Photo by Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports

By AARON CRANFORD

Following in the footsteps of other U.S. Women’s national team members, Rachel Van Hollebeke announced her retirement Tuesday.

Shannon Boxx and Lori Chalupny both announced their retirement from the game since winning the Women’s World Cup, and Van Hollebeke, knowing for most of her career as Rachel Buehler before she was married, is ready to begin the next chapter of her life as well.

“I’m sad to be leaving the game because I love soccer, I love my teammates and I love Portland, but it’s also been a passion of mine for a long time to attend medical school, and this is the right time to start that journey,” Van Hollebeke told U.S. Soccer of her decision to retire.

The veteran defender, who turns 30 on Wednesday, was not on the 23-woman roster called into the 2015 Women’s World Cup, but Van Hollebeke appeared 113 times for the USWNT and was a gold medal winner at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. She also started in the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

The former USWNT captain will be attending medical school at UC San Diego. She currently plays with the Portland Thorns, but she will have to miss the team’s final two regular season games due to medical school commitments. However, if the Thorns were to make the playoffs, she could be available for selection.

“I feel so blessed to have had the experiences in this game and I’m so thankful to my family, my husband and of course, all of my coaches and the support staff I’ve worked with over the years,” she continued.

“My teammates are all like my sisters, and I love them all so much. I will forever be honored to be a part of such an outstanding group of women. In the end, I’m just very thankful to U.S. Soccer for investing in me at an early age and for bestowing on me the greatest honor of representing the United States for so many years.”

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