player for her school.
College Career at William & Mary
After high school, Natalie went on to play college soccer for the William & Mary Tribe. During her time there, she scored 81 goals and made 28 assists. This made her the school's all-time leading goal scorer! She also earned 190 "points" (goals plus assists), which is the second-highest in the school's history.
Natalie received many awards during her college years. She was named the ISAA Player of the Year in 1995. She was also recognized as a First-Team All-American by NSCAA and Soccer America in 1994. In other years (1992, 1993, and 1995), she was a Second-Team All-American. In 1992, she was part of the Soccer America All-Rookie Team. She was even a finalist for the Hermann Trophy in 1994, which is a big award for college soccer players.
Playing for the U.S. National Team
Natalie Neaton made her first appearance for the U.S. Women's National Team on January 23, 1995. This was in a friendly game against Australia. She played a total of six games for the U.S. team and scored four goals. Her last game for the national team was on December 16, 1998, against Ukraine.
Playing in Japan and Hall of Fame
After college, Natalie played professional club soccer in Japan for two years. She had received several offers from Japanese teams because of her great skills. In 2008, Natalie was honored by being inducted into the William & Mary Athletic Hall of Fame. This means her achievements in sports are recognized as truly special.
Personal Life
Natalie Neaton grew up in Brighton, Michigan. Today, she lives in Denver. She is married to Jim Simpson, and they have three sons.
