There might not be a more athletic couple in American sports than Trinity Rodman and Ben Shelton. The Washington Spirit and USWNT star and the two-time reigning Canadian Open men’s tennis champion have been together since early 2025 and are regularly seen supporting each other in action.
This week, Rodman appeared on Kylie Kelce’s “Not Gonna Lie” podcast, where she revealed that her and Shelton’s love story has a typically modern beginning. The two met online, with the 24-year-old Rodman making the first move.
“Everything I do is just embarrassing. I’m really embarrassed,” a laughing Rodman told Kelce. “I said ‘You’re sick, fire emoji…It worked. He responded within 10 minutes, so I win.”
“Our schedules were just so crazy, that we DM’d and we’re just catching up,” she continued. “He responded and was like ‘Yeah, you were sick at the Olympics too, haha.’ He matched the cringe situation and then one week later, we met in person.”
This is where things get interesting–or ‘insane,’ as Rodman says
Their first in-person meeting didn’t occur at a coffee shop or restaurant or any of your customary locations. Instead, the 23-year-old Shelton “flew out” to spend the weekend with Rodman 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,” Rodman said. “It’s actually crazy. It’s insane, but it worked out.”
Definitely a crazy–and risky–thing to do, but the move paid off. Rodman added that her first impression of Shelton was a strong one, as he immediately began helping her break down boxes upon arrival.
“That’s how I knew he was a keeper,” she explained.
Enjoying WAG status
Some people may find the term “WAG,” short for wives and girlfriends of athletes, pejorative. Rodman, who is obviously an accomplished athlete in her own right, said she enjoys the moniker.
“For me, saying WAG, it’s me being like, ‘I’m Ben’s girlfriend.’ But I can understand why [the term] is so hated,” she explained. “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.”
About Matt Hladik