Morgan Brian

Morgan Brian

Playing for the USWNT, September 2014
Personal information
Full nameMorgan Paige Brian
Date of birthFebruary 26, 1993
Place of birthSt. Simons, Georgia, United States[1]
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Houston Dash
Number6
Youth career
2005-2012Ponte Vedra Storm
2011-2014University of Virginia
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2015-Houston Dash3(0)
National team‡
2008-2010United States U1722(15)
2012United States U2021(4)
2013–United States26(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 26, 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of April 4, 2015

Morgan Paige Brian (born February 26, 1993) is an American soccer player. She currently plays as a midfielder for Houston Dash and for the United States women's national soccer team.[2]

Early life

Born in St. Simons, Georgia to parents, Vickie and Steve Brian, Morgan attended Frederica Academy in St. Simons Island, Georgia. In 2011, she was named Gatorade Player of the Year and Gatorade National Girls' Soccer Player of the Year, after leading her team to the state championship with six goals. She was named the 2010 Parade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year, the 2010 NSCAA Youth Player of the Year, 2010 NSCAA High School and Youth All-American as well as 2010 ESPN Rise All-American. She was twice named Parade All-American and was a two-time Gatorade Georgia State Player of the Year .[3][4]

As an eighth grader, Brian played for the varsity team and was All-Region and All-State, helping her team to second place in the state tournament. As a freshman at Frederica, she was named team MVP, All-Region and All-State and helped the Knights clinch the state title. She scored 83 goals and provided 50 assists in her first two years of high school soccer and had 71 goals and 30 assists during her senior season.[5]

Brian played club soccer for the Ponte Vedra Storm from U-12 to U-19. She won state championships at the U-17 and U-18 levels with the Storm and was the national runner-up with the U-17 team. She helped the Storm win the U-19 national title during the summer of 2012.[5]

University of Virginia

Brian attended the University of Virginia. As a freshman in 2011, she started in 22 games and appeared in 23 of the 24 total matches. As a midfielder, she was the second-leading scorer for the Cavaliers with 11 goals and eight assists. She was named the Soccer America National Freshman of the Year, NSCAA First-Team All-American, Second-Team Soccer America MVP and was a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy. She was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-ACC.[5]

During her sophomore year, Brian appeared in 15 games, starting 13, after missing the beginning of the season due to representing the United States at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup where she helped the US take home gold. Brian scored four goals and served seven assists for the Cavaliers. She was named NSCAA 1st Team All-Southeast Region, First Team All-ACC, ACC Tournament MVP as well as Second Team Soccer America MVP, Second Team TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Season, and First Team VaSID All-State.[6]

As a junior in 2013, Brian started 25 games. She was first in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in scoring with 46 points on 16 goals and a league-high 14 assists. She scored in all four NCAA Tournament wins to lead University of Virginia to College Cup. She was named Soccer America Player of the Year, TopDrawerSoccer.com Player of the Year, VaSID State Player of the Year, First-Team NSCAA All-American, First-Team Soccer America MVP and First-Team All-ACC.[7] She was named winner of 2013 Hermann Trophy.[8]

As a senior in 2014, Brian repeated as the winner of the Hermann Trophy, becoming the fifth woman to win the award twice, after Mia Hamm of North Carolina (1992 and 1993), Cindy Parlow of North Carolina (1997 and 1998), Christine Sinclair of Portland (2004 and 2005) and Kerri Hanks (2006 and 2008).[9]

Playing career

Club

Houston Dash

The Houston Dash selected Brian with the first overall pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft for the 2015 season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).[10]

International

Youth national teams

After the award ceremony at Japan 2012 FIFA under-20 women's world cup. From left to right: 4-Crystal Dunn, 3-Cari Roccaro, 7-Kealia Ohai, 1-Brayne Heaberlin (GK), 9-Chioma Ubogagu, 6-Morgan Brian, 17-Taylor Schram, 16-Sarah Killion

Brian was a member of the United States U-17 women's national soccer team that placed third at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica. At age fifteen, she was the youngest member on the squad.[11]

Brian was a member of the United States U20 squad that won the 2012 CONCACAF Under-20 Women's Championship and earned a spot at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan. During the qualifying tournament, she played in four games totaling 337 minutes, scored one goal and served one assist. Her goal occurred during the team's 4-0 semifinal victory over Mexico, which earned the squad its berth to the U-20 Women's World Cup.Leading up to the World Cup, she earned 15 U-20 caps and scored three goals.[5]

Brian would later help the team win the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan; playing all six matches and scoring a goal.[12] Describing Brian, head coach Steve Swanson said, "Morgan does everything extremely well, which is rare for any midfielder. She can finish, she makes great runs, she's an excellent passer, she can take players one-on-one and she can head the ball. There are not a lot of things she can't do, but what sets her apart is her brain. She's got an amazing soccer brain for her age and she's still one of the younger players on this team."[11]

Senior team

In June 2013, Brian was called to the national training camp by head coach Tom Sermanni, in preparation for a series of friendly matches between the United States and South Korea. On June 15, 2013, she earned her first cap for the senior team during a match against South Korea, subbing in for Lauren Holiday.[13] She scored her first goal within three minutes of coming on as a sub against Mexico on September 3, 2013.

International goals

Date
 Location Opponent Lineup # Min Assist/pass Score Result Competition
1 2013-09-03[m 1] USAWashington  Mexico

on 70' (off Tymrak)

 1.1 72 Abby Wambach

7–0

7–0

Friendly
2[n 1] 2014-02-13[m 3] USAAtlanta  Russia 90.Start 1.1 65 Abby Wambach

5–0

8–0

Friendly
3 2014-10-20[m 4] USAWashington  Haiti

on 63' (off Heath)

 1.1 57 Christen Press

6–0

6–0

World Cup qualifier:Group A
4 2015-04-04[m 5] USASt. Louis  New Zealand

on 79' (off Rapinoe)

 1.1 81 Sydney Leroux

4–0

4–0

Friendly
Note
  1. ↑ Brian's goal against Russia on February 13, 2014 was originally awarded to Megan Rapinoe, with an assist credited to Brian, but was later reviewed and officially awarded to Brian.[m 2]

Honors and awards

Individual

References

Match reports
  1. ↑ "U.S. WNT Takes down Mexico 7-0 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.". U.S.Soccer.
  2. ↑ "USWNT stats".
  3. ↑ "U.S. WNT Routs Russia 8–0 in Second Leg in Front of 16,133 Fans at Georgia Dome". U.S. Soccer Federation. February 13, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  4. ↑ "WNT Defeats Haiti 6-0 to Earn Top Seed in Semifinals of 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship". U.S.Soccer.
  5. ↑ "U.S. WNT 4 vs. New Zealand 0". U.S.Soccer.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Morgan Brian.