An honor at a Washington Nationals game proved costly for standout Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune.
The U.S. national team player was placed on the season-ending injury list on Wednesday after sustaining a torn meniscus away from training last week, the team announced.
Spirit coach Jonatan Giraldez filled in the rest of the story: Bethune was injured while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a Nationals game.
Croix Bethune first pitch injury
very cool moment @CroixBethune threw out the first pitch at the @Nationals' game tonight! pic.twitter.com/C4MIWzsLLW
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) August 29, 2024
Croix Bethune will miss the remainder of the 2024 season with injury.
We are wishing you a healthy recovery, Croix! Sending our love and support your way https://t.co/6gn2kqiIC1— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) September 4, 2024
"She had a problem making the first pitch the other day [at] the baseball game," Giráldez told reporters. "We will report about exactly what she has, but she is not going to be available this season. It's bad, bad news, but in the end, it's part of life. We have to keep going."
Bethune, a 23-year-old rookie, was a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women's team at the Paris Olympics this summer.
For the Spirit, she recorded five goals and 10 assists in 17 matches this year. Bethune's 10th assist, in her 12th career game, tied the NWSL single-season record that Tobin Heath set in 2016 with the Portland Thorns.
Bethune was the NWSL Rookie of the Month for March/April, May, June and August. No player had ever won the award in consecutive months.
Another one for @CroixBethune.
The @WashSpirit midfielder is your August Rookie of the Month, presented by @ally! pic.twitter.com/1YLsXIERR7— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 5, 2024
Washington selected her with the third pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft out of Georgia, where she was an All-American in 2023 after two seasons with similar accolades at Southern California.
--Field Level Media
