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Ally Sentnor has been dealing with high expectations almost since she first started kicking a soccer ball around Hanson.
She was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a teenager. She was a highly sought-after college recruit who landed at powerhouse North Carolina. And she was the first overall pick in the 2024 National Women's Soccer League draft. (She also was the final No. 1 overall pick as the league has scrapped the draft format altogether.)
People have been expecting big things from Sentnor for a while, and the Thayer Academy product keeps delivering.
"I have to keep having fun with it," Sentnor said recently from Utah, where she was gearing up for her second pro season with the Royals. "There are going to be people who don't like your style of play; you're never going to be liked by every single person. So you can't really worry about that. If I'm having fun and I'm enjoying it, that's all that matters. I'm my hardest critic."
Truth be told, there aren't a lot of Sentnor critics these days. The latest example of her living up to the "Next Big Thing" label came in January, when she was named U.S. Soccer's Young Female Player of the Year for 2024. The previous list of winners is a who's-who of USA greats, including fellow Hanson product Kristie Mewis (2008), Tobin Heath (2009), Sydney Leroux (2011), Lindsey Horan (2013), Naomi Girma (2020) and Trinity Rodman (2021).
"It's one of those pinch-me moments," Sentnor said. "Oh, my gosh, I'm surrounded by all of these people who have won this before me. I can hopefully do what they've done in their careers. It gives me the confidence that I can continue to achieve things in this sport and continue to inspire the next generation."
Unlike some of the bigger names on the POY list, Sentnor is just getting started with her senior U.S. Women's National Team career. After coming off the bench for a pair of friendlies in November and December, she got an extended run at the three-game SheBelieves Cup in February. She scored twice in the tournament, including an absolute screamer from outside the 18-yard box in a 2-0 win against Colombia.
"It was a great game — super intense, a great opponent," Sentnor said. "It was a tight game, we were only winning 1-0, and just to get the ball in open space in the middle of the field is something that I really love. I just turned and saw some space and decided to take it. The ball left my foot and I had no idea that it would end up exactly where it did. But I was just so happy."
It was her first international goal for the senior team -- she had 12 (and 23 caps) for various age-group U.S. squads -- and it might not be the last jaw-dropper she scores. Long-range laser beams are kind of her thing.
"I do love to shoot from distance," she said with a laugh. "I think I've always worked on the technique of my shot and getting a lot of power behind it. It's something that I've learned that I can do. I'm still working on having all different types of finishing in my repertoire, but something that I do a lot is shoot from distance."
The SheBelieves Cup, where the U.S. finished runner-up to Japan, was another opportunity to get to know U.S. coach Emma Hayes -- "Being around her, it just makes you want to be better," Sentnor said -- and also allowed Sentnor to calm some of the nerves she felt during her first two appearances back around the holidays. She made her USA debut off the bench in a 0-0 draw vs. England in front of a crowd of 78,000-plus at London's Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30.
Appearing recently on former U.S. star (and Hanson native) Sam Mewis' "The Women's Game" podcast, Sentnor revealed that she was "shaking" with excitement when Hayes called her number in the 88th minute that day. She also said the staff was prepping her with intricate details on how to defend set pieces and her only concern was not tripping when she ran onto the field.
"I'm always going to be a little nervous and anxious for games," Sentnor said. "It means you really care about what you're doing. But you get a little more comfortable every single time that you train and play with the national team. You're just gaining confidence and getting insight into the players that you're playing with."
Sentnor will get more time with the national team soon as she was just added to the April training camp roster. The U.S. will play Brazil in a pair of friendlies on April 5 (in Los Angeles) and April 8 (in San Jose).
In the interim she'll be trying to hone her pro game with the Royals. Sentnor had 3 goals and 4 assists last season and was a nominee for NWSL Rookie of the Year while playing both wing and attacking midfield. She acknowledged that the cross-country travel and increased minutes (compared to her college days) were an adjustment for her.
So, too, was all the losing. An expansion team, Utah finished 11th in the 14-team league with 7 wins, 4 draws and 15 losses.
"I had never really been a part of a losing season," Sentnor said. "So it was a mentality shift. It was something that I really had to learn to how to embrace and learn how to still grow and become a better player, even if we weren't getting the results that we wanted. That was the biggest challenge I had last year and something that you really never get used to."
In Year 2 -- Utah got a draw and a loss out of its first two games -- Sentnor said she's hoping to fine-tune her finishing in the final third and do more to help the Royals stay in every game and not let the score get away from them.
Sentnor's family -- dad Richard, mom Lee, younger sister Katelyn, and younger brother William -- got to see several of her NWSL games last year, both in Utah and on East Coast trips. The closest she'll get to home this season is an Aug. 23 visit to Gotham FC in Harrison, New Jersey. In 2026, though, the newly rebranded Boston expansion team (Boston Legacy FC) will enter the league, playing its home games at White Stadium in Franklin Park.
"It'll be so awesome to go and play that game at home with my family and friends there," Sentnor said. "It's always so great to get to play in the area you grew up in."
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hanson soccer star Ally Sentnor making an impact for club and country
Continue reading...
