ECNLERS RECOGNIZED AS 2018-19 GATORADE STATE GIRLS SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
RICHMOND, VA (June 13, 2019) – The Girls ECNL would like to congratulate the following Amazing Young Women who are not only talented athletes on the field, but outstanding in the classroom and in their communities. Gatorade’s Player of the Year program, now in its 34th year, honors the nation’s top high school athletes based on their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. This year’s state winners are no exception.
Twenty-four ECNL players earned 2018-19 Gatorade State Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year honors. Each of the eight ECNL conferences have at least one player who earned this honor, with five conferences contributing three or more players to this year’s Gatorade State Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year.
Congratulations to the following ECNLers on their Gatorade State Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year honors:
| STATE | PLAYER NAME | ECNL MEMBER CLUB |
| Alabama | Tara Katz | Alabama FC ECNL U18/U19 |
| Arkansas | Kailyn Pavatt* | FC Dallas ECNL U18/U19 |
| Arizona | Keeley Bond | Phoenix Rising FC ECNL U18/U19 |
| Colorado | Marianna Annest | Colorado Rapids ECNL U18/U19 |
| Connecticut | Meadow Mancini | Connecticut FC ECNL U18/U19 |
| Florida | Kamryn Loustau | Florida Elite SA ECNL U18/U19 |
| Georgia | Nieva Gaither | GSA ECNL U17 |
| Idaho | Lauren Elwer | Boise Thorns FC ECNL U18/U19 |
| Indiana | Emily Speidel | FC Pride ECNL U18/U19 |
| Iowa | Abigail Santana | FC Wisconsin ECNL U17 |
| Kentucky | Anna Haddock | Tennessee SC ECNL U18/U19 |
| Michigan | Jansen Eichenlaub | Vardar ECNL U18/U19 |
| Mississippi | Morgan O’Connor* | Alabama FC ECNL U17 |
| Missouri | Lily Farkas | Kansas City Athletics ECNL U18/U19 |
| Nebraska | Reagan Raabe | Elite Girls Academy ECNL U18/U19 |
| Nevada | Gianna Gourley | Heat FC ECNL U18/U19 |
| New York | Chloe DeLyser | WNY Flash Academy ECNL U17 |
| Ohio | Anna Podojil | Ohio Elite SA ECNL U18/U19 |
| Oklahoma | Ashton Gordon | TSC Hurricane ECNL U17 |
| Oregon | Nedya Sawan | FC Portland ECNL U17 |
| South Carolina | Caroline Conti | CESA ECNL U18/U19 |
| Texas | Barbara Olivieri | AHFC ECNL U17 |
| Virginia | Julia Leas | McLean YSA ECNL U18/U19 |
| Washington | Elizabeth Franklin | Crossfire Premier ECNL U18/U19 |
*denotes an ECNL Discovery Player
Four teams with Gatorade State Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year honorees will begin their fight for the ECNL National Finals this week at the ECNL National Playoffs in San Diego, California. We wish these game changers and the rest of the players participating in the ECNL National Playoffs the best of luck!
For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program visit https://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/ and follow the program using #GatoradePOY.
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About Girls Elite Clubs National League: The Girls Elite Clubs National League (Girls ECNL) was founded in 2009 to enhance the developmental experience of female youth soccer players in the United States through: (i) improving the competitive environment through creation of a true national competitive league; (ii) improving the process for identifying elite female soccer players through a systematic scouting and identification program based on national competitions; and (iii) improving the daily training environment at top female youth soccer clubs through developing best practices and training and organizational guidelines for its member clubs. The ECNL is sanctioned by US Club Soccer and is sponsored by Nike Soccer.
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