View source for Kate Markgraf

{{Short description|American soccer player and sports journalist (born 1976)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name                 = Kate Markgraf
| image                = Kate Markgraf.png
| image_size           = 240
| caption              = Markgraf in Ethiopia in July 2012
| fullname             = Kathryn Michele Markgraf<ref name="Team USA">{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/us-soccer/athletes/kathryn-markgraf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102221009/http://www.teamusa.org/us-soccer/athletes/Kathryn-Markgraf |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 2, 2016 |title=Kathryn Markgraf |work=[[United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee]] |access-date=December 22, 2021}}</ref>
| birth_name           = Kathryn Michele Sobrero<ref>{{cite web |url=http://soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/sobrero.htm |title=Kate Sobrero |website=SoccerTimes.com |access-date=July 29, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001011172428/http://soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/sobrero.htm |archive-date=October 11, 2000}}</ref>
| birth_date           = {{Birth date and age|1976|08|23|mf=y}}
| birth_place          = [[Pontiac, Michigan]], U.S.<ref name="Team USA"/>
| height               = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position             = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| currentclub          = [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]] (general manager)
| youthyears1          = 1991–1994
| youthclubs1          = [[Detroit Country Day School]]
| collegeyears1        = 1994–1997
| college1             = [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's soccer|Notre Dame Fighting Irish]]
| collegecaps1         = 97
| collegegoals1        = 7
| years1               = 2001–2003
| clubs1               = [[Boston Breakers (WUSA)|Boston Breakers]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.womensprosoccer.com/chicago/team/player-bios/markgraf-kate |title=Women's Professional Soccer – Chicago Red Stars |access-date=May 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812083509/http://www.womensprosoccer.com/chicago/team/player-bios/markgraf-kate |archive-date=August 12, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| caps1                = 51
| goals1               = 0
| years2               = 2005
| clubs2               = [[KIF Örebro DFF]]
| caps2                = 8
| goals2               = 1
| years3               = 2006–2009
| clubs3               = [[Michigan Hawks]]
| caps3                = 27
| goals3               = 1
| years4               = 2010
| clubs4               = [[Chicago Red Stars]]
| caps4                = 6
| goals4               = 0
| nationalyears1       = 1998–2010
| nationalteam1        = [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]]
| nationalcaps1        = 201
| nationalgoals1       = 1
| manageryears1        = 2009
| managerclubs1        = [[Marquette Golden Eagles]] (assistant)
| medaltemplates       = 
{{MedalSport | Women's [[association football|football (soccer)]] }}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Football at the Summer Olympics#Women's results|Olympic Games]] }}
 {{MedalGold | [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]] | [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team competition]]}}
 {{MedalGold | [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]] | [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team competition]]}}
 {{MedalSilver | [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]] | [[Football at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team competition]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[FIFA Women's World Cup]]}}
  {{MedalGold | [[1999 FIFA Women's World Cup|1999 USA]] | [[1999 FIFA Women's World Cup squads#.C2.A0United States|Team competition]]}}
  {{MedalBronze | [[2003 FIFA Women's World Cup|2003 USA]] | [[2003 FIFA Women's World Cup squads#United States|Team competition]]}}
  {{MedalBronze | [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|2007 China]] | [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup squads#.C2.A0United States|Team competition]]}}
}}

'''Kathryn Michele Markgraf''' ({{nee|'''Sobrero'''}}; born August 23, 1976) is the former General Manager of the [[United States women's national soccer team]] and a retired [[Americans|American]] professional [[football (soccer)|soccer]] [[Defender (football)|defender]]. She previously played for the [[Chicago Red Stars]] in the [[Women's Professional Soccer|WPS]], the [[Boston Breakers (WUSA)|Boston Breakers]] in the [[Women's United Soccer Association|WUSA]], and the [[United States women's national soccer team]]. She was a three-time [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Olympic medalist]] (2000, silver; 2004, gold; 2008, gold as team co-captain) and played in three [[FIFA Women's World Cup]] (1999, gold; 2003, bronze; 2007, bronze) tournaments. She started in 97% of her 201 United States Women's National Team appearances in her 12-year career. She ended her career with a high school championship, state club championship, [[NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship|NCAA Division I championship]], Olympic gold medals, and a FIFA World Cup Championship.

