Crystal Dunn, a Rockville Centre native and one of the most accomplished players in women’s soccer, announced her retirement from professional soccer in a statement posted on Instagram.
“Today, I am announcing my retirement,” Dunn wrote on Jan. 29. “This decision has not come easily, but I am at peace and deeply fulfilled with all that I have accomplished.”
She added that she “gave all I had to give” during a career that spanned youth, collegiate, professional and international soccer.
Dunn grew up in Rockville Centre and starred at South Side High School, where she established herself as one of the top high school players in the country. She was a central figure on three New York State championship teams in 2006, 2007 and 2009. Over the course of her high school career, Dunn scored 46 goals and recorded 35 assists while playing both midfield and forward.
She did not play her junior season at South Side while competing with the United States U-17 National Team in New Zealand. Her senior season included a standout performance in the 2009 state championship game, when she scored four goals, including three in the opening 20 minutes.
Dunn’s individual honors included Parade Magazine All-American recognition, Gatorade New York State Player of the Year, and New York State Sportswriters Class A Player of the Year.
Dunn went on to the University of North Carolina, where she became one of the most decorated players in program history. She won three NCAA championships with the Tar Heels, was a two-time All-American, and received both the Hermann Trophy and the Honda Award as the top collegiate player in the nation.
She entered the professional ranks as the first overall pick in the 2014 National Women’s Soccer League Draft and went on to earn NWSL Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot honors. Dunn won multiple NWSL championships and Shields during her professional career and was known for her ability to play multiple positions at a high level.
Internationally, Dunn was a long-time member of the United States Women’s National Team. She helped the U.S. win the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic gold medals, including at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Over the course of her national team career, she played both attacking and defensive roles, including a shift to defense during major international tournaments.
In her Instagram announcement, Dunn reflected on her journey in the sport.
“I first kicked a soccer ball at the age of four, never knowing it would change my life and bring me so many moments beyond my imagination,” she wrote. She also acknowledged those around her, writing, “I did not travel this road alone. The locker room became my home away from home.”
Dunn was inducted into the Nassau County High School Athletics Hall of Fame in September 2024.
