Three Tar Heels Named First-Team All-Americas

December 5, 2019 | Women's Soccer

Fox, Pinto, Russo named first-team honorees.

By: Dave Lohse

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Three members of the 2019 NCAA College Cup qualifying women's soccer team from the University of North Carolina have been named first-team All-Americas by the United Soccer Coaches. A fourth player was named to the third-team All-America squad. The announcement of the All-America Teams was made Thursday evening by the United Soccer Coaches.

Junior defender Emily Fox of Ashburn, Va., sophomore midfielder Brianna Pinto of Durham, N.C. and junior forward Alessia Russo of Kent, England, were all named first-team All-Americas. Freshman defender Maycee Bell of Wichita, Kan., was named to the third-team All-America squad.

The 2019 NCAA Division I All-America Teams were honored Thursday night at the NCAA Women's College Cup banquet in San Jose, Calif.

Russo was also a first-team All-America on the 2018 United Soccer Coaches All-America and a second-team selection in 2017.

This marked the first time UNC has had three players named to the United Soccer Coaches first-team All-America since 1995 when Staci Wilson, Debbie Keller and Cindy Parlow were all first-team honorees.

The last time Carolina had as many as four players on the coaches' All-America Teams was 2008 when Casey Nogueira was named first team, Tobin Heath and Yael Averbuch were on the second team and Whitney Engen was on the third team.

Here are complete 2019 bios on UNC's four All-America honorees.

Maycee Bell's Freshman Year Biography (2019): Starter in the back for Carolina • third-team All-America selection by United Soccer Coaches • ACC Freshman of the Year, the fourth Tar Heel to win the award in the last six years (Megan Buckingham 2014, Bridgette Andrzejewski 2016, Alessia Russo 2017, Mayce Bell 2019) • named second-team All-ACC • tapped for 2019 All-ACC Tournament Team • chosen for ACC All-Freshman Team • has played in 23 games overall, all starts • has played 1962 minutes, which leads the squad in minutes played despite missing complete games against Arkansas and Pitt and playing only the first halves against UNLV and Belmont • has scored three goals and added an assist • two of her three goals have been game-winning goals • named ACC Defensive Player of the Week on August 27 after shutout wins over Indiana and Duke • also named ACC Defensive Player of the Week on September 24 after leading Tar Heels to 3-0 shutout at #20 Louisville • played all 90 minutes in first five games of the season and then played just the first half in 8-0 rout of UNLV • missed the Arkansas game with an injury, Carolina's only loss of the season • played all 470 minutes on defense in five ACC shutouts before missing game at Pitt • after her return to the lineup against BC, the Tar Heels recorded three more league clean sheets before conceding twice at Miami. • after missing the game at Pitt with a foot injury on October 13, she returned to play 63 minutes at Boston College and scored her first career goal at 7:11 of the match on a header off a corner kick • that would hold up as the game-winning goal in the 3-0 win • went the full 90 minutes on defense in wins over nationally-ranked opponents Florida State and Virginia Tech • played all 90 minutes in ACC Tournament win over Notre Dame and recorded her first career assist on goal by Ru Mucherera in second half of that game • played all 192 minutes in the ACC semifinals and finals • scored her second goal of the year on a header off a corner kick against Virginia in the ACC final at the 5:47 mark • netted the game-winning goal in NCAA quarterfinals against USC • scored on a header off a free kick by Lotte Wubben-Moy at 68:05 of the match • named to Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week on December 3 • has been called into USWNT training camp scheduled for December 9-14.

Emily Fox's Junior Year Biography (2019): Hermann Trophy finalist • first-team United Soccer Coaches Association All-America • first-team All-ACC selection • also named to All-Tournament Team at 2019 ACC Tournament • starter all season on the right side, either on defense or in the midfield • was starting at right midfield position in 3-5-2 formation prior to a knee injury suffered in second half of NCAA quarterfinal game versus USC • only current collegiate player to have earned caps with U.S. Women's National Team • had been called into USWNT Training Camp scheduled for December 9-14 but will now miss that event because of her injury • preseason All-ACC selection • preseason Top Drawer Soccer Bext XI honoree • played with U.S. U23 National Team at Nordic Cup in England from August 28-September 2 • has played in 22 matches overall, starting all 22 • played 1701 minutes in total, the fourth highest total on the squad • her 11 assists lead the Tar Heel squad • tore an ACL in match versus USC and will miss 2019 NCAA College Cup • it is the same ACL she tore midway through 2017 season • started first two games of season, playing first half against Indiana at right midfield and all 90 minutes in shutout of Duke at right back • returned to lineup after the Nordic Cup (missing three matches overall) against UNLV, playing 42 minutes in 8-0 victory • recorded three assists versus Rebels, assisting on first, second and eighth UNC goals • her three-assist game against UNLV was the second of her career • she also had three assists against Syracuse on September 30, 2017 • was limited to 42 minutes at Louisville after a collision with Marz Josephson late in first half • returned to play 79 and 77 minutes in shutout wins over NC State and Notre Dame the following week • assisted on Brianna Pinto's insurance goal against the Fighting Irish • played all 110 minutes in tie at Duke and all 90 minutes in win at Pitt • assisted on Rachael Dorwart's insurance goal in 3-1 win at Pittsburgh • after Carolina moved to the 3-5-2 formation after game against the Panthers, she played all 90 minutes in ACC shutouts of Boston College and Florida State and 90 minutes in come-from-behind win at Miami • named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week after Carolina's shutout wins over FSU and Virginia Tech • played all 90 minutes in ACC Tournament win over Notre Dame and recorded the primary assist on game-winning goal by Lotte Wubben-Moy • played all 192 minutes in ACC Tournament semifinals and finals versus NC State and Virginia • assisted on Alessia Russo's game-winning goal at 101:48 in 2-1 double overtime win over Virginia in ACC Tournament championship game • against Belmont in NCAA first round, she led Tar Heel starters in minutes with 64 • she tallied her first career goal against the Bruins at 27:33 of the match • assisted on goals by Bridgette Andrzejewski at 22:46 and by Alessia Russo at 53:48 in victory over Belmont • had a pair of assists in NCAA Tournament third round win over Michigan • named to Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week on November 26 • scored second goal of her career, tying NCAA quarterfinal match versus USC in the 39th minute of an eventual 3-2 Tar Heel victory • named to Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week on December 2.

