She was named Cincinnati's Player of the Year by The Enquirer her senior year in 2013. The same year, she was also awarded the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Sports Women of the Year.
Lavelle went on to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to play college soccer from 2013 to 2016.
One of Cincinnati's many (and award-winning) murals around town depicts the soccer player.
A commissioned mural of Lavelle was unveiled in 2019 at The Banks, at 44 West Freedom Way, sitting on the wall next to Taste of Belgium. The mural was done by local artist Jenny Roesel Ustick, a professor at the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning.
She was instrumental in the USNWT 2019 World Cup victory
Lavelle, a midfielder, started in the FIFA Women's World Cup finale against the Netherlands in what went on to become one of the most famous matches in USWNT history, where she scored in the 2-0 win.
In front of 57,000 fans at Stade de Lyon against the Dutch, Lavelle released a left-footed shot, scoring a goal that helped land the team its record fourth FIFA Women's World Cup.
More: Rose Lavelle figures to play key role in the USWNT's quest for another Olympic gold medal
She has played on several professional teams, nationally and internationally
She began her career in 2017 playing for the Boston Breakers, before moving to the Washington Spirit the following year.
In August 2020, Lavelle's National Women's Soccer League rights were traded from the Washington Spirit to Tacoma, Washington-based OL Reign.
More: Rose Lavelle officially joins Manchester City after NWSL trade
That move – a long-rumored switch to Manchester City in northwest England – was formally announced the next day. The next time Lavelle decides to play an NWSL match, she'll do so with OL Reign.
Her rights were shipped to the Pacific Northwest in exchange for "OL Reign’s natural first round draft pick in the 2022 NWSL College Draft, $100,000 in allocation money, and additional allocation money conditioned upon Lavelle’s future playing status in the NWSL," according to a release at the time of the announcement.
She's more than ready to represent the U.S. in her first Olympics
Lavelle told USA TODAY earlier this summer she considers the Olympics to be "the pinnacle of sports."
Every four years, she said her favorite memory is sitting on a couch, consuming the constant Olympic events and related news coverage like "a sports junkie."
And as an Olympian, Lavelle hopes she can motivate and inspire a future generation of young athletes who will be watching, just as she was motivated by watching her idols growing up.
"I think it's like so important for girls to see female athletes succeeding and getting the attention and the value and the investment that they deserve," Lavelle said.
