Jan. 18, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
North Carolina's Casey Nogueira has been named the Soccer News Network Women's College Player of the Year. She has now won four of the five national player of the year awards announced for the 2008 season -- The Honda Award for Soccer, Soccer America National Player of the Year, Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Season and Soccer News Network.
The national award was selected based on online fan voting (40%) and the votes of the editorial staffs of the six sites in the Soccer News Network.
Nogueira led the nation in 2008 in goals with 25 and points with 58. She also led the Tar Heels in game-winning goals with seven. In 2008, she had one four-goal game, one three-goal game and six other games with two goals.
Nogueira's hat trick keyed a win at Wake Forest, and her four goals led the Tar Heels to another ACC win at NC State. She was named MVP of the ACC Championship tournament and ACC Offensive Player of the Year, in addition to a first team All America selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Nogueira tallied two goals in the NCAA College Cup Finals to lead the Tar Heels to their 19th title, and was named tournament Offensive MVP in the process.
A junior from Raleigh, N.C. and a 2006 alumna of Broughton High School, she is the daughter of former North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League goalkeeper Victor Nogueira.
In high school, she led her team to one state cup championship and one runner-up spot.
She particularly seems to shine in big events, scoring a game-winning goal in the 2006 NCAA semifinals against UCLA her freshman year, then nailing the game winner in the final against Notre Dame.
Last year, USC's Amy Rodriguez won the Soccer News Network Women's College Player of the Year.
