MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sophomores
Kadeisha Buchanan and
Ashley Lawrence of the West Virginia University women’s soccer team are nominees for 2014 Canada Soccer player awards.
Buchanan, a native of Brampton, Ontario, is one of seven female nominees for the BMO Canadian Player of the Year honor. The award celebrates Canada’s top player in recognition of her 2014 achievements with both the National Team and respective club or university team.
The two-time reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Buchanan scored her first international goal last May, as she netted the national team’s lone goal against Hope Solo of the United States in a 1-1 draw in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She also is on the 2014 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Watch List, college soccer’s version of the Heisman Trophy. Buchanan tallied a career-high eight points (3 G, 2 A) for the Mountaineers this season.
Voting for the 2014 BMO Canadian Player of the Year award will be split evenly by Canadian media and Canadian coaches from across the country.
Buchanan and Lawrence are nominated for the Canadian U-20 Player of the Year honor; Buchanan scored the award in 2013.
Lawrence, a native of Toronto, Ontario, is a two-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree. She paced the Mountaineers with seven assists this season and finished second on the team with 15 points (4 G, 7 A).
Voting for the Canadian U-20 Player of the Year award will be split evenly by Canadian national staff coaches and all other Canadian Licenses ‘A’ and ‘B’ coaches.
Members of the Canadian Women’s National Team, the duo was recently called up for a pair of closed-door matches against Sweden last week. Buchanan started both matches at center back, while Lawrence earned the start at midfield for the second match.
The duo helped the No. 7-ranked Mountaineers (16-2-4, 7-0-1) successfully defend their Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles in 2014. The squad qualified for its 15th straight NCAA Tournament and was eliminated by Georgetown in the first round on Nov. 15. The teams played to a 0-0 draw before the Hoyas advanced thanks to a 4-3 edge in a penalty kick shootout.
