Naomi Girma, the San Diego Wave’s star defender who played in her first World Cup last summer, has been named the top women’s soccer player in America.
Girma is the first true defender to win the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year Award in the 39 years that the honor has been given out. Goalkeeper Hope Solo won in 2009 and defensive midfielder Julie Ertz won in 2017 and 2019; all the other winners have been attacking midfielders or forwards.
The U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year is voted on by U.S. National Team coaches and players, of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors and the U.S. Soccer Athletes’ Council, National Women’s Soccer League coaches and select media . Fans’ votes count toward 15% of the total.
Girma led the way with 61.6% of all votes; USWNT captain Lindsey Horan, a midfielder, was second with 23.2%.
Girma, 23, grew up in San Jose the daughter of Ethiopian immigrants before starring at Stanford. The Wave selected her first overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft.
“I’m honored and grateful to be the first defender and second Black player to win this award, but it’s really a testament to all the hard work put in by our goalkeepers, the back line and our whole team to achieve an historic year for our defense,” Girma said in a news release.
“We are all very connected, work hard on the field, watch a lot of film to get better and really take pride in stopping teams from scoring. I always want to thank my friends and family, because they’ve been with me on every step of this journey. My coaches and teammates for club and country are the people who have helped shape me into the person and player I am today, so I’m very thankful to all of them. I’m super excited for what’s to come and can’t wait to get started here in 2024.”
Girma made her Women’s World Cup debut last summer, playing every minute during the United States’ run. She then returned to the Wave, which won the NWSL Shield given to the team with the best regular-season record. Girma was named NWSL Defender of the Year and NWSL Best XI First Team following the Wave’s season, which ended with a loss in the playoff semifinals.
In June, Girma signed a three-year extension with the Wave that will keep her in San Diego through the 2026 season. At the time, Wave General Manager Molly Downtain called her “one of the top players in this league.”
“Securing her long-term future was a priority for the club, and we are pleased that we were able to reach this agreement as we know Naomi will play a crucial role in the Wave for years to come,” she said.
NWSL Draft set for Friday night
The NWSL Draft will be held Friday at the Anaheim Convention Center. The event starts at 5 p.m. and will air on ION.
The Wave hold just two picks in Friday’s four-round draft — a first-rounder (No. 12 overall) and a fourth-rounder (No. 54 overall). The club traded its second-round pick to in a package for Emily van Egmond and Taylor Kornieck two years ago; last month, San Diego dealt a third-round pick to Houston as part of a package to reacquire midfielder Sierra Enge.
More than 200 women have declared for the NWSL Draft, including San Diego natives Jade Babcock-Chi (Torrey Pines High School) and Gianna Creighton (West Hills High School).
Compiled in part from news releases.
