Tina Frimpong
Encyclopedia
Tina Ellertson is an American
soccer defender
currently playing for magicJack
of Women's Professional Soccer
and has played for the United States women's national soccer team
.
, a child of a Nigeria
n mother and a Ghana
ian father who emigrated to the U.S. She played soccer throughout her childhood and signed to go to the Santa Clara University
, but instead went to the University of Washington
. The decision was hard since at age 18, she gave birth to her daughter, MacKenzie. She competed in soccer throughout college to become one of UW's most respected forwards. She was named Pacific Ten Conference
co-player of the year in 2003 and player of the year in 2004.
on July 10, 2005. New coach Greg Ryan
moved her to defender. She was named to the U.S. roster for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Ellertson has also played for the Seattle Sounders
of the W-League
.
On September 16, 2008, Ellertson was one of the three players drafted for Saint Louis Athletica in the WPS
allocation of national team members, with the new league starting play in April 2009. Ellertson was a consistently solid presence in the Athletica back line, logging 1748 minutes for the season, the most on the team. She played as team captain whenever Lori Chalupny
was not on the field, made the All-Star
team, and was nominated for WPS's Defender of the Year award.
When Saint Louis folded in May 2010, Ellertson moved to Atlanta Beat alongside team mates Hope Solo
and Eniola Aluko
. After 16 games and two goals for the Beat, Ellertson left by mutual consent in February 2011. She moved to new franchise magicJack
and quickly became a cornerstone of the team's defense, producing notable performances against Marta
and Kelly Smith
.
. Prior to her marriage, she played under her maiden name, Frimpong.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
currently playing for magicJack
MagicJack (WPS)
MagicJack was an American professional soccer club based in Boca Raton, Florida. The team competed in Women's Professional Soccer. MagicJack was originally founded in 2001 as the Washington Freedom of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association. In 2011, the team relocated to Boca Raton, Florida...
of Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
and has played for the United States women's national soccer team
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
.
Early Life to College
Born Christina Jo Frimpong, Ellertson grew up in Vancouver, WashingtonVancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
, a child of a Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n mother and a Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian father who emigrated to the U.S. She played soccer throughout her childhood and signed to go to the Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
, but instead went to the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. The decision was hard since at age 18, she gave birth to her daughter, MacKenzie. She competed in soccer throughout college to become one of UW's most respected forwards. She was named Pacific Ten Conference
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
co-player of the year in 2003 and player of the year in 2004.
Pro career
After April Heinrichs's reign as coach, Ellertson tried out for the women's national soccer team, and earned her first cap against UkraineUkraine women's national football team
The Ukraine women's national football team represents Ukraine in international women's football. The team is administered by the Football Federation of Ukraine....
on July 10, 2005. New coach Greg Ryan
Greg Ryan (soccer)
Greg Ryan is a retired German-American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He was the head coach of the United States women's national soccer team from 2005 to 2007...
moved her to defender. She was named to the U.S. roster for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Ellertson has also played for the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (USL)
Seattle Sounders was an American professional soccer team founded in 1994 as a member of the American Professional Soccer League. In 1997, the team became a member of the USL First Division, the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid, until 2008, after which the majority of the team's...
of the W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
.
On September 16, 2008, Ellertson was one of the three players drafted for Saint Louis Athletica in the WPS
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
allocation of national team members, with the new league starting play in April 2009. Ellertson was a consistently solid presence in the Athletica back line, logging 1748 minutes for the season, the most on the team. She played as team captain whenever Lori Chalupny
Lori Chalupny
Lori Christine Chalupny is an American soccer midfielder currently playing for Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the United States women's national soccer team.-Career:...
was not on the field, made the All-Star
WPS All-Star 2009
The 2009 Women's Professional Soccer All-Star Game was the first WPS All-Star Game. In a format similar to that of recent all-star games in Major League Soccer, the WPS All-Stars played Swedish club powerhouse Umeå IK on August 30, 2009, eight days after the league's championship game...
team, and was nominated for WPS's Defender of the Year award.
When Saint Louis folded in May 2010, Ellertson moved to Atlanta Beat alongside team mates Hope Solo
Hope Solo
Hope Amelia Solo is an American association football goalkeeper. She became a free agent after Women's Professional Soccer terminated the magicJack franchise for which she played in the 2011 season. Solo is the current starting goalkeeper for the United States women's national soccer...
and Eniola Aluko
Eniola Aluko
Eniola "Eni" Aluko is a Nigerian-born, English football forward currently playing for Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer. Aluko moved with her family to Birmingham when she was one year old. Since she grew up in England, she chose to represent England at international level.-Birmingham...
. After 16 games and two goals for the Beat, Ellertson left by mutual consent in February 2011. She moved to new franchise magicJack
MagicJack (WPS)
MagicJack was an American professional soccer club based in Boca Raton, Florida. The team competed in Women's Professional Soccer. MagicJack was originally founded in 2001 as the Washington Freedom of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association. In 2011, the team relocated to Boca Raton, Florida...
and quickly became a cornerstone of the team's defense, producing notable performances against Marta
Marta
Marta may refer to:* Marta or Marta Vieira da Silva , a Brazilian women's football forward* Marta Estrella, a recurring fictional character from Arrested Development...
and Kelly Smith
Kelly Smith
Kelly Jayne Smith, MBE is an English football forward currently playing for Boston Breakers of Women's Professional Soccer and is a member of the England women's national football team.-Youth and university:...
.
Personal life
She is married to Brad Ellertson and they have two daughters. MacKenzie (born 2000) and Mya (born 2007). Her twin sister, Crystal Frimpong, played soccer at University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. Prior to her marriage, she played under her maiden name, Frimpong.