USWNT Veteran Reveals Honest Reaction to Lindsey Heaps and Others’ Jersey Name Changes: “Oh My Gosh”
Soccer
USWNT Veteran Reveals Honest Reaction to Lindsey Heaps and Others’ Jersey Name Changes: “Oh My Gosh”
Think Tank
Modified Feb 26, 2025 | 11:36 AM IT
via Imago
By now, you must have noticed something different about a few USWNT players’ jerseys in the ongoing SheBelieves Cup. We’d be surprised if you hadn’t but Lindsey Horan has been playing with a different name alongside her iconic No. 10—specifically, Heaps. She isn’t alone; Lynn Williams has also taken Biyendolo as her surname. Since then, the change has been met with both excitement and skepticism from fans. But for Kelley O’Hara, the veteran has had to ‘program‘ her mind to remember these two U.S. stars.
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Both Lindsey and Lynn recently married and decided to take the last names of their respective husbands. To be honest, at one point, everyone was left confused after Emma Hayes dropped the roster and saw their names. Many were almost under the impression that these were new faces on the national team. And if this sounds relatable, then you surely are not alone.
In the latest episode of the ‘Sports are Fun’ podcast, O’Hara shared her own similar yet hilarious reaction to these last name changes. “Somebody said Lindsey Heaps in the pre-game on the first game and I said, “Who’s Lindsey Heaps?” began Kelley, “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Lindsey Horan…oh!’”
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Yes! This exactly must have been your reaction we reckon. Then again, it’s completely normal and in fact, an honest mistake. “My mind is not programed to know you as Lindsey Heaps or Lynn Biyendolo,” added the former Gotham FC star. But it’s not something O’Hara doesn’t want to embrace. The wingback is rather pleased to see there are still women athletes who are open to taking their significant other’s surname.
Which USWNT player recently changed her last name to Heaps after getting married?
A lot of new last names on the USWNT pic.twitter.com/tcsB59DbRY
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) February 25, 2025
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“But I love it because I’m like, ‘My girls got married.’ So it’s exciting to know that they’re in this next chapter. And I like that some people choose to change their name; some people don’t,” added O’Hara, sending her best wishes to both ex-Horan and ex-Williams.
Notably, it’s not the first time we have witnessed this. Fellow USWNT star Mallory Swanson used to be addressed with Pugh years ago before she finally got married. So we’re remaining open to seeing more changes in the future if and when they do come. Either way, it was indeed quite a hilarious yet honest reaction from Kelley O’Hara. Then again, it’s not the response from the former player that concerns Heaps!
Lindsey Heaps or The Great Horan—Which name do you think suits her legendary status better?
Debate
It’s not like the new name doesn’t suit the USWNT skipper. But we do recall that Lindsey Horan used to be called “The Great Horan.” For those wondering who gave them this nickname, it was none other than her national teammate Rose Lavelle. Though there’s no specific reason why the fellow midfielder called Lindsey this way, the name somehow struck her mind. However, this well-known nickname may no longer be relevant now that the Lyon star married her husband Tyler Heaps.
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Interestingly, this became a topic of discussion during an interview with The Women’s Game podcast. Ex-USWNT star and host Sam Mewis joked with Lindsey that people would now have to refer to her as ‘The Great Heaps’. However, the former Horan seemed slightly unsure about the change. “Do you think Rose is okay?” she asked Mewis, who reassured her that The Great Heaps a beautiful name. Amused, the Lyon star responded, “We’ll see what Lavelle thinks.”
Of course, Lavelle’s approval holds weight, as she was the one who originally came up with this infamous nickname. But we have no doubt that Rose will understand the USWNT captain’s decision to take her husband’s last name.
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Lindsey Heaps Or The Great Horan—Which Name Do You Think Suits Her Legendary Status Better?
Written By
Abhishek Mishra
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Lindsey Horan name change: USWNT captain to wear ‘Heaps’ on back of jersey
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News
A Lindsey Horan name change might confuse fans initially in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, but have no fear United States women’s national team supporters because the captain is still here.
The USWNT leader and Lyon midfielder will debut her husband’s surname, “Heaps”, on the back of her jersey for the first time in this year’s SheBelieves Cup.
Lindsey Horan name change
Lindsey and her new husband, Tyler Heaps, tied the knot in December 2024. After playing 161 games with “Horan” on the back of her kit for the USWNT, she’ll now play under a new name.
A post shared by Lindsey Horan (@lindseyhoran10)
She won’t be the only U.S. player with a new last name at this year’s SheBelieves Cup as veteran forward Lynn Williams will have “Biyendolo” on her jersey.
USWNT players changing their last names after marriages is nothing new and continues to be a trend as star forward Sophia Smith will now be going by Sophia Wilson following her marriage with Michael Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals.
Mallory Swanson is another case of the last name change as fans will remember she used to be “Mal Pugh.” Julie Ertz also made the surname switch from Johnston after marrying NFL star Zach Ertz.
There have been cases of players keeping their original last names like USWNT legends Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd. At the end of the day it’s all about the individual’s preference.
While fans will miss calling Lindsey “The Great Horan”, we’re sure the creative minds of the USWNT sphere will formulate a new creative nickname for the captain.
The USWNT’s first game of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup will be against Colombia on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas.
