Stephanie Cox
- U.S. National Team: WNT
- Position: Defender
- Date Of Birth: April 3, 1986
- Height: 5-6
- Hometown: Elk Grove, Calif.
- Club: Seattle Sounders Women
One of the breakout players of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup as Stephanie Lopez, the since married Cox is one of the USA’s most experienced defenders. Able to play on either flank, she’s seen most of her time on the left where her calmness under pressure and comfort with the ball have benefited the team in keeping possession and building the attack. Totally two-footed, her services from the wings and passing over distance could be of great benefit during the tournament.
As a senior, she missed the first 10 games of the season while training for and playing in the 2007 Women’s World Cup, but returned to Portland to start the remaining eight games … She scored two goals (doubling her career total of one) and got two assists while helping UP to an undefeated run in conference play, the WCC title and an NCAA playoff berth … Won the prestigious Senior CLASS Award … As a junior, she played in 14 games, starting 13, and scored her first college goal … Missed several college games due to national team commitments … Helped Portland to a 17-4-3 record and to the third round of the NCAA Tournament … Redshirted what would have been her sophomore season to play at the 2004 FIFA U-19 World Championship in Thailand … Returned to Portland in 2005, helping the Pilots to an undefeated record of 23-0-2 and the NCAA Championship … Named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team … Started all 25 games in which she played and had five assists … Named an NSCAA First-Team All-American as well as First-Team All-WCC … Also named the WCC Defender of the Year … Started 23 matches as a freshman in the center of the defense for the Pilots, tying for the most on the team … Notched only point of her freshman year in her first game as a Pilot, assisting on the winning goal in 1-0 win against Colorado on Aug. 29, 2003 … Named All-WCC First-Team, All-Region and to the Soccer America All-Freshman Team … High School: Attended Elk Grove High School and graduated with a 4.17 GPA … Won two league championships (2001-02) … Delta League MVP junior and senior seasons … All-Section First-Team as a junior … An NSCAA All-American and Parade All-American as a senior … Also named a McDonald’s All-American … All-City MVP as a senior.
Full name is Stephanie Renée Cox … Formerly Stephanie Lopez, she married former Portland baseball player Brian Cox in December 2007 … First player of Hispanic decent to make a major impact on the Women’s National Team … Lettered three times in basketball in high school … Graduated from Portland with a bachelor of arts in psychology with a 3.7 GPA … Her parents, Rob and Cindy, started taking in foster babies when she was 10 and have continued to do so ever since, caring for more than 100 babies before they can be placed in more permanent homes … Lists some of her best soccer moments as winning the 2005 NCAA Championship, 4-0, as well as pulling on the national team jersey for the first time, and being a member of the amazing 2008 Olympic gold medal team … In January of 2008, she was named the Bill Hayward Female Amateur Athlete of the Year for 2007 at the 56th annual Oregon Sports Awards … Loves to cook dinners in her Crock-Pot as she is mostly at home during the winters … Loves to make chocolate chip pancakes with her husband … Also enjoys going to watch her husband coach the JV basketball team at South Kitsap HS … Enjoys reading, watching movies, and beating husband at soccer racquetball (he has gotten better!) … Has three brothers: Jeremiah, Justin and Daniel … Loves spending time with her family at home in Elk Grove …. In her free time at training camp, she likes to read (a lot) and get together with teammates for Bible study.

