North Carolina forward Ashley Hatch has been named the 2017 NWSL Rookie of the Year, announced Tuesday by the league.
Hatch tied the league rookie record with seven goals, also adding an assist in her debut season. Her seven goals ranked second on the team and finished eighth overall in the NWSL this season. Three of those goals were also game-winners.
Congratulations to Ashley Hatch on winning NWSL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR! ?⚽️
First of all, we ain’t even surprised. pic.twitter.com/de5olU6fHs
— The Roar Of Cougars (@byuROC) October 17, 2017
Hatch had 22 appearances on the season for the Courage and started 13 of those games. She helped lead North Carolina to a 16-7-1 record, winning the NWSL Shield as the top team in the regular season. The Courage reached the NWSL championship before falling to Portland on Saturday.
Hatch was selected for NWSL’s Team of the Month for June, scoring three goals in three games as the team finished the month undefeated.
The former BYU All-American was selected with the second pick in the 2017 NWSL Draft last January and debuted for the USWNT team in an October friendly against Switzerland.
