Hill was seen standing as her teammates knelt and embraced during the anthem.
On Tuesday, Hill explained that she chose not to kneel while still supporting the protests across the U.S. against racial injustice and police brutality.
She said, “I chose to stand because of what the flag inherently means to my military family members and me, but I 100% percent support my peers. Symbolically, I tried to show this with the placement of my hand on Casey’s shoulder and bowing my head. I struggled, but felt that these actions showed my truth, and in the end I wanted to remain true to myself. If this wasn’t clear, let my words and further actions be. I support the black lives matter movement wholeheartedly. I also support and will do my part in fighting against the current inequality. As a white athlete, it is way past due for me to be diligently anti-racist.”
The NWSL will continue to play the national anthem in front of an empty stadium. The league will allow players to remain in the locker room for the anthem if they choose that route.
