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Mountaineers Fulfill Dreams
July 27, 2016 08:02 AM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – There is no denying that Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence enjoyed a memorable summer in 2015.
Starters for the Canadian Women’s Soccer National Team, the duo helped push the home squad to the quarterfinals of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada. Lawrence, a midfielder and native of Toronto, tallied the team’s lone goal in a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in group play, while Buchanan, a defender and native of Brampton, Ontario, solidified her spot as the sport’s next rising superstar with the tournament’s Best Young Player honor.
The few weeks of play helped introduce the pair to the game’s largest audience. But maybe more importantly, the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup helped introduce the audience to West Virginia University women’s soccer. Flying WV flags flew within the stands, “Country Roads” was sung by broadcasters following Lawrence’s goal and a Mountaineer walked across the trophy stage to accept one of the tournament’s biggest honors.
Fans of The World’s Game have another chance to watch two of the program’s top athletes in action, as Buchanan and Lawrence, rising seniors at WVU, are two of the more experienced players returning to the pitch for Canada at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. They are the first Mountaineers under 21-year coach Nikki Izzo-Brown to qualify for an Olympic team.
“It’s exciting for this program to finally have athletes at the Olympic level,” explained Izzo-Brown. “They enter the Games not only set to represent their country but also West Virginia women’s soccer, the state of West Virginia and our University. It’s a huge honor to know we have representation at the highest level.”
Buzz surrounded Buchanan and Lawrence before they donned their Gold and Blue Mountaineer uniforms in 2013. They played their way through the Canadian youth ranks, each garnering national awards, with Lawrence twice earning Canadian U-17 Player of the Year honors (2011-12), and Buchanan collecting game MVP tags.
High schoolers when Canada captured the Bronze medal at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, the team’s first-ever medal at an Olympic Games, Buchanan and Lawrence came to WVU with dreams of helping their country return to the podium in 2016.
“They both always spoke to me about their aspirations to make Canada’s Senior National Team and to be a part of the next Olympic run,” said Izzo-Brown. “I’m so happy to see them achieve their dreams and to know that they are going to continue to climb and maximize their potential. I feel certain West Virginia was a great tool throughout this process.”
The duo has experienced more success and growth opportunities in the last 12 months than most athletes can hope for in a lifetime. Following their run through the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Buchanan and Lawrence returned to WVU for their junior season. The duo started all 23 matches and helped push the Mountaineers to a program-record 19 victories, as well as their fourth straight Big 12 Conference regular-season title and the team’s second-ever NCAA Elite Eight appearance.
Buchanan, one of three team captains, anchored a back line that posted a school-record 15 shutouts and allowed just 11 opponent goals, also a program record. Lawrence dished out a career- and team-best eight assists and helped the Mountaineer offense tally a program-record 61 goals.
Each three-time All-Big 12 First Team honorees, the twosome became the first WVU pair to earn NSCAA All-America First Team awards in the same season. Buchanan, the three-time reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, was a Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy finalist, WVU’s first, and Lawrence was a semifinalist.
Despite the continued growth of their honors lists, Buchan and Lawrence’s hard-work first mentality never diminishes.
“Kadeisha and Ashley are very humble and respectful of everything they have accomplished in their young careers,” said Izzo-Brown. “They attribute so much to their teammates and to everyone who has helped them along the way. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and what these two have juggled and the hard work they have put in to accomplish all this is really amazing.
“Sometimes, I’m awed by how much they can balance and how they are able to focus in on their goals, given everything that goes on around them.”
With just one week remaining before Canada opens Olympic group play against Australia on Wednesday, Aug. 3, Izzo-Brown again faces a summer which forces her to juggle her allegiances to the Red, White and Blue and the Red and White.
“I’m always going to be cheering for Keish and Ashley – they’re so close to my heart,” she enthused. “Obviously, I love USA soccer, too. Hopefully, they’ll play each other in the Gold Medal match because I love them both so much.”
The spotlight which shines on Buchanan and Lawrence grew brighter in 2015 and shows no signs of dimming any time soon. They certainly have made the most of their time at WVU.
“The one thing that sticks out in my mind having seen Kadeisha and Ashely come through the WVU women’s soccer program and achieve both World Cup and Olympic Team status in their short time frame is that we have special people here in Morgantown to help anyone achieve her goals,” finished Izzo-Brown. “Obviously, they’re the ones who are putting in the hard work, but there are so many people here helping them carry the load and who want to see them happy and successful.
“These two special athletes have shown all athletes who aspire for the same successes that it can be accomplished at West Virginia. You can have a great career and earn your degree as a Mountaineer. You can play at the highest level. You can do it all.”
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