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Who is the best girls soccer player from Southwest Florida?
Let the debate begin.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports.
Here are the stars on the pitch in Southwest Florida. The 11 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standout players at the high school level before moving on to even greater heights. Keeping this list at 11 was tricky, to say the least.
We even saved a spot for you to write in a candidate we may have overlooked or that you feel strongly about.
The three-time Southwest Florida Player of the Year was two things: consistent and elite. Acosta was a distributor and a goal scorer in the attacking midfield, netting 95 goals to go along with 92 assists. She is the only player from this area to win Miss Soccer from the Florida Dairy Farmers and is in the midst of a collegiate career at FGCU after transferring from Florida.
Dwyer was named as The News-Press Player of the Year in 1993 and 1994, as well as the Naples Daily News Player of the Year in 1996. Dwyer was an elite presence for the Golden Eagles soccer program, scoring 30-plus goals in each of her four seasons before going on to play for Missouri. She is the head girls' soccer coach at Cypress Bay in Weston.
Emerson was an outstanding player for the Green Wave, scoring 54 goals and 39 assists to break the Greenies' all-time scoring record. She was The News-Press Player of the Year in 2011 as a junior, where she had 32 goals and 14 assists.
Farrell was a two-time News-Press Player of the Year pick in 2005 and 2006, and a two-time All-State selection who led the Panthers to a district championship and regional semifinal in 2003. After finishing her career with 120 goals, she went on to play at Wake Forest where she graduated as the Demon Deacons' second all-time leader in games played.
Fritz was beyond solid for Mariner, accumulating three All-State selections along with three News-Press All-Area First Team picks. Before playing at Florida State and FGCU, Fritz set Lee County records for most goals in a season (66), which has been broken, and in a career (185), which still stands.
Arguably the greatest player to come out of Southwest Florida this century, Hauser scored a school-record 142 goals with the Red Knights, earning All-American Honors in 2019 after taking North to three straight regional finals. Hauser was The News-Press Player of the Year as a senior and was a three-time finalist before starring at Arkansas and Florida.
Kopale was a three-time News-Press All-Area First Team selection, earning two with Cape Coral as a sophomore and junior, and a third with Ida Baker as a senior. Kopale also earned The News-Press Player of the Year award with the Bulldogs, leading them to a state title with a goal allowed average of .281, adding 24 shutouts in a year that Baker finished 26-2-4.
McCarthy was technically sound and could do a lot of different things for the Red Knights, becoming a four-time All-Area First Team selection. The midfielder scored 53 goals with 57 assists and was a three-time finalist for the Southwest Florida Player of the Year award as a freshman, junior, and senior. She continues to play collegiately at Arizona.
Melancon is Collier County's all-time leading goal scorer with 209. Melancon is a three-time finalist for the Daily News Player of the Year Award and a one-time winner in her seven-year varsity career, scoring 51 goals during her sophomore year.
A rarity in the 20th century, Steinweg was a four-time First Team selection, winning The News-Press Player of the Year award in 1998. She scored 145 goals and had 89 assists for the Tritons before going on to play at Eckerd College.
Welch burst onto the scene as a junior after earning Honorable Mention as a freshman and sophomore, scoring a combined 112 goals as a junior and senior to earn The News-Press Player of the Year award in 2001 and 2002. Welch went on to play Division I soccer at the University of South Carolina as a sweeper.
Who’s the greatest Southwest Florida high school girls soccer player of all time?
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: [email protected]. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Vote for the SW FL all-time best girls soccer player from 11 nominees
Continue reading...
Let the debate begin.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.
First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports.
Here are the stars on the pitch in Southwest Florida. The 11 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standout players at the high school level before moving on to even greater heights. Keeping this list at 11 was tricky, to say the least.
We even saved a spot for you to write in a candidate we may have overlooked or that you feel strongly about.
Ryleigh Acosta, Mariner
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The three-time Southwest Florida Player of the Year was two things: consistent and elite. Acosta was a distributor and a goal scorer in the attacking midfield, netting 95 goals to go along with 92 assists. She is the only player from this area to win Miss Soccer from the Florida Dairy Farmers and is in the midst of a collegiate career at FGCU after transferring from Florida.
Kate Dwyer, Naples
Dwyer was named as The News-Press Player of the Year in 1993 and 1994, as well as the Naples Daily News Player of the Year in 1996. Dwyer was an elite presence for the Golden Eagles soccer program, scoring 30-plus goals in each of her four seasons before going on to play for Missouri. She is the head girls' soccer coach at Cypress Bay in Weston.
Haley Emerson, Fort Myers
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Emerson was an outstanding player for the Green Wave, scoring 54 goals and 39 assists to break the Greenies' all-time scoring record. She was The News-Press Player of the Year in 2011 as a junior, where she had 32 goals and 14 assists.
Caitlin Farrell, Cypress Lake
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Farrell was a two-time News-Press Player of the Year pick in 2005 and 2006, and a two-time All-State selection who led the Panthers to a district championship and regional semifinal in 2003. After finishing her career with 120 goals, she went on to play at Wake Forest where she graduated as the Demon Deacons' second all-time leader in games played.
Holly Fritz, Mariner
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Fritz was beyond solid for Mariner, accumulating three All-State selections along with three News-Press All-Area First Team picks. Before playing at Florida State and FGCU, Fritz set Lee County records for most goals in a season (66), which has been broken, and in a career (185), which still stands.
Emilee Hauser, North Fort Myers
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Arguably the greatest player to come out of Southwest Florida this century, Hauser scored a school-record 142 goals with the Red Knights, earning All-American Honors in 2019 after taking North to three straight regional finals. Hauser was The News-Press Player of the Year as a senior and was a three-time finalist before starring at Arkansas and Florida.
Amanda Kopale, Cape Coral/Ida Baker
Kopale was a three-time News-Press All-Area First Team selection, earning two with Cape Coral as a sophomore and junior, and a third with Ida Baker as a senior. Kopale also earned The News-Press Player of the Year award with the Bulldogs, leading them to a state title with a goal allowed average of .281, adding 24 shutouts in a year that Baker finished 26-2-4.
Evie McCarthy, North Fort Myers
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McCarthy was technically sound and could do a lot of different things for the Red Knights, becoming a four-time All-Area First Team selection. The midfielder scored 53 goals with 57 assists and was a three-time finalist for the Southwest Florida Player of the Year award as a freshman, junior, and senior. She continues to play collegiately at Arizona.
Malaya Melancon, First Baptist
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Melancon is Collier County's all-time leading goal scorer with 209. Melancon is a three-time finalist for the Daily News Player of the Year Award and a one-time winner in her seven-year varsity career, scoring 51 goals during her sophomore year.
Robyn Steinweg, Mariner
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A rarity in the 20th century, Steinweg was a four-time First Team selection, winning The News-Press Player of the Year award in 1998. She scored 145 goals and had 89 assists for the Tritons before going on to play at Eckerd College.
Jackie Welch, Mariner
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Welch burst onto the scene as a junior after earning Honorable Mention as a freshman and sophomore, scoring a combined 112 goals as a junior and senior to earn The News-Press Player of the Year award in 2001 and 2002. Welch went on to play Division I soccer at the University of South Carolina as a sweeper.
Who’s the greatest Southwest Florida high school girls soccer player of all time?
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: [email protected]. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Vote for the SW FL all-time best girls soccer player from 11 nominees
Continue reading...
