Orlando Pride's Alex Morgan Named 2018 USWNT Player of the Year

Orlando Pride and United States women's national soccer team forward Alex Morgan has been named USWNT Player of the Year.

The team's official Twitter account announced the news Friday:

The 29-year-old was a crucial part of the team that won the 2018 CONCACAF Championship, earning the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer.

This marks the second time Morgan has won the USWNT's Player of the Year award; her first came in 2012.

With 18 goals for the USWNT this year―the best on the team and the second-highest mark in a calendar year for Morgan, according to U.S. Soccer's official website—the forward was the driving force behind a Stars and Stripes side that went undefeated in 2018.

The other nominees for the award were 2017 winner Julie Ertz, 2016 winner Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan and Megan Rapinoe. Morgan said all of the nominees were deserving:

"It was an incredible year for the U.S. Women's National Team, going undefeated, and there were a lot of players that stepped up and played essential parts in leading this team. Of the five players nominated, any one was deserving, so I am incredibly honored to have won this award.

"After having a club season with Orlando that I didn't anticipate, I'm just happy that I was able to contribute in this way to the National Team, especially leading into a World Cup year, as it was important for the whole team to gain confidence and momentum."

Sportswriter Julie Foudy congratulated the winner:

Stanford University's Tierna Davidson took home the Young Female Player of the Year award after making her USWNT debut in January. At the age of 19, she became just the third teenager to debut for the Stars and Stripes since 2013.