In 2023, she was inducted into the [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Class of 2023 Inductees {{!}} National Soccer Hall of Fame |url=http://www.nationalsoccerhof.com/hall-of-famers/2023-hof-inductees.html |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=Class of 2023 Inductees {{!}} National Soccer Hall of Fame |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Markgraf was born in [[Bloomfield Hills, Michigan]] and attended [[Detroit Country Day School]]. At Detroit Country Day, she helped guide the soccer team to the state title in 1991, scoring 16 goals with 26 assists. She was also a [[volleyball]] player making the All-League team three times and was recruited at the Division III level.<ref name="ussoccerbio">[https://web.archive.org/web/20121015053732/http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/wnt/m/kate-markgraf.aspx Kate Markgraf – U.S. Soccer]. Archived from [http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/WNT/M/Kate-Markgraf.aspx the original] on 2012-10-08.</ref> In soccer, she made the NSCAA All-American team one time and was chosen for the All-State team for all three seasons she played.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=buckheit/080509 Buckheit: The real soccer moms – ESPN Page]</ref>

===University of Notre Dame===
Markgraf attended the [[University of Notre Dame]] and graduated with a degree in [[Science]]-Business.<ref>[http://www.und.com/sports/monogramclub/spec-rel/033010aaa.html Kate Markgraf Returns to Alumni Field – University of Notre Dame]</ref> She was a three-time NSCAA All-American, a three-time all [[Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East]] selection, the 1997 Big East defensive player of the year, and the defensive MVP of the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]'s Final Four in 1995, the year in which her team won the NCAA women's soccer championship. She also co-captained the team her senior year.<ref>[http://www.womensprosoccer.com/chicago/news/off_the_field/090711-remembering-99-markgraf Women's Professional Soccer – Remembering '99: Kate Markgraf]{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She also earned Dean's List for one semester.

==Playing career==

===Club, 2001–2010===
Markgraf was a member of the [[Boston Breakers (WUSA)|Boston Breakers]] in the [[Women's United Soccer Association|WUSA]] league for three seasons, and she was named defender of the year for the Breakers in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.milwaukeewave.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=69 |title=WORLD CUP VET MARKGRAF LEADS GIRLS-ONLY CAMPS – milwaukeewave.com  |access-date=May 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326173917/http://www.milwaukeewave.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=69 |archive-date=March 26, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2005, she played professionally for [[KIF Örebro DFF|KIF Örebro]] in the [[Damallsvenskan|Swedish league]] alongside longtime USA teammate [[Kristine Lilly]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.womenssoccerclub.com/uploaded/Kate%20Markgraf-%20A%20True%20Soccer%20Mom%20Living%20the%20Dream.pdf |title=True Soccer Mom is Living the Dream |access-date=May 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718075421/http://www.womenssoccerclub.com/uploaded/Kate%20Markgraf-%20A%20True%20Soccer%20Mom%20Living%20the%20Dream.pdf |archive-date=July 18, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was scheduled to play with the [[Chicago Red Stars]] in the WUSA's successor, [[Women's Professional Soccer]], in its inaugural 2009 season.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110728083224/http://soccer.teamusa.org/news/2010/05/07/markgraf-still-playing-with-passion/35861 Markgraf  Still Playing With Passion | News | US Soccer]</ref> However, the Red Stars announced in January 2009 that she would not play that season because she was expecting her second child.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.womensprosoccer.com/newsitem_ektid7476.aspx |title=Red Stars Defender Kate Markgraf to miss 2009 WPS Season |publisher=Chicago Red Stars |date=January 10, 2009 |access-date=January 11, 2009 |archive-date=January 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119034206/http://womensprosoccer.com/newsitem_ektid7476.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ten months after giving birth to twins, she returned to the Red Stars in 2010, played nearly every minute of the season, and made the All-Star team.<ref name="retirement">{{cite web|title = Kate Markgraf Retires from Professional Soccer|url = http://www.ussoccer.com/news/womens-national-team/2010/10/kate-markgraf-retires-from-professional-soccer.aspx|publisher = US Soccer|access-date = December 24, 2012|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130127135401/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2010/10/Kate-Markgraf-Retires-from-Professional-Soccer.aspx|archive-date = January 27, 2013|df = mdy-all}}</ref> 2010 was her final professional season.

===International, 1998–2010===
In 1998, she made her international debut for the [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]] against [[Argentina women's national football team|Argentina]], with Sobrero on the back of her jersey.<ref name="ussoccerbio"/> She switched to Markgraf on the back of her jersey in 2004.<ref name="ussoccerbio"/> She was the least experienced starter in the winning 1999 World Cup team and one of the youngest members of the team. The [[Los Angeles Times|LA Times]] selected her to the All-World top 11 for her play at centerback that tournament. She started in the [[Football at the 2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Olympic Games]] in [[Sydney]], the [[Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] Games in [[Athens]], and was Co-Captain for the [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Games in Beijing]]. She won the silver medal in 2000, the gold in 2004, and the gold in 2008.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080515231447/http://www.usolympicteam.com/26_22588.htm Kate Markgraf's U.S. Olympic Team bio]. Archived from [http://www.usolympicteam.com/26_22588.htm the original] on 2008-05-15.</ref> She played 12 matches in 3 [[FIFA Women's World Cup]],<ref name=wwc_rec>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=315/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228061155/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=315/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 28, 2008 |title=Kate MARKGRAF |publisher=FIFA}}</ref> winning the title of World Champion in the [[1999 FIFA Women's World Cup|1999 World Cup hosted by the US]]. She was also a member of the teams that finished third in the [[2003 FIFA Women's World Cup|2003 World Cup hosted by the US]] and the [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|2007 World Cup hosted by China]].

