View source for Tina Frimpong Ellertson

{{Short description|National Women's Soccer League defender and US national team member}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Tina Frimpong Ellertson
| image          = Tina Ellertson STL.jpg
| caption        =
| fullname       = Christina Jo Frimpong Ellertson
| birth_name     = Christina Jo Frimpong<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ussoccer.com/bio/index.jsp_12776.html |title=Tina Frimpong |publisher=[[United States Soccer Federation]] |access-date=June 26, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061113115306/http://www.ussoccer.com/bio/index.jsp_12776.html |archive-date=November 13, 2006}}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1982|5|20}}
| birth_place    = [[Vancouver, Washington]], United States
| height         = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position       = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]], [[Forward (association football)|striker]]
| currentclub    = 
| clubnumber     = 
| youthyears1    =
| youthclubs1    =
| collegeyears1  = 2001–2004
| college1       = [[Washington Huskies women's soccer|Washington Huskies]]
| collegecaps1   =
| collegegoals1  =
| years1         = 2003–2005
| clubs1         = [[Seattle Sounders Women]]
| caps1          = 8 <!-- LEAGUE APPEARANCES & GOALS ONLY-->
| goals1         = 8
| years2         = 2009–2010
| clubs2         = [[Saint Louis Athletica]]
| caps2          = 26 <!-- LEAGUE APPEARANCES & GOALS ONLY-->
| goals2         = 0
| years3         = 2010
| clubs3         = [[Atlanta Beat (WPS)|Atlanta Beat]]
| caps3          = 16 <!-- LEAGUE APPEARANCES & GOALS ONLY-->
| goals3         = 2
| years4         = 2011
| clubs4         = [[magicJack (WPS)|magicJack]]
| caps4          = 17 <!-- LEAGUE APPEARANCES & GOALS ONLY-->
| goals4         = 0
| years5         = 2013
| clubs5         = [[Portland Thorns FC]]
| caps5          = 5 <!-- LEAGUE APPEARANCES & GOALS ONLY-->
| goals5         = 0
| totalcaps      = 
| totalgoals     = 
| nationalyears1 = 2004
| nationalteam1  = [[United States women's national under-23 soccer team|United States U-21]]
| nationalcaps1  = 
| nationalgoals1 = 
| nationalyears2 = 2005–2008
| nationalteam2  = [[United States women's national soccer team|United States]]
| nationalcaps2  = 34
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalSport | Women's [[association football|football (soccer)]]}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA Women's World Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|2007 China]]|Team}}
| club-update         = 
| nationalteam-update = 
| manageryears1  = 2013–2018
| managerclubs1  = King's Way Christian HS
| manageryears2  = 2014–2015
| managerclubs2  = [[Portland Thorns FC]] U-17
| manageryears3  = 2020–2023
| managerclubs3  = [[Washington Huskies women's soccer|Washington Huskies]] (assistant)
}}
'''Christina Jo Frimpong Ellertson''' ({{nee|'''Frimpong'''}}; born May 20, 1982) is an American [[association football|soccer]] coach and former professional player who played as a [[defender (association football)|defender]] for the [[United States women's national soccer team]].

==Early life ==
Frimpong Ellertson was born and grew up in [[Vancouver, Washington]]. The daughter of Eka, a Nigerian mother and Joe, a Ghanaian father who migrated to the United States,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women's World Cup: American Ellertson Clearly Sees Both Sides |url=http://www.kitsapsun.com/sports/womens-world-cup-american-ellertson-clearly-sees-both-sides-ep-422758738-358860211.html |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=www.kitsapsun.com |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Frimpong Ellertson played soccer throughout her childhood.<ref name=uss>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/WNT/E/Tina-Ellertson.aspx|title=PLAYER BIO: TINA ELLERTSON|publisher=U.S.Soccer|access-date=September 28, 2009|archive-date=September 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907070730/http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/WNT/E/Tina-Ellertson.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Collegiate career==
As a [[Forward (association football)|striker]] for the [[Washington Huskies women's soccer|Huskies]], Frimpong Ellertson was one of the best players in school history. She was twice named [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-10]] Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004, led the team to its first ever Elite Eight, and remains its all-time leading scorer. Frimpong Ellertson was inducted into the [[Pac-12 Conference]] Hall of Fame in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pac-12.com/article/2022/03/11/pac-12-conference-inducts-tina-frimpong-ellertson-hall-honor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525001440/https://pac-12.com/article/2022/03/11/pac-12-conference-inducts-tina-frimpong-ellertson-hall-honor|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 25, 2022|title=Pac-12 Conference Inducts Tina Frimpong Ellertson Into Hall of Honor|website=pac-12.com}}</ref>

==Playing career==
===Club===
On September 16, 2008, Frimpong Ellertson was one of the three players drafted for [[Saint Louis Athletica]] in the [[Women's Professional Soccer]] allocation of national team members, with the new league starting in April 2009. Frimpong Ellertson was a consistently solid presence in the Athletica back line, logging 1748 minutes for the season, the most on the team. She played as team captain whenever [[Lori Chalupny]] was not on the field, made the [[WPS All-Star 2009|All-Star]] team and was nominated for WPS's Defender of the Year award.

