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O'Reilly, Heather
- 2004 Olympic gold medalist (youngest player on the team)
- 2003 NCAA champion, scored two goals and an assist for the University of North Carolina
- 2002 Gatorade High School National Player of the Year
- Leading scorer for UNC with 37 points (13 goals, 11 assists) even with missing the first two matches of the 2004 season because of the Olympics
- Was invited to participate in training camp prior to the 2003 Women’s World Cup but suffered a broken fibula and damaged ankle playing for the National Team on June 14, 2003, a week before her high school graduation
- Third-leading scorer on the U.S. Under-19 National Team that captured the gold medal at the FIFA 2002 World Championships in Canada – the top three scorers were referred to as the “Triple-Edged Sword”
- Her first appearance as a U.S. National Team member was March 1, 2002 vs. Sweden and she scored her first goal against Italy on Oct. 6, 2002
- Three-time All-American at East Brunswick (N.J.) H.S. and National Player of the Year as a senior
- Hopes to pursue a career as a professional soccer player or teacher following college
- Enjoys playing basketball, listening to music, and working on computers in her free time
- The athlete she most admires is cycling legend Lance Armstrong
- Her biggest sports thrill was winning the Under-19 World Championship in Canada in 2002, defeating Canada in front of 50,000 fans in the final
- The person who has most influenced her career is soccer coach Charlie Naimo.
- Her favorite book is Catcher in the Rye...favorite TV show is Friends...her favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption
- Her father ran track at Villanova and one of her three brothers competes in track and cross country at the Air Force Academy
O’Reilly represents the new faces that will be representing U.S. women’s soccer moving forward. Much is expected of her as her ball handling draws comparisons to that of Mia Hamm, international soccer's all-time leading scorer, and her speed is likened to that of Tiffeny Milbrett, the third-highest scorer in U.S. women's history. "Heather is very mature and intelligent," said U.S. teammate Brandi Chastain. "Obviously she's still young, but she displays great courage on the pitch. She's a fighter, and on her day she can produce real magic. She's not old but she's already wise."
On her Olympic experience: “It was an overall humbling experience, but also awesome to feel a part of the Olympic spirit with all those athletes,” O’Reily said to ussoccer.com.
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Height: 5' 4"
Born: 02-Jan-85
Hometown: East Brunswick, N.J.
Resides: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Sport: Soccer
Position: Forward
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