Isabel Hodgson

Australian soccer player

Isabel Hodgson
Personal information
Hodgson with Adelaide United in 2019
Date of birth	(1996-05-12) 12 May 1996 (age 27)
Place of birth	Adelaide, Australia
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Defender, winger
Team information
Current team	Adelaide United
Number	11
Youth career
	Fulham United
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2018	ETSU Buccaneers	78	(11)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2013	Fulham United	51	(45)
2013–2015	Adelaide United	15	(0)
2018	Adelaide City
2019–	Adelaide United	74	(2)
International career
2014	Australia U19	3
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 November 2016

Isabel Hodgson (born 12 May 1996) is an Australian soccer player, who is a defender and currently serves as captain for A-League Women team Adelaide United.^[1]^[2] She also plays in the Women's National Premier League.^[1]

Youth career

Hodgson played for Fulham United for 10 seasons.^[3] From 2011, she scored 65 career goals for the club, including 35 goals in her breakout 2013 season.^[3]

She represented South Australia on the state soccer team from under-12s to under-15s,^[3] and featured in the under-15s national soccer championship in 2011.^[4] She was then on the National Training Centre (NTC) South Australia under-18 squad, competing at the NTC nationals in 2012, 2013, and 2014.^[3] In 2014, she led the South Australia under-18s as captain, finishing with a 6–0–2 record and the team's first-ever championship.^[3]

International appearances

Hodgson was selected for the under-19 Young Matildas squad and started in two of the three matches she played at the AFC Qualifiers Championship in Hanoi.^[3]^[5] She was a striker.^[5]

Professional career

Hodgson has played for the Adelaide United Lady Reds for her entire senior career.^[6] She made 15 appearances between 2013 and 2015, before leaving Australia to play in the U.S.^[7] Hodgson returned to Adelaide United in 2018,^[7] and was named captain in 2021.^[8]

Although she now mainly plays in the position of defender, Impetus has described Hodgson as "a skilful and tenacious fullback who is also capable of driving upfield and setting up goals".^[6] In the final match of the 2020–21 season, she was moved forward into an attacking role, and scored a goal in front of a crowd of 5,159 at Hindmarsh Stadium.^[9]^[6]

During her seventh season with Adelaide, Hodgson became only the fifth player in Adelaide United history to reach 50 A-League Women's matches.^[10] In 2023, she injured her ankle during the pre-season and missed the first two matches of the season.^[11]

College career

Hodgson played for the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers, an NCAA Division I soccer team in the United States on scholarship,^[10]^[7]^[12] and served as captain for all four years.^[12] During her freshman season, she was mainly a defender, occasionally moving to right wing and back to left defense.^[13]

While at ETSU, she returned to play for Adelaide United twice "on loan".^[10] She was offered a contract with United during her July 2018 summer break, when she was back in Australia playing for Adelaide City in the SA Women's National Premier League.^[7]

Personal life

Hodgson juggled her interests in football and musical theatre from a young age, with training and rehearsals often happening on the same day.^[12] At the age of six, Hodgson appeared in an Australian theatre production of The Sound of Music, playing Gretl von Trapp.^[13]^[12] She also starred in the title role in Annie at Annesley College.^[12] As a freshman studying theatre in the US, she starred in the role of Maureen Johnson in an ETSU production of Rent.^[13]

Hodgson is active on TikTok, offering commentary on women's soccer, guest appearances from teammates, and her own spin on viral trends.^[14] She has also spoken openly about her own experience coming as a gay player in her late teens.^[15]^[16]

In 2022, she was named as an ambassador for Football South Australia FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Legacy Plan and Committee.^[17]

References

^ ^a ^b Allman, Kate (30 August 2023). "'It's so backwards': women call for equal prize money in South Australian football". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
^ Walsh, Liz (3 December 2021). "FINALS TO MOTIVATE CAMPAIGN". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 13 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "ETSU adds to roster with signing of Australian Isabel Hodgson". Elizabethton Star. 19 July 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Schultz, I. D. (13 July 2011). "National call-up beckons for Fulham girls". Weekly Times Messenger. Port Adelaide. Retrieved 14 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ ^a ^b Miglaccio, Val (1 November 2014). "Country girl earns national squad spot". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 18 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ ^a ^b ^c Yap, Kieran (16 February 2022). "Isabel Hodgson On Captaincy, Versatility and Aiming For Finals". Impetus. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Greenwood, Rob (30 November 2018). "All-star Hodgson back in Reds' shirt". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 18 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ Filosi, Gianluca (10 December 2021). "Hodgson confident the reds can bounce back from drubbing". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 13 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ Gilby, Ben (24 June 2021). "Isabel Hodgson on the Adelaide United Development Story". Beyond 90. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "A fine 50 for United captain". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ Smith, Erin (11 November 2023). "Hodgson itching to get on the park". The Advertiser. Adelaide – via ProQuest.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "'Come on, it's what I do!' Skipper's (not so secret) gift". The A-Leagues. December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c Baker, Alex (23 September 2015). "Hodgson brings defensive talents to women's soccer". University Wire. Retrieved 18 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ Van Der Heyden, Monique (17 March 2022). "The SA Aussie sports stars having a crack at TikTok fame". The Advertiser. Online – via ProQuest.
^ Eccleston, Roy (26 March 2022). "PRIDE & PREJUDICE". The Weekend Australian Magazine. Retrieved 13 November 2023 – via ProQuest.
^ Hodgson, Isabel (25 February 2022). "Isabel Hodgson about coming out: If I can do it, you can do it". FIFPRO. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
^ Gilbertson, Matt (16 January 2022). "Hans' hear say Signed up and inspired by cup". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 13 November 2023 – via ProQuest.