Wednesday, December 20, 2017 -- Arizona's Julie Ertz has been named 2017 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year following her successful move from center back to defensive midfielder.
Ertz started playing defensive midfielder for the U.S. Women's National Team at the Tournament of Nation last summer. She finished 2017 with six goals, almost equalizing her overall total of eight, while helping the USWNT finish the year on a 7-0-1 stretch.
"I want to give a big thanks to everyone who voted,” said Ertz. “This was a really unique year for me with a lot of different challenges, but it means so much to have the support of my husband, my family, my coaches and my teammates. I’m honored and thankful from the bottom of my heart and I’m really looking forward to next year and as we have some big goals to accomplish.”
Ertz is the third player to be named both the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and Young Female Player of the Year. She was the Young Female Player of the Year in 2012 when she captained the USA to the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup title and won the Bronze Ball as the third-best player in the tournament.
Ertz finished with 51.6% of the vote while Megan Rapinoe finished second.