Former Breakers Defender Retires

Kate Markgraf Leaves Professional Game

October 15, 2010

Former Boston Breakers defender Kate Markgraf (nee Sobrero) has retire from professional soccer.

She bows out as the seventh most-capped player in the history of the U.S. Women's National team with 201 games played.

Born in Bloomfield Hills, MI, Markgraf (then Sobreoro) was the youngest player on the storied 1999 Women's World Cup team and was one of the key players that Breakers coach Jay Hoffman built his team around when the WUSA was launched two years later.

The original Boston Breakers were built around Kristine Lilly and Markgraf

She stayed in Boston for all three of the WUSA's seasons and married former Providence College soccer player Chris Markgraf in October of 2003, just as the league was folding.

While her club career may have come to a halt when the league disbanded, her international career contiued to thrive. Over time she grew into a leader in the back for the USA and was a fixture in the starting lineup for over 11 years.

She started for the USA in the last six world championships, the 1999, 2003 and 2007 FIFA Women's World Cups and on the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Teams.

When the WUSA's successor league, WPS launched in 2009, Markgraf was picked up by the Chicago stars but missed the entire inaugural season because she was pregnant with twins. She did however play almost every minute for the Chicago Red Stars in 2010 and her solid performances brought her back into the fold for the US National team, earning her three more caps.

However, she was not picked asked to attend the recent training camp out of which coach Pia Sundhage selected the 20 players to participate in 2011 Women's World Cup Concacaf qualifying that begins later this month in Cancun, Mexico.

She played her last match for the U.S. National Team on in New England July 17 against Sweden in East Hartford, CT.

Markgraf's retirement leaves just three players from the 1999 Women's World Cup winning team still active in professional soccer: defender Christie Rampone, midfielder Kristine Lilly and forward Tiffeny Milbrett.