East Brunswick's Heather O'Reilly Announces Retirement from US Woman's National Team

East Brunswick, NJ - Heather O’Reilly, one of the most successful players in U.S. women's soccer history, and who grew up in East Brunswick, announced her retirement from international soccer Thursday.

O’Reilly, 31, will play her final game with the U.S. Women’s National Team on Sept. 15, when the US plays Thailand in Columbus, Ohio (8 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN2). O'Reilly graduated from East Brunswick High School in 2003, but her talent on the soccer field was recognized well before that.

"Even as a freshman we were totally in awe of her. She was just a phenom on the soccer field," Chris Yannazzo, athletic director at East Brunswick High, told Patch when O'Reilly competed with Team USA in the Rio Olympics earlier this summer. (Team USA was eliminated early after a painful loss to Sweden.)

"It was her speed and tenacity on the field," said Yannazzo. "And she was a great student — she went on to the University of North Carolina. She was just one of those well-rounded student-athletes. She's always been an outstanding role model for young athletes. They can look up to her hard work and determination."

O'Reilly returns to East Brunswick often, where she runs a girls' soccer camp every year, usually at the high school. Her parents still live in East Brunswick. She married former UNC lacrosse player Dave Werry in 2011 and the couple lives in Chapel Hill, N.C. She graduated from UNC with a degree in education in 2009.