Born inNew Hyde Park, New York, to Vincent and Rhonda Dunn,[6] Crystal was raised with her brother Henry inRockville Centre, New Yorkwhere she attendedSouth Side High School.[7] At South Side, she was a four-year starter as forward and midfielder and team captain in 2008 and 2009.[6] She lost only two matches in three seasons at South Side and helped lead her team to New York state championships in 2006, 2007 and 2009. In 2008, she was competing at the2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in New Zealand.[8] As captain of the team in 2009, she scored four goals in the first 20 minutes of the state championship game.[3][9]
"As a black woman I always felt growing up I had to do above and beyond stuff to be noticed, to feel like I could hang with everybody else," she says. "I tried to implement so many different things in my game so that I'm not just known for my speed. It's a stereotype that black players are just really fast, but at the end of day I want to be skilled, I want to be technical, I want to have vision and that's what I've always tried to promote in my game: not relying on one thing but just being able to outwork players in so many different ways.
Dunn scored 46 goals and had 35 assists in three high school seasons, missing the 2008 season due to national team commitments.[3] She was a highly decorated high school player earning Parade All-American and New York Gatorade Player of the Year.[11] She earned First-team All-State and All-Long Island honors in 2006, 2007 and 2009.[6] As a freshman, sophomore and senior, she was an All-New York First Team and All-Long Island team selection.[8] In 2009, she was named 2009 NSCAA, ESPNRise and Parade High School All-America.[12] The teams she played on in 2007 and 2009 went undefeated and were ranked number one in the nation by theNSCAA.[3]
As a senior, she was named Newsday Long Island Player of the Year,[13] Nassau County Class A Player of the Year, New York Sportswriters Class A Player of the Year, BigAppleSoccer.com Youth Player of the Year and was the winner of the Mike Clark Award for the best all-around athlete in Nassau County.[6][3] In addition to her high school experience, Dunn played with the club teams, Albertson Fury, the RVC Tornadoes, and the RVC Power (with whom she won a state title).[3]
Dunn attended theUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and majored in sociology. As a freshman in 2010,[6] Dunn started 23 matches for a total of 1,929 minutes, playing the full 90 minutes 18 times.[6] She was the team's leading player in points (26), including nine goals and eight assists.[6] She scored four goals during theNCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship, including a match-winner againstJackson State, a goal againstNotre Dame, and two goals in a 3–1 win overJames Madison in the second round of the tournament.[6] Her accolades during her first year season includedSoccer America Freshman of the Year, 2010NSCAA first-team All-America honoree, Second-team Soccer America MVP selection, and First-team All-ACC.[6] She was the first freshman ever to win the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award and was a semi-finalist for the 2010 Missouri Athletic ClubHermann Trophy.[6]
As a sophomore in 2011, Dunn started in 19 matches, missing only one while she was training with theUnited States under-20 women's national soccer team. She scored three goals and made six assists during the season.[6] She was named third-team All-America and first-team All-Southeast Region by theNSCAA. She was also named to the first-team All-ACC and was named to theTop Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week three times.[6]
During her junior season in 2012, Dunn missed the non-conference phase of the 2012 college season while playing for theUnited States under-20 women's national soccer team at the2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan. Following her return, she helped lead the Tar Heels to win theNCAA Women's Soccer Championship.[6] During the tournament's quarter-final, Dunn scored both goals in a 2–1 win against top-seed teamBYU, including a match-winning "golden" goal within four minutes of the end of the second overtime. She also saved her team from losing to BYU when she headed the ball away from the Tar Heels' goal line in the first overtime.[6][14] Dunn was named the 2013Hermann Trophy winner as well as theACC Athlete of the Year and ACC Defender of the Year.[15][16][17] Dunn was an All-ACC selection for the third straight year and anESPY Awards finalist.[18] She also was awarded the 2012Honda Award for Soccer.[19]
