Morgan Brian Named a Finalist for U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year

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Nov. 21, 2014

CHICAGO – Virginia senior midfielder Morgan Brian (St. Simons Island, Ga.) has been named a finalist for the 2014 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year award. It is the fourth time she has been named a finalist for the award, also having been recognized in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

This fall Brian has seven goals and 10 assists for the Cavaliers, playing in just 13 games (missing eight games due to international duty). She became the fourth player in school history to earn first-team All-ACC honors for four consecutive years. Last week she tied the NCAA Tournament single-game record with five assists in Virginia’s 8-0 win over High Point in the opening round.

Brian has made 13 appearances, including nine starts, for the United States Women’s National Team in 2014 and was the only collegiate player on the roster for CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. She has scored two international goals this year, against Russia in a February friendly in Atlanta and against Haiti in a qualifying match last month in Washington. Brian, who also competed with the U-23 National Team this year, has 16 career caps and three international goals since her USWNT debut in 2013.

Brian is one of five finalists for this year’s award, along with Rose Lavelle of Wisconsin, Samantha Mewis of UCLA, Mallory Pugh of the U-17 and U-20 National Teams and Katelyn Rowland of UCLA.

The young athlete of the year awards were created in 1998. A player can only win the award once in their career and must have competed for a youth national team during the calendar year to be eligible. U.S. Soccer will announce this year’s winner in the coming weeks.