© 2025 The18
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Lindsey Heaps Left Concerned About USWNT Teammate’s Reaction After Special Surprise at SheBelieves Cup
More Sports
Think Tank
Modified Feb 22, 2025 | 1:20 PM IT
Did you notice something different on the back of Lindsey Horan’s shirt during yesterday’s SheBelieves Cup game? We’d be surprised if you didn’t, because the USWNT midfielder stepped onto the pitch wearing a different last name alongside her iconic No. 10—Heaps, to be precise. While the gesture was met with both enthusiasm and hesitation from fans, Lindsey is more concerned about her teammate Rose Lavelle’s reaction.
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But why? Well, have you heard the nickname ‘The Great Horan’? If not, let us inform you that it was actually Lavelle who gave this nickname to her fellow teammate. However, since Lindsey is no longer a Horan—having tied the knot with her husband, Tyler—she decided to take on her mister’s last name. This means that the catchy nickname will now become obsolete.
In fact, Sam Mewis, host of The Women’s Game podcast, mentioned that people will now have to call Lindsey ‘The Great Heaps.’ However, the former Horan seemed a bit concerned, questioning Mewis during their chat on the latest episode. “Do you think Rose is okay?” asked Lindsey. To which Mewis replied she finds ‘The Great Heaps’ quite ‘beautiful’. Interestingly, the Lyon star quickly replied, “We’ll see what Lavelle thinks.”
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Yes, approval is needed at least from Lavelle. After all, she was the one who gave this nickname to Lindsey. More importantly, one has to hope that many others like Rose understand why the USWNT skipper had decided to take up her husband’s family name. But to clarify, it wasn’t something that Heaps was obligated to do.
Do you think Lindsey Horan’s decision to change her last name to Heaps will affect her iconic nickname ‘The Great Horan’?
Yes, it loses its original charm
No, ‘The Great Heaps’ is just as catchy
Maybe, but it’s a personal choice
I don’t care as long as she plays well
With Portis out, should the Bucks rely more on veterans like Brook Lopez or give younger players a chance?
Stick with the veterans for stability
Give younger players a chance to shine
Mix it up depending on the matchup
Let the coaching staff decide
Is ‘The Great Heaps’ as catchy as ‘The Great Horan’? What do you think?
Join The Debate
Do you think Bobby Portis’ suspension will derail the Bucks’ season?
Yes, his absence is too big to fill
No, the team will rally and overcome
Maybe, it depends on how others step up
I don’t care as long as they keep winning
With Carson Beck’s injury concerns, should Miami focus on building a stronger offensive line or improving their defense?
Offensive line, protect Beck at all costs
Defense, it’s been their Achilles’ heel
Both, Miami needs a complete overhaul
Neither, focus on developing young talent
Do you think Carson Beck’s move to Miami will be a game-changer or a repeat of his Georgia struggles?
Game-changer, he’s the missing piece
Repeat struggles, Miami lacks support
Too early to tell, need to see him play
Doesn’t matter, Miami needs more than just Beck
Here are the articles that inspired recent polls.
The sweet story behind @LindseyHoran changing her last name for the USWNT game. Tyler Heaps, hope you liked the surprise ❤️🥹 pic.twitter.com/ILt6zyeh04
— The Women’s Game (@WomensGameMIB) February 21, 2025
Expand Tweet
In fact, it’s not something Mr. Tyler ever pressured the USWNT superstar into doing so. “He hasn’t mentioned it. He doesn’t want to overstep and he knows how much Horan means to me, obviously,” added the Lyon star.
Notably, Heaps wasn’t alone in having represented the USWNT under her newly married name for the first time. Fellow teammate Lynn Williams also changed her name and is now a Biyendolo. They both were witnessed wearing the red and blue colors with a new name during yesterday’s game. Of course, while Lynn had a completely different story regarding this name-changing dilemma, Lindsey’s reason was simply to surprise her man.
Is ‘The Great Heaps’ as catchy as ‘The Great Horan’? What do you think?
Debate
Interestingly, Heaps kept her husband in the dark about the name change dilemma. That’s because the midfielder rather chose to keep it a secret. “Well, it’s funny, because we’ve talked about it so much prior to the wedding about me changing my name. And I would make jokes saying, ‘I don’t know if I want to anymore,” said the 30-year-old.
She could have initially changed it on her domestic club shirt, but debuting a new last name with the national team felt like a more significant act. “He knew that a huge gesture I always wanted to make was changing my name. I think it’s really special, especially for him.”
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Unfortunately, the former Portland Thorns star doubted whether her significant other would even notice the ‘special‘ gesture she had planned. That’s because Tyler is also in the soccer industry, working as San Diego FC’s sporting director and general manager. Coincidentally, he also had his first game of the season around the same day and time that Lindsey was on the pitch for the SheBelieves Cup.
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So this made it unlikely that Tyler would have seen this surprise live on TV. “I hope he sees it,” wished Lindsey on the podcast. Well, even to us, it’s still a mystery whether Tyler had the chance to be caught off guard by his wife’s remarkable gesture. But either way, he would have found out eventually. Just imagine the reaction he must have had right?
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Is ‘The Great Heaps’ As Catchy As ‘The Great Horan’? What Do You Think?
Written By
Abhishek Mishra
Edited By
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EssentiallySports is a digital-first sports media house that surfaces the best stories on America’s favorite sports celebrities with a fan’s perspective to 30+ M average monthly readers.
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