The Olympian soccer player and tennis star have been publicly dating since March 2025
Credit: Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Trinity Rodman revealed on Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast that she made the first move by DMing Ben Shelton
- The couple’s relationship began after Shelton flew to visit Rodman at her house for their first in-person meeting
- Rodman shared she embraces the term “WAG” and enjoys balancing her own athletic career with supporting Shelton
Trinity Rodman shot her shot.
The Olympic soccer star, 24, recalled how she met her tennis player boyfriend Ben Shelton during her recent appearance on Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast released on Thursday, Aug. 13.
Rodman said that she made the first move in their relationship, which they hard launched on social media in March 2025. The Washington Spirit forward slid into the 23-year-old tennis star’s DMs, she told Kelce, before revealing the note she sent him.
Credit: Trinity Rodman/Instagram
“Everything I do is just embarrassing. I’m really embarrassed,” she told Kelce. “I said ‘You’re sick, fire emoji,’ that’s it … It worked, he responded within 10 minutes, so I win.”
While sharing Shelton’s reply, Rodman couldn’t stop herself from laughing at her now-boyfriend.
“Yeah, you were sick at the Olympics, too, ha ha,” Rodman shared, bursting into laughter at the thought of his comment. “He matched the cringe situation, and then I think a week or two later we met in person.”
Rodman gushed over the instant connection they had upon first meeting. In fact, she said that their first meetup was when Shelton “flew out” to stay at her house.
“I fully committed to this guy that I didn’t even meet yet, for him to stay at my house for the weekend… It’s actually crazy, it’s insane, but it worked out,” she shared on the podcast.
Then, Rodman admitted that she pretended to “break down boxes” in her house to make it look like she was doing something other than just waiting for the tennis star’s arrival home from the airport.
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Credit: Trinity Rodman/Instagram
Eventually, the U.S. women’s national team star greeted him at the door, scissors still in hand, gave him a “little hug” and then went back to breaking down boxes.
“He proceeded to help me… and that’s when I knew, keeper,” Rodman shared of her boyfriend.
Elsewhere in their conversation, Rodman shared her feelings on the term “WAG,” which stands for “Wives and Girlfriends” of professional athletes. While she’s a star athlete in her own right, she explained why she actually enjoys the title.
Credit: Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty ; Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty
“It’s the best feeling in the world, honestly. I think to know we’re both on the grind, running our bodies to the ground, always exhausted, doing what we love, and then to also be able to be a little like a WAG in a sense, it feels so good for us.”
On Aug. 13, Shelton won a second-consecutive Canadian Open title by defeating Brandon Nakashima. Though Rodman couldn’t be there in person due to her soccer schedule, she made several posts on Instagram to celebrate her boyfriend’s accomplishment.
“Drive, dedication and commitment. Back to back Canada champ! Celebrate every win baby❤️I love you,” Rodman wrote.
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