MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University women’s soccer defender Kadeisha Buchanan was named to the first-ever FIFPro Women’s World XI Team.

 

The list, unveiled this morning by the global players’ union, features the world’s top-11 female soccer players, as selected by the athletes themselves.

 

Buchanan, a junior and native of Brampton, Ontario, is the youngest athlete named to the inaugural team. She is one of four defenders selected and the lone Canadian.

 

Female athletes from 33 different nationalities and 20 countries participated in this year’s vote. Players were required to select one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.

 

A member of the Canadian Women’s National Team and currently playing alongside WVU teammate Ashley Lawrence at the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship Texas, Buchanan’s latest international honor caps off an exciting year which saw her start all five matches for Canada at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as well as earn the Best Young Player Award and a spot on the WWC All-Star Team.

 

The three-time reigning Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Buchanan earned the 2015 Soccer News Net Women’s College Boot Award and was a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. She also earned her second straight NSCAA All-America First Team honor, bringing her career All-America award count to three.

 

Buchanan was instrumental in helping the Mountaineers record a program-record 15 shutouts in 2015 while also allowing a program-low 11 opponent goals. One of three team captains, she led the Mountaineers to their fourth straight Big 12 Conference regular-season title and a spot in the NCAA Elite Eight. WVU accumulated a program-record 19 victories and was ranked in the top 10 nationally each week but two and finished at No. 7.