During her senior-year season in 2013, Dunn scored the first hat-trick of her collegiate career, ending a two-match losing streak for the Tar Heels by defeating theMiami Hurricanes 4–0.[20] She was the team's top scorer with 14 goals, including six match-winning goals.[21] Dunn was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year,[21] NSCAA All-American and First-team All-ACC for the fourth consecutive year.[21] She was aHermann Trophy finalist[21][22] and a Honda Award nominee.[21]
Dunn returned to the Spirit for the2015 season. On April 26, 2015, she scored two goals as a defender in a match againstSky Blue FC, helping the Spirit win 3–1.[28] She was subsequently namedNWSL Player of the Week for week 2 of the season.[29] On August 1, 2015, Dunn scored the franchise's firsthat trick, scoring three goals in the first half of the Spirit's victory over the visitingHouston Dash.[30] She finished the month with six goals, earning her the league Player of the Month award.[31] Dunn finished the regular season with a league-leading 15 goals, giving her the 2015NWSL Golden Boot, and won the league Most Valuable Player award.[5] She became the youngest player to win both awards at age 23 and broke the league record with her 0.77 goals-per-game average.[4] She has said that being left off the national team for the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup gave her extra motivation in the league.[32]
Dunn returned for her third season in 2016, scoring four goals and notching a career-high five assists. Two of her four goals were the two Spirit goals scored in the team's first-ever appearance in the NWSL Championship, which waswon on penalties by theWestern New York Flash after a 2–2 draw.[33]
On January 3, 2017, Dunn joinedFA WSL 1 clubChelsea.[34] On March 19, she scored her first goal just 12 minutes into her first competitive appearance for the club, in a 7–0FA Cup win overDoncaster Rovers Belles.[35] She made her first appearance in the FA WSL in April, scoring her first league goal in a 6–0 victory overYeovil Town.[36] At the beginning she played as astriker for Chelsea, but switched to thewing-back position.[37] During her time at Chelsea, Dunn scored five goals in 20 appearances in all competitions and helped Chelsea win theFA WSL Spring Series.[38][39] She also helped the club reach the quarter-finals in the2017–18 UEFA Women's Champions League, marking the first time they reached that stage of the competition.[40] Dunn enjoyed her time at Chelsea, and even named one of her adopted chickens after the club, but made the decision to return to the United States so that the national team staff could see her play more.[41]
After a year in England, it was planned that Dunn would return to North America with the deal of a trade withWashington Spirit for two ofNorth Carolina Courage's players at the time,Taylor Smith andAshley Hatch. The Spirit retained the League rights after Chelsea signed Dunn back in January 2017.[38] This move was confirmed by Chelsea on February 25, 2018.[37]
She made her first appearance for the North Carolina Courage in a 1–0 win overPortland Thorns FC, in the opening game of the2018 NWSL season.[42] Dunn was named Player of the Week twice in the 2018 NWSL season, for weeks 8 and 13.[43][44] She was named Player of the Month for the month of June.[45] Dunn appeared in 22 regular season games for the Courage, scoring eight goals, helping North Carolina win the NWSL Shield.[46] The Courage broke multiple season records including most goals scored, most wins, and most points.[47] Dunn was named to the 2018 NWSL Best XI.[48] Dunn was in the starting lineup for the semi-final game against theChicago Red Stars, in which North Carolina won 2–0 and advanced to the Championship Game. She was in the starting lineup for the final, which North Carolina won 3–0 over the Portland Thorns.[49]
On October 22, 2020, Crystal Dunn was traded toOL Reign in exchange forCasey Murphy and $140,000 inNWSL allocation money. Later that day, she was traded to thePortland Thorns FC in exchange for an international roster slot, a first-round pick in the2022 NWSL Draft, and $250,000 in allocation money.[50] With the rescheduled2020 Summer Olympics occurring during the middle of the2021 NWSL season, Dunn was away from the club for much of July and August. She played in 15 matches for the club during the remainder of the season, helping the Thorns to anNWSL Shield, the third of her career.[51][52]
Shortly following the end of the 2021 season, Dunn announced her first pregnancy.[53] After missing the majority of the2022 NWSL season, Dunn returned to the field less than four months after the birth of her first child, Marcel, subbing on during 0–2 win against theOrlando Pride on September 9, 2022.[54][55] Dunn's first goal for the Thorns following her pregnancy would prove to a be a crucial one: a game-winning goal in the 93rd minute of their semifinal match against theSan Diego Wave.[56][57] Dunn would sub on late in the final, making her fourth career appearance in an NWSL Championship match, and lift the trophy with the Thorns.
