Hal Hershfelt

Midfielder • Age 25 • #17

Katherine Hailey Hershfelt is an American professional football player who plays as a defensive midfielder for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League and the United States national team. She played college football for the Clemson Tigers and was selected fifth overall by the Spirit in the 2024 NWSL Draft.

144 Appearances

21 Goals

1 Awards

Fun Facts about Hal

Quirky facts. Inspired by her game.

She was included as an alternate for the United States squad that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She made her debut later, during friendlies in October 2024.

Her first football memory involves sitting on the field picking daisies and making daisy chains, much to the frustration of her parents.

Before football became her profession, she worked as a waitress at Paradise Grill, a Mexican-American bar and grill in Marietta, Georgia.

Her favorite sport to watch, aside from football, is tennis because of its fast pace and exciting nature.

She has never been to a concert but would love to see Beyoncé perform one day.

Something that is always in her fridge is coffee creamer.

Her go-to coffee order is a brown sugar shaken espresso from Starbucks, but at home, she uses her Nespresso machine with creamer.

She has a one-eyed, tailless cat named Bobbi, who she describes as perfect.

She has a tattoo of the phrase “Fight the good fight” on her wrist, inspired by her grandma and mom, and another of Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom, reflecting her mother's love for mythology.

Her jersey number, 17, was chosen as the closest option to her previous number, 15, which she originally selected because it’s a multiple of 5, her childhood favorite.

Greece is at the top of her travel bucket list after seeing how much others enjoy visiting the country.

Her most frequently used apps are Instagram and TikTok—especially for watching recipes, home decor, and cat videos.

Her ideal off day includes sleeping in, spending time with Bobbi on the deck, trying new local lunch or coffee spots, and catching up on household chores.

The most essential part of her daily routine is her morning ritual: spending time with Bobbi, enjoying her coffee, and reading to wake up her mind before starting the day.

She earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Clemson University.

She then added a master’s degree in Public Administration with a specialization in emergency management and homeland security.

Growing up in a military family, she moved frequently and lived in numerous states, including Virginia, Maryland, and Georgia, which helped her adapt to new environments quickly.