When Saint Louis folded in May 2010, Frimpong Ellertson moved to [[Atlanta Beat (WPS)|Atlanta Beat]] alongside teammates [[Hope Solo]] and [[Eniola Aluko]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Beat agrees to terms with Solo, Ellertson, and Aluko|date=2010-01-06|url=http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/atlanta/news/press_releases/100601-3athletica.aspx|work=Women's Professional Soccer|access-date=2011-07-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100808070957/http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/atlanta/news/press_releases/100601-3athletica.aspx|archive-date=2010-08-08}}</ref> After 16 games and two goals for the Beat, Frimpong Ellertson left by mutual consent in February 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tina Ellertson, Atlanta Beat terminate contract, magicTalk signs three more players|url=https://ourgamemagazine.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/tina-ellertson-atlanta-beat-terminate-contract-magictalk-signs-three-more-players/#more-2067 |work=Our Game Magazine|access-date=2011-07-09|date=2011-02-11}}</ref> She moved to a new franchise, [[magicJack (WPS)|magicJack]], and quickly became a cornerstone of the team's defense, producing notable performances against [[Marta (footballer)|Marta]] and [[Kelly Smith]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Nogueira stepping up for Sky Blue FC; Ellertson proving her worth|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jeff_kassouf/06/08/wps.week9/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104123845/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jeff_kassouf/06/08/wps.week9/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |magazine=Sports Illustrated|author=Jeff Kassouf|access-date=2011-07-09|date=2011-06-08}}</ref>

Frimpong Ellertson has also played previously for the [[Seattle Sounders Women|Seattle Sounders]] of the [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]].
[[File:Ellertson moves.jpg|thumb|right|Ellertson in August 2011]]

In February 2013, Frimpong Ellertson was chosen in the first round of the [[National Women's Soccer League]]'s [[2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft|supplemental draft]] by [[Portland Thorns FC]], despite having stated that she would not be playing in the league.<ref>{{cite web|title=Results: Ochs taken first in NWSL Supplemental Draft|date=February 7, 2013 |url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2013/02/07/in-progress-nwsl-supplemental-draft-results/|access-date=September 4, 2013}}</ref> Nevertheless, she ultimately joined the [[Portland Thorns FC|Thorns]] a few months later, on July 31, after being repeatedly approached by Coach [[Cindy Parlow Cone]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Farley|first=Richard|title=Tina Ellertson's curious journey to Portland's roster|date=August 9, 2013 |url=http://equalizersoccer.com/2013/08/09/tina-ellertsons-curious-journey-to-portlands-roster/|access-date=September 4, 2013}}</ref> Frimpong Ellertson made five appearances for the Thorns, including an appearance as a substitute during the team's victory in the inaugural NWSL Championship match.

In February 2014, Frimpong Ellertson announced that she was retiring from the Thorns to focus on coaching and her family.<ref>[http://equalizersoccer.com/2014/02/26/tina-ellertson-retires-portland-thorns-coaching/ Ellertson retires to focus on coaching, family]. Equalizer Soccer, February 26, 2014.</ref>

===International===
After [[April Heinrichs]]'s reign as coach, Frimpong Ellertson tried out for the women's national soccer team, and earned her first cap against [[Ukraine women's national football team|Ukraine]] on July 10, 2005. New coach [[Greg Ryan (soccer)|Greg Ryan]] moved her to defender. She was named to the U.S. roster for the [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup]] and competed against [[Nigeria women's national football team|Nigeria]] during group stage,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2007/09/Chalupny-Scores-In-First-Minute-At-U-S-WNT-Edges-Nigeria-1-0-To-Win-Group-B-At-2007-FIFA-Womens-Worl.aspx|title=Chalupny Scores in First Minute at U.S. WNT Edges Nigeria 1–0 to Win Group B at 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|publisher=U.S.Soccer|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425175851/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2007/09/Chalupny-Scores-In-First-Minute-At-U-S-WNT-Edges-Nigeria-1-0-To-Win-Group-B-At-2007-FIFA-Womens-Worl.aspx|archive-date=2012-04-25}}</ref> against [[Brazil women's national football team|Brazil]] in the infamous semi-final in which [[Hope Solo]] was benched in favor of more experienced [[Briana Scurry]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2007/09/USA-Falls-4-0-To-Brazil-In-2007-FIFA-World-Cup-Semifinals.aspx|title=USA Falls, 4–0, to Brazil in 2007 FIFA World Cup Semifinals|publisher=U.S.Soccer|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425111854/http://www.ussoccer.com/news/womens-national-team/2007/09/usa-falls-4-0-to-brazil-in-2007-fifa-world-cup-semifinals.aspx|archive-date=2013-04-25}}</ref> and against [[Norway women's national football team|Norway]] in a 4–1 win in the third-place playoff match.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2007/09/U-S-Women-Defeat-Norway-4-1-To-Take-Third-Place.aspx|title=U.S. Women Defeat Norway, 4–1, to Take Third Place|publisher=U.S.Soccer|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223110054/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2007/09/U-S-Women-Defeat-Norway-4-1-To-Take-Third-Place.aspx|archive-date=2014-02-23}}</ref>

