Heather Hinz

Heather Hinz
Hinz with the Houston Dash in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-06-27) June 27, 2001[1]
Place of birth Laytonsville, Maryland, U.S.
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[1]
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Sydney FC
Number 1
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2023 South Carolina Gamecocks 78 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2024–2025 Houston Dash 1 (0)
2024 → Fort Lauderdale United (loan) 2 (0)
2025– Sydney FC 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of December 20, 2025

Heather Hinz (/hɪnz/;[2] born June 27, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for A-League Women club Sydney FC. She played college soccer for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was named SEC Goalkeeper of the Year in 2023. She was drafted by the Houston Dash in the third round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.

Early life

Hinz was born in Laytonsville, Maryland.[1] She started out as a striker before being asked to play in goal after an injury to the goalkeeper for her Olympic Development Program team.[3] She played high school soccer at Our Lady of Good Counsel and ECNL club soccer for Bethesda Union.[4]

College career

Following one season as a backup, Hinz became the starting goalkeeper for the South Carolina Gamecocks during the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 season.[4][3] In the 2021 postseason, she had to make only three saves in an upset of North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA tournament and went on to record a career-high eleven saves in their quarterfinal loss to BYU.[4][5] She led the country with 13 clean sheets in the 2022 season, part of the strong defense on a Gamecock team that ranked as high as third nationally.[6] In that year's SEC championship, she saved three penalty kicks in a semifinal shootout against Georgia and made a last-minute save to keep her shutout against Alabama in the title game, being named the tournament's most valuable player.[4][7][8] She recorded ten shutouts in 2023, leading the conference in save percentage and goals against average, and was recognized as the SEC Goalkeeper of the Year and first-team All-SEC.[4]

Club career

Houston Dash

Hinz was drafted 38th overall by the Houston Dash in the third round of 2024 NWSL Draft.[9] She signed a one-year contract with the option for another year, becoming a backup for reigning NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Jane Campbell.[10][11] On July 28, she made her professional debut in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, putting together multiple saves in a 2–1 win against Tigres UANL.[12] After an injury to Campbell, Hinz made her regular-season debut and started in the season finale on November 2, making five saves in a 3–2 loss to Bay FC.[13]

Seven days later, Hinz joined USL Super League club Fort Lauderdale United FC on a two-month loan.[14] She made her USL debut the following day in a 1–1 draw with the Tampa Bay Sun.[15] After making two appearances, she was recalled to Houston on December 10.[16] On May 5, 2025, the Dash announced that she had mutually agreed to terminate her contract.[17]

Sydney FC

On June 30, 2025, Hinz signed a one-year contract with A-League Women club Sydney FC.[18] On November 8, she made her debut for the club and started in a 0–0 draw with Adelaide United on matchday two.[19] She has made a great start to her career in Sydney, establishing herself as one of the best goalkeepers in the league, conceding an average of just 0.9 goals per game and having a strong 87% save rate. [20]

Personal life

Hinz is the daughter of Laura and Lance Hinz.[4] She has three older sisters; Megan was also a professional goalkeeper before going into college coaching.[3] Hinz knows American Sign Language (ASL).[21] She is good friends with Sydney FC and former Houston Dash teammate Maddy Ayson.[22]

Honors and awards

South Carolina Gamecocks

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c "Heather Hinz". Houston Dash. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  2. ^ A-Leagues [@aleagues]; (September 29, 2025). "@sydneyfootballclub's Ninja A-League name pronunciations have dropped 🗣️👆". Retrieved October 30, 2025 – via Instagram.
  3. ^ a b c Adams, Emily (October 5, 2022). "How South Carolina goalkeeper Heather Hinz found inspiration in sister's NWSL career". The Greenville News. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Heather Hinz". South Carolina Gamecocks. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  5. ^ Koh, Michael (November 13, 2021). "UNC Women's Soccer Suffers Shock Defeat in First Round of NCAA Tournament". Chapelboro.com. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  6. ^ Barry, Caroline (January 25, 2023). "Emphasis on defense fuels Gamecock women's soccer, anchored by NCAA shutout leader Heather Hinz". Carolina News and Reporter. School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  7. ^ Hindle, Tom (November 4, 2022). "Recapping Women's Conference Tourney Semis". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  8. ^ Adams, Emily (November 6, 2022). "South Carolina women's soccer wins SEC championship, redeems earlier loss to Alabama". The Greenville News. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  9. ^ Vereen, Matthew (January 12, 2024). "Gamecock Soccer's Hinz selected by Houston in NWSL Draft". WACH. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  10. ^ "Houston Dash Announce Roster Updates". Houston Dash. August 1, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  11. ^ Taft, Jay (July 31, 2024). "Star goalie Erin McKinney becomes first from Rockford area to make pro debut in NWSL". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  12. ^ Olivares, Manuel (July 29, 2024). "Dash stun Tigres in Summer Cup". Bayou City Soccer. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  13. ^ "Houston Dash Split the Regular Season Series with Bay FC to Close the Season". Houston Dash. November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "Houston Dash Loan Goalkeeper Heather Hinz to Fort Lauderdale United FC". Houston Dash. November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  15. ^ Heather Hinz at Flashscore
  16. ^ "Houston Dash Announce Roster Updates". Houston Dash. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  17. ^ "Houston Dash announce May roster updates". Houston Dash. May 5, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  18. ^ "US Goalkeeper Lands At Sydney FC". Sydney FC. June 30, 2025. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  19. ^ "Heather Hinz 2025-2026 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  20. ^ "Heather Hinz stats and ratings". Sofascore. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  21. ^ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPOIr4Uknkm/
  22. ^ https://youtube.com/watch?v=uKDUp4RdHxc&list=PL6o95GY_ersFheyUet2rAL7R-dTgtXpXJ
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