Bella Bixby

Annabella Madeleine Bixby (née Geist; born November 20, 1995) is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Portland Thorns FC.[1]

Bella Bixby
Personal information
Full name Annabella Madeleine Bixby
Birth name Annabella Madeleine Geist
Date of birth (1995-11-20) November 20, 1995
Place of birth Milwaukie, Oregon, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Portland Thorns
Number 31
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Oregon State Beavers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Portland Thorns 0 (0)
2018–2019 1. FFC Frankfurt 0 (0)
2019– Portland Thorns 17 (0)
National team
2017–2018 United States U23
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 27, 2020

Early life

Bixby attended Rex Putnam High School.

Oregon State University

Bixby attended Oregon State University and played 72 games for its women's soccer team. She posted 18 clean sheets and setting a university record for most career saves.[2][3]

Club career

Bixby was selected in the 3rd round of the 2018 NWSL College Draft by Portland Thorns FC. She was injured for most of her first year with Portland and was forced to miss most of the year after suffering another injury while on loan in Germany.[4] She then spent part of 2019 off on loan in Israel.[5][6]

Bixby made her professional debut for the Thorns on June 27, 2020 in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, a 2-1 loss to the North Carolina Courage.[1][7] After posting two clean sheets in her first four games for the club, she suffered an ACL injury that forced her to miss the rest of the Challenge Cup.[8]

In July 2021, Bixby set the NWSL record for most shutout minutes to start an NWSL regular-season career, starting the 2021 NWSL season with 269 consecutive shutout minutes across her first three games, becoming the third goalkeeper in the league's history to post back-to-back clean sheets in their regular season debuts.[9] She won the Save of the Week Award for the first week of August 2021.[10]

Activism

Bixby has been outspoken on issues within soccer.[11][12] In early July 2021, she called for the league to drop the "W" from its name, stating that it was both non-inclusive and that it promoted the misconception that the women's side of the game was abnormal.[13] In late-July 2021, she called on Racing Louisville FC to end the light show at Lynn Family Stadium played after Louisville scored, stating that "players reported feeling physically ill. I am someone who has sensory integration issues & had to put a towel over my eyes and pray to god I didn't have a meltdown seconds before the 2nd half."[14]

Bixby has taken part in the NWSLPA's #NoMoreSideHustles campaign for better compensation for women's football players, revealing that she had to have a second job for Uber for a year while playing in the NWSL.[15]

Personal life

In December 2018, Bixby married her husband Elliot and began using her married name.

Bixby is on the autism spectrum.[16]

Honors

Portland Thorns FC

References
  1. Bella Bixby at Soccerway
  2. "How former OSU goalkeeper Bella Bixby stayed ready for her Portland Thorns debut". NBC Sports Northwest. July 10, 2020.
  3. FC, Portland Thorns. "Bella Bixby | Portland Timbers". Portland Thorns FC.
  4. Cohen, Matt (July 16, 2020). "After years of injuries and growth, Portland Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby has emerged as a breakout star of the NWSL Challenge Cup". The Oregonian.
  5. FM, Player. "Thorns FC's Bella Bixby on her loan time in Israel, new puppy and more | Breaking Lines | Feb. 27, 2020" – via player.fm.
  6. "Roster Check | Thorns FC Goalkeepers | Portland Timbers".
  7. jarrid.denney@lee.net, JARRID DENNEY. "Bella Bixby hopes to use her platform for positive change as she steps up for Portland Thorns". Corvallis Gazette Times.
  8. Odom, Joel (July 18, 2020). "Portland Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby says she has ACL injury". The Oregonian.
  9. "Thorns' Bella Bixby breaks record for shutout minutes begin NWSL career". Just Women's Sports. July 19, 2021.
  10. @NWSL (August 4, 2021). "Look Ma, One Hand 🖐️This amazing @bellageist stop is this week's @Verizon Save of the Week winner 👏" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. Gaydos, Ryan (August 11, 2020). "Portland Thorns' Bella Bixby reminds followers NWSL pulled off season first amid coronavirus: 'This is getting really old'". Fox News.
  12. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/07/27/nwsl-broadcats/
  13. Weldon, Shelby (July 9, 2021). "Goaltender Bella Bixby to the NWSL: Drop the 'W'". Outsports.
  14. Gardner, Hayes. "Blinding lights? Why Lynn Family Stadium's light show is generating controversy". The Courier-Journal.
  15. "Jess McDonald, Bella Bixby share economic realities of NWSL". Just Women's Sports. July 23, 2021.
  16. "Thorns' Bella Bixby says Houston's, Louisville's light shows need to go". July 25, 2021.
  17. Snipes, Tyler (August 22, 2021). "The Portland Thorns are WICC Champions!". International Champions Cup.
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