{{short description|American soccer player (born 1994)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Sam Witteman | image = | image_size = | caption = | fullname = Samantha Lynn Witteman<ref>{{cite news |last=Mooradian |first=Nicole |location=Redondo Beach, California |url=https://patch.com/california/redondobeach/redondo-union-high-school-class-of-2012 |title=Congratulations, RUHS Class of 2012! |via=Patch |date=June 14, 2012 |access-date=June 27, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627004438/https://patch.com/california/redondobeach/redondo-union-high-school-class-of-2012 |archive-date=June 27, 2022}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|2|26}} | birth_place = Redondo Beach, California | height = {{height|ft=5|in=3}} | position = Defender | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | collegeyears1 = 2012–2015 |college1 = California Golden Bears |collegecaps1 = 84 |collegegoals1 = 14 | years1 = 2016 | clubs1 = Orlando Pride | caps1 = 16 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2016 | clubs2 = → Apollon Limassol (loan) | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 2017 | clubs3 = North Carolina Courage | caps3 = 12 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2018 | clubs4 = PSV | caps4 = 11 | goals4 = 1 | nationalyears1 = 2016–2017 | nationalteam1 = United States U23 | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | club-update = May 27, 2018 | nationalteam-update = }} '''Samantha Lynn Witteman''' (born February 26, 1994) is an American former soccer player. Shortly after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, where she played for the California Golden Bears, Witteman was drafted by the Orlando Pride as their first round pick in the NWSL College Draft in January 2016.
== Early life == Witteman was born in Redondo Beach, California, where she attended Redondo Union High School where she was a four-year varsity letter winner. She was named First Team All-Bay League and Bay League's Most Offensive Player in her junior and senior years. During her senior year, she scored 23 goals and made 19 assists. She was voted captain of the varsity soccer team two years in a row. In 2009 and 2011, she was recognized as Redondo Union High School's Most Outstanding Student Athlete.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=207770888|title=Samantha Witteman Biography|website=calbears.com|access-date=2016-04-01}}</ref>
Witteman played on the Cal South Olympic Development Team from 2008 to 2011 and attended the U.S. Soccer U-14 National ID Camp. She was also a member of the Region IV pool in 2009 and 2011.<ref name=":0" />
==College career== During her freshman year at the University of California, Berkeley, Witteman played in 19 of the 22 games of the season, securing one assist. In her sophomore year, she started in seven of the 21 games of the season scoring six goals and logging four assists. One of her six goals was the game winning point against the University of California, Davis, and another game winner against Saint Mary's College of California.
Following her junior season, the Pac-12 Conference recognized Witteman with an All-Academic Honorable Mention in 2014. She started in 18 games, and played in all 22 of the season. Samantha scored in each of the two National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament games against San Diego State University and the University of Florida. She scored four goals and made eight assists. One of her goals won the game against Pacific University. Witteman gave an assist to Kory Lamet, securing a win against Oregon State University.<ref name=":0" />
Witteman's senior year at Berkeley was an all-star season. She was named on all-Pac-12's First Team and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America awarded her All-American status.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30100&ATCLID=210559905&KEY=|title=Ship, Witteman Named NSCAA All-Americans|website=calbears.com|access-date=2016-04-01}}</ref> She was also recognized as Muscle Milk's Student Athlete of the Week for the week of October 19, 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30100&ATCLID=209400916&KEY=|title=Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week|website=calbears.com|access-date=2016-04-01}}</ref> Witteman started all 21 games of the season, filling seven different positions at least once, securing four game winning goals throughout the season.<ref name=":1" />
Witteman's coach during her college soccer career was Neil McGuire, who previously coached her future Orlando Pride teammate, Alex Morgan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30100&ATCLID=210636352|title=Sam Witteman Named to U.S. U-23 WNT Roster|website=calbears.com|access-date=2016-04-01}}</ref>
==Club career==
