Rhian Wilkinson

Rhian Emilie Wilkinson (born May 12, 1982) is a Canadian professional soccer coach and former player, currently serving as head coach of Portland Thorns FC in the National Women's Soccer League. During her playing career, she made over 180 appearances for the Canadian national team, with whom she won an Olympic bronze medal at London 2012 and Rio 2016. She played as a forward and midfielder, but was primarily an offensively-minded right fullback who carried the ball forward and made crosses in the attacking zone.

Club Career

Wilkinson was named to the 2003 W-League All Star team and the 2004 W-League Championship All-Tournament team. She won the W-League 2005 scoring championship and tied for the assist leader with 38 points on 13 goals and 12 assists.

She began playing for Team Strommen of the Toppserien (Norwegian league) in autumn 2005 and maintained her relationship with the club over the course of eight seasons.

In 2013, she played for the Boston Breakers in the new National Women's Soccer League. She played several games for Boston as a midfielder, scoring twice.

She signed with the Laval Comets of the W-League in 2014.

In 2015, Wilkinson joined Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League through NWSL Player Allocation. In February 2016, the Thorns announced that Wilkinson would not play for the team in 2016, and she became unaffiliated.

International Career

Wilkinson won bronze with Canada at the 2007 Pan American Games, and gold at the 2011 Pan American Games where Canada defeated Brazil 4–3 in penalty kicks. She captured an Olympic bronze medal at London 2012 after Canada defeated France 1–0 on August 9, 2012, in Coventry, England. She contributed three assists in the first two games for Canada at the 2014 Cyprus Cup.