Sofia Huerta

Early life

The daughter of Mauricio Huerta, an electrical engineer, and Jody Jensen Huerta, Huerta attended Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho. She played soccer, basketball, and ran track. She was named Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year twice in soccer, playing for FC NOVA, All-Idaho First Team Basketball selection (2011), and set high-school records for fastest time running the 100 and 300 meter hurdle races (2011). She was also named to several All-Academic teams (2007–2011).

Santa Clara Broncos, 2011–2014

Huerta was a four-year starter as a forward for Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara, California. As a freshman, she was All-West Coast Conference, scoring eight goals and two assists. As a sophomore, she was again All-West Coast Conference and NCAA Division 1 Women All-West Region Second Team. She scored six goals and six assists. As a junior in 2013, she was again First Team All-WCC, scoring 16 goals and with 8 assists, leading her team in goals scored and tying for the lead in assists. She was a third-team All-American selection. In her senior year in 2014 she scored 17 goals with 3 assists and was again a third-team All-American selection and co-player of the year in the West Coast Conference.

Chicago Red Stars, 2015–present

Huerta was drafted to play for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League in the college draft on January 16, 2015. She was the eleventh player selected overall. On May 9, 2015, with teammate and United States international forward Christen Press away at World Cup training camp, Huerta scored her first 2 professional goals in a 3–0 win against Boston Breakers to place the Red Stars at the top of the NWSL league. She was subsequently named NWSL Player of the Week for week five. In week six of NWSL season Huerta scored 2 goals against the Houston Dash to level the score and tie the match, and was named Player of the Week for week 6. On June 3, 2015, Huerta was voted NWSL Player of the Month for the month of May by the media. On September 9, 2015, the NWSL announced that Huerta was selected as a finalist for the NWSL Rookie of the Year Award for the 2015 season, along with Sam Mewis and the eventual winner, fellow Red Star Danielle Colaprico.

Loan to Adelaide United

In October 2016, Huerta was loaned to Australian W-League club Adelaide United along with her Red Stars teammates Katie Naughton and Danielle Colaprico. Playing in the midfield, Huerta scored 8 goals and had 5 assists in a 12-match season. She was named Professional Footballers Australia Player of the Month for the W-League in January 2017. Huerta was awarded Adelaide United's W-League Player of the Year at the club's annual award ceremony. Huerta came in 3rd in the race for the Julie Dolan medal receiving 17 votes.

International career

Huerta was not selected by the United States team for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan in August 2012. She joined the Mexican team instead. Playing with a broken elbow, she scored three of Mexico's seven goals in its two win and two loss performance. In December 2012, Huerta played for the Mexico women's national football team at the City of São Paulo International Women's Football Tournament, scoring two goals. Huerta was a second-half substitute for Mexico in its September 4, 2013 match with the United States. In December 2014, Huerta announced that she was not going to continue to play with the Mexico national team, but would attempt to become a member of the U.S. national team.

The United States Soccer Federation announced in July 2017 that they were submitting a request to FIFA to change Huerta's affiliation to the United States women's national soccer team. The change was approved on September 14, 2017.

Huerta earned her first cap for the United States versus New Zealand the next day (September 15, 2017), coming on as a substitute in the 51st minute. She also was credited with her first assist for the United States for her pass to Alex Morgan in the 79th minute of her debut game.