Dunn played 19 matches for the Thorns during the2023 season, during which she scored five goals and two assists. Following the 2023 season, Dunn became a free agent and announced she would not return to the Thorns, later saying that she felt undervalued by the club.[58][59]
During the 2023 offseason, Dunn was linked to a number of clubs including theOrlando Pride, theWashington Spirit, andGotham FC with reports that the Pride had offered her a salary of $400,000 a year.[60] On December 31, 2023, Gotham FC announced that Dunn, a Long Island native with family in the New York metropolitan area, had signed with the club through 2026.[61]
Dunn made her firstAlgarve Cup appearance for the senior team during the team's first match in the tournament on March 6, 2013, againstIceland. She started the match at left back and played for the full 90 minutes. The United States defeated Iceland 3–0.[68] Dunn earned her third cap with the senior team during the final match of the tournament againstGermany. The United States clinched the tournament championship after defeating Germany 2–0.[69][70]
In October 2014, Dunn was dropped from the national team roster ahead of the2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship, which served as the qualifying tournament for the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[71] Dunn returned from injury in December 2014 and traveled with the team to Brazil, but did not play.[72]
Dunn was named to the roster for February 2015 friendlies againstFrance andEngland,[73] and made a substitute appearance against England.[72] February 2015, Dunn was named to the2015 Algarve Cup roster, but did not play during the tournament. Dunn was named to the preliminary roster for the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, but surprisingly did not make the final squad of 23.[72]
In September 2015, Dunn was added to the roster for the national team'sWomen's World Cup victory tour prior to the September 17 match againstHaiti, becoming the first player not on the World Cup roster to join the tour.[74] She made her first start of 2015 against Haiti and earned her first cap since the England friendly. She recorded her first career national team assists, both onCarli Lloyd's goals, and scored her first national team goal in the final moments of the match.[m 1]
Dunn played in the national team's opening game of the2016 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship, scoring her fifth international goal in the 5–0 victory over Costa Rica.[m 2] In the third group match vs Puerto Rico, Dunn was tied for the most goals scored by a U.S. player, netting five goals and one assist.[m 3]
Dunn with the USWNT in 2018
During their first match of March 2019, each national team player wore a jersey with the name of a woman they were honoring on the back; Dunn chose the name ofSerena Williams.[75]
On February 7, 2020, Dunn played her 100th match for the United States in a 4–0 win againstMexico.[76] Dunn was the only American player to start in all six matches at the2020 Summer Olympics in Japan and played all but 16 minutes at the tournament helping the team win bronze.[77][78]
Dunn was named to the 18-player roster for the2024 Summer Olympics in France.[79] In the first knockout round againstJapan, she sent a long ball to assistTrinity Rodman for a 1–0 win in extra time, sending the team to the semifinals.[80] She started in the gold medal game againstBrazil, which the United States won 1–0 on a goal fromMallory Swanson.[81]
Dunn is known for her creative problem solving in attack, her work rate, and above all, her positional versatility.[82][57][83] After beginning her professional career as a forward for theWashington Spirit and the United States,Emma Hayes deployed her as a wingback during her time atChelsea.[37][84][83] Upon her return to the United States, she played as one of two attacking midfielders alongsideDebinha for theNorth Carolina Courage.[85] While playing for the Courage, Dunn also established herself as one of the world's best left backs, solidifying her as starter at that position for the United States during the2019 Women's World Cup. Dunn has expressed that she prefers to play an attacking role.[57]
Dunn married Pierre Soubrier in December 2018. They met when she was playing for theNWSL'sWashington Spirit, where he was working as an athletic trainer.[89][90] Soubrier's presence in Portland, where he was head trainer for the Portland Thorns, contributed to Dunn's desire to get traded to Portland.[91] Together, they have five chickens (Quinn, Juke, Chelsea, Toulouse, and Rocky), as well as three cats.[92]
On November 11, 2021, Dunn announced that she and Soubrier were expecting their first child together; baby Marcel Jean was born following an unplannedC-section on May 20, 2022.[53][93][57]
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