Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris: Love’s Post-Game Comeback
Time to cut straight to the heart of this story: Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris have turned recent heartbreak into a headline-making romance. As an award-winning journalist, I’m here to unpack how the One Tree Hill alum and the retired U.S. Women’s National Team goalkeeper became arguably Hollywood’s strongest new power couple.
Bush, who celebrated her 43rd birthday on July 8, and Harris, now 39, both closed major chapters in 2023. Bush’s split from entrepreneur Grant Hughes in August followed a whirlwind year of marriage, while Harris and fellow soccer star Ali Krieger finalized their divorce a month later. According to E! News, each woman leaned heavily on her female friendship circle—iron sharpens iron—before realizing the spark between them was more than platonic.
On Danielle Robay’s Question Everything podcast, Harris admitted dating a celebrity of Bush’s magnitude is “clickbait for every f–king tabloid,” yet she radiated joy. The soccer icon, who quit the net in 2022, described protecting her peace as “intentional,” telling Robay, “Everything has gotten tight and small and purposeful.” Glamour magazine further reveals how both women embraced change, with Bush disclosing in an April essay that she “didn’t see it until I saw it,” not considering her longtime friend as a romantic option until timing—and a lot of soul-searching—aligned.
Their first date emerged from playful defiance. On Bush’s Work in Progress podcast, she confessed friends tried setting Harris up with someone else, only for Bush to declare, “If she’s ready to date, she’s f–king going with me.” That conversation blossomed into a four-and-a-half-hour dinner—an encounter Bush called “one of the most surreal experiences” of her life. By October 2023, sources confirmed the couple’s official status, igniting the rumor mill.
Outside speculation, however, often misrepresented their journey. Bush has been candid about the online vitriol—accusations of home-wrecking and sudden “realizations” about her sexuality. In her Glamour piece, she refuted these claims, emphasizing “painful conversations” and “a lot of effort” to handle other people’s processing and feelings. Both women have maintained they acted with integrity, focused on mutual respect for their ex-spouses and their own healing paths.
Today, Bush and Harris embody a fresh narrative for love later in life, especially under the public eye. Their union underscores the importance of timing, open communication and preserving individual joy. Fans now watch as two resilient women craft a future together—one where love, once sidelined, plays the leading role.
And there you have it—two former athletes of life’s toughest tournaments have found their ultimate teammate. Keep your eyes peeled for the next twist in their playbook. Make of that what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, Glamour, Danielle Robay’s Question Everything podcast, Work in Progress podcast
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