On December 13, 2008, at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, Frimpong Ellertson scored her only international goal against [[China women's national football team|China]] in her final USWNT game, and in her only start at forward; a 1–0 game winner.<ref name=goal001/>

==Coaching career==
Frimpong Ellertson began coaching while she was still playing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gohuskies.com/staff-directory/tina-frimpong-ellertson/5723|title=Washington Huskies|website=Washington Huskies}}</ref> She was most recently an assistant coach at her alma mater [[Washington Huskies women's soccer|Washington Huskies]] from 2020 to 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gohuskies.com/news/2023/4/28/womens-soccer-tina-frimpong-ellertson-to-step-aside-from-uw-womens-soccer-team.aspx|title=Washington Huskies|website=Washington Huskies}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Frimpong Ellertson married Brad Ellertson, with whom she had two daughters,<ref>{{cite news |title=Ellertson Clearly Sees Both Sides |date=September 18, 2007 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701753.html?tid=informbox |access-date=September 28, 2009 | first=Steven | last=Goff}}</ref> 

Frimpong Ellertson's eldest daughter, MacKenzie Frimpong-Ellertson, plays at the University of Portland.

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! rowspan="2" |Club
! rowspan="2" |Season
! colspan="3" |League
! colspan="2" |Playoffs<ref group=lower-alpha>Includes [[NWSL Playoffs]]</ref>
! colspan="2" |Total
|-
!Division
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
|-
|[[Portland Thorns FC]]
|[[2013 Portland Thorns FC season|2013]]
|[[National Women's Soccer League|NWSL]]
|3||0||2||0||5||0
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!3!!0!!2!!0!!5!!0
|}
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

=== International ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[United States women's national soccer team|United States]]
|2005||3||0
|-
|2006||14||0
|-
|2007||13||0
|-
|2008||4||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!34!!1
|}

:''Scores and results list United States goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Frimpong Ellertson goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Tina Frimpong Ellertson
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
!scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|style="text-align:center"|1
|{{dts|2008-12-13}}
|[[Carson, California]]
|{{fbw|China PR}}
|style="text-align:center"|1–0
|style="text-align:center"|1–0
|[[Friendly (association football)|Friendly]]
|<ref name=goal001>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/news/womens-national-team/2008/12/u-s-women-set-defeat-china-pr-1-0-on-achieve-your-gold-tour.aspx|title=U.S. Women Set Defeat China PR 1–0 on Achieve Your Gold Tour|publisher=U.S.Soccer|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425075539/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Womens-National-Team/2008/12/U-S-Women-Set-Defeat-China-PR-1-0-On-Achieve-Your-Gold-Tour.aspx|archive-date=2012-04-25}}</ref>
|}

==Honors==
'''Portland Thorns FC'''
* [[NWSL Championship]]: [[2013 National Women's Soccer League season|2013]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Pac-12 Conference]] Women's Soccer Player of the Year: 2003, 2004

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{FIFA player|264570|as Tina Frimpong}}
* {{FIFA player|273374|as Tina Ellertson}}
* [http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/WNT/E/Tina-Ellertson.aspx US Soccer player profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907070730/http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/WNT/E/Tina-Ellertson.aspx |date=September 7, 2009 }}
* [http://www.womensprosoccer.com/stlouis/players/bios/tina-ellertson Saint Louis Athletica player profile]
* [http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/frimpong_tina00.html Washington Huskies player profile]
* {{Twitter}}

{{Pac-12 Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Year navbox}}
{{United States Squad 2007 Women's World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frimpong Ellertson, Tina}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American sportspeople of Ghanaian descent]]
[[Category:African-American soccer players]]
[[Category:American sportspeople of Nigerian descent]]
[[Category:Seattle Sounders Women players]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Vancouver, Washington]]
[[Category:United States women's international soccer players]]
[[Category:Washington Huskies women's soccer players]]
[[Category:Saint Louis Athletica players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Beat (WPS) players]]
[[Category:MagicJack (WPS) players]]
[[Category:USL W-League (1995–2015) players]]
[[Category:American women's soccer players]]
[[Category:Portland Thorns FC players]]
[[Category:2007 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:Women's association football defenders]]
[[Category:National Women's Soccer League players]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportswomen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportswomen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportswomen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportswomen]]
[[Category:Women's Professional Soccer players]]
[[Category:United States women's youth international soccer players]]