CHICAGO (July 29, 2022)—Alyssa Mautz, a longtime Chicago Red Stars midfielder, announced today her plans to retire following the team's match Saturday, July 30, at Soldier Field. The Red Stars will hold a ceremony prior to kickoff honoring Mautz's time with the club.
"I just want to thank the Chicago Red Stars for allowing me to pursue my dream of playing professional soccer for the past 10 years. This club and community has felt like my second family/home," said Mautz. "Thank you to my teammates that have made this the best team to play for and fight for on the field. Thank you to my coaches that believed in me to play at this level. Thank you Arnim and the ownership for believing in this league to make it possible for women to play professional soccer."
"Mautz is the definition of Chicago Red Stars soccer. The culture and mindset she helped create at this club is one of the reasons for its continued success. There are not enough words to describe what she means to this club and to me personally," said Michelle Lomnicki, Chicago Red Stars Associate General Manager and former teammate of Mautz. "I'm grateful for the five years spent playing alongside her as she's always been an incredibly caring teammate, with an infectious personality that lights up the locker room. I'm excited for the next steps in her career."
Mautz joined the Red Stars in 2012 during the club's time in the Women's Premier Soccer League Elite. In 2013, when the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was formed, the midfielder was allocated to the Red Stars via the NWSL Supplemental Draft and proceeded to play in 18 matches, starting in eight, and scoring four goals. Since then, the St. Louis native has been a reliable presence for the club on the pitch and for her teammates in the locker room.
Leading up to Saturday's match at Soldier Field, Mautz has played 142 regular-season matches (153 in all competitions), starting 85 (88 in all competitions) and has scored 16 goals and tallied eight assists. Mautz will end her career as one of six players who have been rostered with the same NWSL team for all 10 seasons and one of the few players to play 100 regular-season matches with the same club. Mautz also is among the league leaders in goals with 16 in 142 regular-season matches. In 2013, Mautz scored a goal in 40 seconds against Western New York Flash, one of the fastest goals scored in league history.
As a member of the NWSL's inaugural season, Alyssa helped pave the way for the next generation of athletes looking to play professional soccer. The Chicago Red Stars are grateful for all of Alyssa's contributions to this club on and off the pitch, and we wish her the best of luck in the next chapter of her career.