In July 2010, after nearly a two-year break from international competition, she made her 200th career international appearance, in a [[Friendly match#Association football|friendly match]] against [[Sweden women's national football team|Sweden]]. She became the 10th woman in FIFA history to earn her 200th [[Cap (sport)|cap]], a mark no male player has reached. She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport at the end of the WPS season, ending her professional career after playing 201 times for her country.

====International goals====
{{Football international goals keys|num=n|number=n|it=n|oq=n|wq=n|rt=n|ot=n|wf=n}}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
!Goal
!align=center|Date
!Location
!Opponent
!|Lineup
!Min
!Assist/pass
!Score
!Result
!Competition
|-
|align=center|1
|2008-09-20<ref name=goal01>{{Cite web
 |url         = http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2008/09/U-S-Women-Set-Record-Wins-In-A-Calendar-Year-At-29-With-2-0-Victory-Over-Ireland-At-Toyota-Park.aspx
 |title       = U.S. Women Set Record Wins in a Calendar Year at 29 With 2–0 Victory Over Ireland at Toyota Park
 |publisher   = U.s.soccer
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120425030423/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2008/09/U-S-Women-Set-Record-Wins-In-A-Calendar-Year-At-29-With-2-0-Victory-Over-Ireland-At-Toyota-Park.aspx
 |archive-date = April 25, 2012
 |df          = mdy-all
}}</ref>
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bridgeview, IL]]
|{{fbw|Republic of Ireland|name=Ireland}}
|Start
|31
|''penalty''
|2–0
|2–0
| style="background:#f0bfff;"| [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|}

==Broadcasting==
Markgraf was paired with [[Adrian Healey]] as a [[color commentator]] on [[ESPN]]'s secondary broadcast team for the telecasts of the [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup]].<ref>[http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/media-kits/2011-womens-world-cup/2011-womens-world-cup-commentators/ 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Commentators – ESPN MediaZone.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614031557/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/media-kits/2011-womens-world-cup/2011-womens-world-cup-commentators/ |date=June 14, 2012 }}</ref> She worked as a color commentator for [[NBC Sports|NBC]] during the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London Olympics]] and [[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Olympics: Four USWNT Alumni To Serve As Analysts For NBC|url=http://wsocexpress.com/2012/06/28/olympics-nbcs-list-of-talent-for-soccer-coverage/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210075925/http://wsocexpress.com/2012/06/28/olympics-nbcs-list-of-talent-for-soccer-coverage/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 10, 2013|publisher=Women's Soccer Express|access-date=December 24, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-05-12 |title=ARLO WHITE, KATE MARKGRAF & SEBASTIAN SALAZAR TO CALL TEAM USA WOMEN'S SOCCER & WOMEN'S GOLD MEDAL GAME FOR NBC OLYMPICS IN RIO |url=https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2016/05/12/arlo-white-kate-markgraf-sebastian-salazar-to-call-team-usa-womens-soccer-womens-gold-medal-game-for-nbc-olympics-in-rio/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=NBC Sports Pressbox |language=en}}</ref> She has also worked as commentator for several US women's national team games on [[Fox Soccer]]<ref>{{cite web|title=FOX Soccer to Air U.S. WNT Match Against Germany Live from Toyota Park on Oct. 20|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/news/womens-national-team/2012/10/fox-soccer-to-air-us-wnt-match-against-germany-on-oct-20.aspx|publisher=US Soccer|access-date=December 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120111826/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2012/10/FOX-Soccer-to-Air-US-WNT-Match-Against-Germany-on-Oct-20.aspx|archive-date=November 20, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> and ESPN, as well as for college soccer on the [[Big Ten Network]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Cardinal to be Tested in Happy Valley|url=http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/082312aab.html|publisher=Stanford University|access-date=December 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010175634/http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/082312aab.html|archive-date=October 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> She worked for [[ESPN FC]] during the [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup]] as a studio analyst and often appeared on [[SportsCenter]] during the tournament. She continued to work for [[ESPN]] in 2016, this time as a color analyst for men's soccer during the [[UEFA Euro 2016]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=DeCourcy |first=Mike |date=2021-10-29 |title=Kate Markgraf kicks down another barrier for female broadcasters with Euro 2016 assignment |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/euro-2016-kate-markgraf-espn-female-broadcaster/1d678zrwawz7u1rgluxo4mwb1z |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Waldron |first=Travis |date=2016-05-11 |title=ESPN To Have First Female Analyst Call Top Soccer Tournament On U.S. TV |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/espn-first-woman-euro-2016-broadcast_n_57334a5ce4b096e9f0935523 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref>

