Printable Biography of Heather Mitts

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A Mitts that fits
Heather Mitts came back from a devastating injury incurred during a match between USA and Canada in May 2007. In a collision with Canada's star forward, Christine Sinclair, the 5-foot-5 defender tore her right ACL. She missed the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, but recovered in time to make a run at making the 2008 Olympic roster. Her return came in late-April against Australia, where she started and played 53 minutes. Her play in subsequent matches impressed coach Pia Sundhage so much that she earned a spot on the defensive line.

Hottest female athlete
Edged out for a roster spot for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, Mitts lent her soccer expertise to ABC/ESPN, where she served as an in-studio analyst. Her pre-game, halftime and post-game analysis drew mixed reviews, but her pretty face attracted plenty of attention during the tournament, from male soccer enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. In February 2004, she was voted by an ESPN.com poll as "the hottest female athlete of 2004," beating out the likes of Anna Kournikova, figure skater Jamie Sale and softball pitcher Jennie Finch. In 2001, Playboy.com voted Mitts the sexiest player in the WUSA, the U.S. women's soccer league where she played for three seasons. 

Timely breakout
It was her game, not her looks, which attracted former U.S. head coach April Heinrichs to Mitts in 2004. Fully recovered from a knee injury that had disabled her in 2003, Mitts had her most productive year to date, appearing 28 times (17 starts) with the national team and scoring her first two goals. She made the Olympic roster and played two matches in Greece, collecting a gold medal along with the rest of her U.S. teammates.

Gator mate
In 1998, during her junior season at Florida, Mitts anchored the defense as the Gators captured the NCAA championship. One of the freshmen on that squad was a young forward named Abby Wambach. Mitts graduated in December 2000 with a degree in advertising.