===Orlando Pride, 2016=== Witteman was selected tenth overall in the 2016 NWSL College Draft by the Orlando Pride.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-city-lions/on-the-pitch/os-orlando-pride-three-players-nwsl-college-draft-20160115-post.html|title=Orlando Pride add three players in NWSL college draft|last=Sentinel|first=Orlando|website=OrlandoSentinel.com|access-date=2016-03-16}}</ref><ref name="maneland_draft_011516">{{cite web|last1=Ewbank|first1=Gavin|title=2016 NWSL Draft: Orlando Pride Selects California Defender Sam Witteman|url=http://www.themaneland.com/2016/1/15/10775234/nswl-draft-2016-orlando-city-selects-california-defender-sam-witteman|publisher=The Maneland|accessdate=April 23, 2016|date=January 15, 2016|archive-date=August 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813205558/https://www.themaneland.com/2016/1/15/10775234/nswl-draft-2016-orlando-city-selects-california-defender-sam-witteman|url-status=dead}}</ref> She was the first soccer player from UC Berkeley to be recruited to the National Women's Soccer League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.themaneland.com/2016/1/15/10775234/nswl-draft-2016-orlando-city-selects-california-defender-sam-witteman|title=2016 NWSL Draft: Orlando Pride Selects California Defender Sam Witteman|website=The Mane Land|access-date=2016-04-01|archive-date=August 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813205558/https://www.themaneland.com/2016/1/15/10775234/nswl-draft-2016-orlando-city-selects-california-defender-sam-witteman|url-status=dead}}</ref> She made her debut for the club in a match against the Chicago Red Stars on May 1, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=David|first1=Austin|title=Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Final Score 1–0 as Pride Falls in Second Away Game|url=http://www.themaneland.com/2016/5/1/11553626/orlando-pride-vs-chicago-red-stars-final-score-1-0-as-pride-fall-in|publisher=The Mane Land|accessdate=May 8, 2016|date=May 1, 2016|archive-date=August 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812184538/https://www.themaneland.com/2016/5/1/11553626/orlando-pride-vs-chicago-red-stars-final-score-1-0-as-pride-fall-in|url-status=dead}}</ref> She made her first start a few days later against Seattle Reign FC.<ref>{{cite web|title=Reign vs Pride: Stream and Game Thread|url=http://www.sounderatheart.com/seattle-reign/2016/5/8/11635510/reign-vs-pride-stream-and-game-thread|publisher=Sounder at Heart|accessdate=May 8, 2016|date=May 8, 2016|archive-date=August 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812184536/https://www.sounderatheart.com/seattle-reign/2016/5/8/11635510/reign-vs-pride-stream-and-game-thread|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===North Carolina Courage, 2017=== In January 2017, Witteman was traded to the North Carolina Courage in exchange for Alanna Kennedy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-pride-soccer/os-sp-sam-witteman-trade-to-nc-courage-for-alanna-kennedy-20170119-story.html|title=Pride trade Sam Witteman for Australian national team defender Alanna Kennedy|first=Alicia|last=DelGallo|publisher=}}</ref>
===PSV, 2018-=== In January 2018, Witteman signed with PSV Vrouwen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psv.nl/psv/nieuws/artikel/witteman-aanwinst-psv-vrouwen-.htm|title=Witteman aanwinst PSV Vrouwen|date=January 10, 2018|publisher=|access-date=February 20, 2018|archive-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221101138/http://www.psv.nl/psv/nieuws/artikel/witteman-aanwinst-psv-vrouwen-.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==International career== In February 2016, Witteman was selected to the United States U23 for the Istria Cup.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2016/02/16/orlando-pride-s-sam-witteman-selected-uswnt-istria-cup-squad|title=Orlando Pride's Sam Witteman Selected USWNT Istria Cup Squad|last=|first=|date=February 16, 2016|website=Orlando City Soccer Club|publisher=|access-date=March 29, 2016}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [http://www.orlandocitysc.com/players/76/samantha-witteman Pride player profile] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160509091504/http://www.ussoccer.com/players/2016/01/13/23/48/samantha-witteman U.S. Soccer player profile] * [http://www.calbears.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=207770888 Cal player profile] * {{soccerway|sam-witteman/442360}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Witteman, Sam}} Category:Living people Category:1994 births Category:National Women's Soccer League players Category:Orlando Pride players Category:American women's soccer players Category:Soccer players from Los Angeles County, California Category:Sportspeople from Redondo Beach, California Category:California Golden Bears women's soccer players Category:Apollon Ladies F.C. players Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Cyprus Category:Orlando Pride draft picks Category:North Carolina Courage players Category:Women's association football defenders Category:Expatriate women's footballers in the Netherlands Category:21st-century American sportswomen