==Soccer envoy==
[[File:Kate Markgraf.jpg|thumb|right| Kate Markgraf running with a girls group during the Soccer Clinic Program in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia from July 11–12, 2012.]]
In 2012, Kate Markgraf traveled with [[Tony Sanneh]] to [[Ethiopia]] on behalf of the [[United States Department of State]] and [[US Soccer]] to work with Somalian youth in the Ethiopian city of [[Dire Dawa]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Tony Sanneh and Kate Markgraf Travel to Ethiopia|url=http://eca.state.gov/gallery/tony-sanneh-and-kate-markgraf-travel-ethiopia|publisher=United States Department of State|access-date=November 19, 2012}}</ref> In 2013, she went to Chile, and in 2014, she went to Peru, again on behalf of the United States Department of State and US Soccer.

==Coaching career==
In 2009, she was a [[Volunteering|volunteer]] assistant coach of the [[Marquette Golden Eagles]].<ref>[http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/markgraf_kate00.html Player Bio: Kate Markgraf – MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY]</ref> She now only coaches her twins' soccer team.

==Personal life==
She is a mother of three kids, a son named Keegan in September 2006 and a set of twins, a girl Carson and a boy Xavier, in the summer of 2009. As of 2008, Markgraf lived with her husband and their children in the [[Milwaukee]] area.<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2008-09-16-wps-players_N.htm |title=Wambach goes full circle as women's league stocks rosters |newspaper=USA Today |date=September 16, 2008 |first=Beau |last=Dure}}</ref> She has served on the Juvenile Law Center Board and is a member of the Notre Dame Monogram Club Board of Directors, as well as co-sponsored Milwaukee College Prep (MCP; a charter school), a fundraiser benefiting under-served Milwaukee students. She has co-created life-skills programming for Milwaukee America-Scores and runs soccer clinics for various charities. In 2015, she graduated with a Masters in Kinesiology from the [[University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee]] with her research being selected to be presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports|Olympics|Association football|Biography}}
* [[List of women's footballers with 100 or more international caps|List of footballers with 100 or more caps]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in football]]
* [[List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event]]
* [[List of multiple Olympic gold medalists]]
* [[List of 2004 Summer Olympics medal winners]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{FIFA player|315}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121015053732/http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/wnt/m/kate-markgraf.aspx US Soccer bio]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171204061258/http://www.und.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/sobreromarkgraf_kate00.html Notre Dame bio]
* {{Facebook|KateSobreroMarkgraf}}
* {{IMDb name|1711208}}

{{National Soccer Hall of Fame members}}
{{Navboxes
|title= United States squads
|bg= #002868
|fg= white
|bordercolor= #BF0A30
|list1=
{{United States Squad 1999 Women's World Cup}}
{{United States Squad 2000 Summer Olympics (Women's Soccer)}}
{{United States Squad 2003 Women's World Cup}}
{{United States Squad 2004 Summer Olympics (Women's Football)}}
{{United States Squad 2007 Women's World Cup}}
{{United States Squad 2008 Summer Olympics (Women's Soccer)}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Markgraf, Kate}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Detroit Country Day School alumni]]
[[Category:American women's soccer players]]
[[Category:United States women's international soccer players]]
[[Category:Women's association football central defenders]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's soccer players]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in soccer]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in soccer]]
[[Category:Women's United Soccer Association players]]
[[Category:Boston Breakers (WUSA) players]]
[[Category:People from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Oakland County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Pontiac, Michigan]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:FIFA Women's Century Club]]
[[Category:Chicago Red Stars players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:1999 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:2003 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:2007 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:FIFA Women's World Cup–winning players]]
[[Category:KIF Örebro DFF players]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Sweden]]
[[Category:Damallsvenskan players]]
[[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Women association football commentators]]
[[Category:American soccer commentators]]
[[Category:Women's Professional Soccer players]]
[[Category:United States women's national soccer team non-playing staff]]
[[Category:National Soccer Hall of Fame members]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportswomen]]
[[Category:Marquette Golden Eagles women's soccer]]
[[Category:College women's soccer coaches in the United States]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportswomen]]