She was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a teenager. She was a highly sought-after college recruit who landed at powerhouse North Carolina. And she was the first overall pick in the 2024 National Women's Soccer League draft. (She also was the final No. 1 overall pick as the league has scrapped the draft format altogether.)
People have been expecting big things from Sentnor for a while, and the Thayer Academy product keeps delivering.
"I have to keep having fun with it," Sentnor said recently from Utah, where she was gearing up for her second pro season with the Royals. "There are going to be people who don't like your style of play; you're never going to be liked by every single person. So you can't really worry about that. If I'm having fun and I'm enjoying it, that's all that matters. I'm my hardest critic."
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Truth be told, there aren't a lot of Sentnor critics these days. The latest example of her living up to the "Next Big Thing" label came in January, when she was named U.S. Soccer's Young Female Player of the Year for 2024. The previous list of winners is a who's-who of USA greats, including fellow Hanson product Kristie Mewis (2008), Tobin Heath (2009), Sydney Leroux (2011), Lindsey Horan (2013), Naomi Girma (2020) and Trinity Rodman (2021).
"It's one of those pinch-me moments," Sentnor said. "Oh, my gosh, I'm surrounded by all of these people who have won this before me. I can hopefully do what they've done in their careers. It gives me the confidence that I can continue to achieve things in this sport and continue to inspire the next generation."
Unlike some of the bigger names on the POY list, Sentnor is just getting started with her senior U.S. Women's National Team career. After coming off the bench for a pair of friendlies in November and December, she got an extended run at the three-game SheBelieves Cup in February. She scored twice in the tournament, including an absolute screamer from outside the 18-yard box in a 2-0 win against Colombia.
"It was a great game — super intense, a great opponent," Sentnor said. "It was a tight game, we were only winning 1-0, and just to get the ball in open space in the middle of the field is something that I really love. I just turned and saw some space and decided to take it. The ball left my foot and I had no idea that it would end up exactly where it did. But I was just so happy."
It was her first international goal for the senior team -- she had 12 (and 23 caps) for various age-group U.S. squads -- and it might not be the last jaw-dropper she scores. Long-range laser beams are kind of her thing.
"I do love to shoot from distance," she said with a laugh. "I think I've always worked on the technique of my shot and getting a lot of power behind it. It's something that I've learned that I can do. I'm still working on having all different types of finishing in my repertoire, but something that I do a lot is shoot from distance."
The SheBelieves Cup, where the U.S. finished runner-up to Japan, was another opportunity to get to know U.S. coach Emma Hayes -- "Being around her, it just makes you want to be better," Sentnor said -- and also allowed Sentnor to calm some of the nerves she felt during her first two appearances back around the holidays. She made her USA debut off the bench in a 0-0 draw vs. England in front of a crowd of 78,000-plus at London's Wembley Stadium on Nov. 30.
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Appearing recently on former U.S. star (and Hanson native) Sam Mewis' "The Women's Game" podcast, Sentnor revealed that she was "shaking" with excitement when Hayes called her number in the 88th minute that day. She also said the staff was prepping her with intricate details on how to defend set pieces and her only concern was not tripping when she ran onto the field.
"I'm always going to be a little nervous and anxious for games," Sentnor said. "It means you really care about what you're doing. But you get a little more comfortable every single time that you train and play with the national team. You're just gaining confidence and getting insight into the players that you're playing with."
Sentnor will get more time with the national team soon as she was just added to the April training camp roster. The U.S. will play Brazil in a pair of friendlies on April 5 (in Los Angeles) and April 8 (in San Jose).
In the interim she'll be trying to hone her pro game with the Royals. Sentnor had 3 goals and 4 assists last season and was a nominee for NWSL Rookie of the Year while playing both wing and attacking midfield. She acknowledged that the cross-country travel and increased minutes (compared to her college days) were an adjustment for her.
So, too, was all the losing. An expansion team, Utah finished 11th in the 14-team league with 7 wins, 4 draws and 15 losses.
You must be registered for see images
"I had never really been a part of a losing season," Sentnor said. "So it was a mentality shift. It was something that I really had to learn to how to embrace and learn how to still grow and become a better player, even if we weren't getting the results that we wanted. That was the biggest challenge I had last year and something that you really never get used to."
In Year 2 -- Utah got a draw and a loss out of its first two games -- Sentnor said she's hoping to fine-tune her finishing in the final third and do more to help the Royals stay in every game and not let the score get away from them.
Sentnor's family -- dad Richard, mom Lee, younger sister Katelyn, and younger brother William -- got to see several of her NWSL games last year, both in Utah and on East Coast trips. The closest she'll get to home this season is an Aug. 23 visit to Gotham FC in Harrison, New Jersey. In 2026, though, the newly rebranded Boston expansion team (Boston Legacy FC) will enter the league, playing its home games at White Stadium in Franklin Park.
"It'll be so awesome to go and play that game at home with my family and friends there," Sentnor said. "It's always so great to get to play in the area you grew up in."
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hanson soccer star Ally Sentnor making an impact for club and country
Continue reading...
