Vanessa DiBernardo

Vanessa DiBernardo
Personal information
Full nameVanessa Sue DiBernardo
Date of birthMay 15, 1992
Place of birthNaperville, Illinois
Height5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Chicago Red Stars
Number10
Youth career
2008Chicago Red Eleven
2000-2010America’s Soccer Club
2007-2010Waubonsie Valley
2011Chicago Red Stars (WPSL)
2012-2013Chicago Eclipse Select
2010-2013University of Illinois
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2014-Chicago Red Stars23(1)
National team‡
United States U-17
2011-2012United States U-2020(3)
2013-United States U-237(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of August 30, 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 January 2014

Vanessa DiBernardo (born May 15, 1992) is an American soccer player. She plays for the Chicago Red Stars and is a member of the United States U-23 women's national soccer team.

Early life

DiBernardo was raised in Naperville, Illinois where she attended Waubonsie Valley High School and helped lead the soccer team to state championship wins in 2007, 2008, and 2010.[1][2] In 2009, she was named to the ESPN Rise All-American Third Team and earned Beacon News Girls Soccer Player of the Year and Chicago Sun-Times All-Area honors.[1] During her senior year in 2010, she was named Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year,[3] IHSSCA Illinois Player of the Year, and was ranked fifty-first in the country for high school seniors by Top Drawer Soccer.[1]

Playing career

Collegiate

University of Illinois

As a freshman in 2010, DiBernardo led the Big Ten Conference in goals and points and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.[4] During her sophomore year, she led her team with 17 goals[1] and was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.[5] Despite missing a portion of the her junior season due to the 2012 U-20 World Cup, DiBernardo still led the Illini in points, goals, and shots.[1] In October 2012, she was named Player of the Week by the Big Ten Conference, Top Drawer Soccer and College Sports Madness after scoring a hat-trick and helping the team defeat the University of Michigan.[6] Unable to play the full season again due to a knee injury[7] which kept her out for seven games, she tallied seven goals in 15 games and had a career high seven assists.[1] DiBernardo finished her Illini career setting the school's record for most career assists and tying the school's record for most career shots.[1] She was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List for a third time.[8]

Club

Chicago Red Eleven

In 2008, DiBernardo played for the Chicago Red Eleven in the W-League.[1]

Chicago Red Stars, 2014

DiBernardo was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft by the Chicago Red Stars.[9][10][11] She previously played for Red Stars' head coach Rory Dames with the Red Stars' WPSL team in 2011 and with the Chicago Eclipse Select in 2012-2013.[12] Of her and Julie Johnston's signing, Coach Dames said, "In Julie and Vanessa, we picked up the best holding midfielder and the best attacking midfielder in the draft. They will form the spine of our team down the middle for years to come. With both of them having the experience of winning the U20 World Cup, they are both proven winners at the highest level."[13]

International

DiBernardo has represented the United States at the under-20 and under-23 levels.[14] During the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, she helped the U.S. advance to the semi-finals after scoring the game-opening goal against China. The team defeated China 2-1.[15] The team later defeated Germany 1-0 to clinch the championship.[16] In August 2013, DiBernardo was called up to the senior national team camp ahead of a friendly match against Mexico on September 3 while still in college though she did not end up playing in the match.[17][18]

Personal life

DiBernado's father Angelo DiBernardo competed at 1984 Summer Olympics and other international matches, as a member of the USA men's national soccer team; they are the only parent child relationship among soccer players that represented USA. [14][19] Her father was born in Argentina of Italian descent, so Vanessa would be eligible to play for either country's national team.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Vanessa DiBernardo". University of Illinois. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  2. ↑ Helfgot, Mike (March 29, 2010). "Girls soccer preview: Waubonsie Valley’s Vanessa DiBernardo is a big name for high school soccer". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  3. ↑ "Waubonsie's Vanessa DiBernardo named Gatorade Illinois Girls Soccer POY". Chicago Tribune. May 13, 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  4. ↑ "Big Ten Conference Announces Women's Soccer Postseason Honors". Big Ten Conference. November 10, 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  5. ↑ "DiBernardo Named To MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List". University of Illinois. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  6. ↑ "Athlete profile, Vanessa DiBernardo". The Columbia Chronicle. October 15, 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  7. ↑ "Dibernardo Recovering From Injury". WRSP Fox Illinois. October 3, 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  8. ↑ "Hermann Trophy: DiBernardo, Roccaro, Miller make watch list". Chicagoland Soccer News. August 20, 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  9. ↑ Hays, Graham (January 17, 2014). "WHO SCORED IN NWSL DRAFT?". ESPN. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "Chicago Red Stars Select Johnston, DiBernardo, and Brock in 2014 NWSL College Draft". Our Sports Central. January 17, 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  11. ↑ Lauletta, Dan (January 18, 2014). "Red Stars snag U-20 WC vets Johnston, DiBernardo". The Equalizer. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  12. ↑ "College Report: Waubonsie Valley’s Vanessa DiBernardo drafted 4th by Chicago Red Stars". Chicago Sun-Times' Beacon-News. 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
  13. ↑ Braeback, Jeremiah. "Red Stars add Johnston, DiBernardo, Brock in 2014 College Draft". NWSL News. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Injured Megan Rapinoe Replaced by Vanessa DiBernardo on U.S. WNT Roster That Will Face Mexico on Sept. 3 at RFK Stadium". U.S.Soccer. 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
  15. ↑ Bell, Jack (August 31, 2012). "U.S. Women Advance to Semifinals at U-20 World Cup". New York Times. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  16. ↑ "Naperville's DiBernardo helps U.S. win World Cup". Daily Herald. Associated Press. September 8, 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  17. ↑ "Injured Megan Rapinoe Replaced by Vanessa DiBernardo on U.S. WNT Roster That Will Face Mexico on Sept. 3 at RFK Stadium". U.S. Soccer Federation. August 29, 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  18. ↑ Grainey, Tim (September 10, 2013). "Vanessa DiBernardo sets sights on NWSL, USWNT". The Equalizer. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "DiBernardo Follows in Fathers Footsteps". U.S.Soccer. 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
  20. ↑ "Vanessa DiBernardo sets sights on NWSL, USWNT". The Equalizer. 2013-09-10. Retrieved 2014-01-25.

External links