Brianna Pinto's Sophomore Year Biography (2019): First-team All-America selection by United Soccer Coaches • first-team All-ACC selection for second straight year • Hermann Trophy semifinalist • one of five finalists for 2019 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year Award • has been called into U.S. Women's National Team training camp scheduled for December 9-14 • preseason All-ACC selection as well • participates in the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy as part of the Accelerate Program and also as a part of the Cultivate Program • two-year starter in the midfield for Carolina • has started all 25 games for Carolina, playing 1650 minutes, the fifth highest total on team and the most minutes of any non-defender • has 11 goals and six assists for 28 points • leads UNC in points this season • ranks second on the team in goals scored with 11, just one behind Alessia Russo's 12 goals • tied for fourth on the squad in assists with six • played 68 minutes against Indiana and 67 minutes versus Duke • scored a pair of goals in 3-0 win over Hoosiers • tallied in the 18th minute to put the Heels up 2-0 • followed that up with a world class goal from the top of the box in the 81st minute of play • was named the offensive Most Valuable Player of the Husky Invitational the following weekend • assisted on two goals in 3-2 come-from-behind win over Washington • had assist on game-tying goal at 36:29 and then assisted on game-winner at 70:24 • played all 90 minutes against the Huskies • started and played 68 minutes in win over Portland • scored her third goal of the season at 50:38 in 4-0 win over the Pilots • started both games in Duke Nike Classic • played all 90 minutes against LSU and scored game-winning goal at 70:20 of the match in a 1-0 victory • started against UNLV, scoring goals in the 10th and 23rd minutes • was named to Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week for her play in the Duke Nike Classic • assisted on Alessia Russo's game-winning goal at Louisville •, scored what was easily the season's most creative goal, a back heel flick at 60:59 of 3-0 win over Notre Dame • also scored the game-tying goal at 48:05 of the match in a 3-1 come-from-behind win at Pittsburgh • scored on a breakaway to provide separation in Carolina's 2-0 victory over fifth-ranked Florida State • tallied the game-winning goal in the 84th minute of 3-2 win at Miami • assisted on Alessia Russo's game-winning goal in the NCAA second round • had an assist on a goal by Isabel Cox in NCAA third round win over Michigan • notched her 11th goal of the season in NCAA quarterfinals, scoring in 59th minute on a header to give UNC a 2-1 lead in an eventual 3-2 triumph.

Alessia Russo's Junior Year Biography (2019): Hermann Trophy semifinalist • United Soccer Coaches first-team All-America selection • she was also a first-team selection in 2018 and a second-team selection in 2017 • Most Valuable Player of the 2019 ACC Tournament • named first-team All-ACC for the third year in a row • All-ACC Tournament selection • preseason All-ACC selection • team tri-captain • has played 22 matches overall, all starts, playing 1281 minutes • leads the team in goals with 12 and is second in points with 27 • also has three assists • has five braces this season and seven for her career • leads Carolina with six game-winning goals • has 27 career goals, tied for 40th in UNC history • 16 of her career goals have been game-winning tallies • 59.3 percent of the goals she has scored in her career have been game-winners • going in the USC game, she had scored six goals and has two assists in the previous five games • played for the England U23 National Team at the Nordic Cup in her native country from August 28-September 2 • started each of the first two games of the season at center forward and has been starting in the twin nines in the 3-5-2 formation since the game at Pitt • played 66 minutes against Indiana and 72 minutes against Duke on opening weekend • returned to starting lineup after Nordic Cup trip in 8-0 win over UNLV • scored her first goal of the season at 4:59 of match against UNLV and added a second goal in the game at 57:41 to put the Tar Heels up 8-0 • added a second brace this season versus Wake Forest, scoring in 79th and 87th minutes • her third brace of the season came at Louisville as she scored in 22nd and 81st minutes • her goal at 21:32 versus Louisville was the game-winning tally • was named to Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week after two-goal performance at Louisville • was fouled twice deep in Pitt territory which set up Brianna Pinto's game-tying and Taylor Otto's game-winning goals in 3-1 come-from-behind win over the Panthers • earned her first assist on goal by Rachel Jones at 79:05 of Boston College match • had her fourth brace of the season and sixth of her career in ACC Tournament semifinals versus NC State • scored the game-winner against the Wolfpack at 7:28 and added a second goal at 88:24 • scored the game-winning goal at 101:48 to lift UNC to 2-1 double overtime win over #1-ranked Virginia in ACC Tournament championship game • scored twice in NCAA first round win over Belmont, earning her fifth brace of the campaign • scored the game-winning goal in the NCAA second round game against Colorado, sending a laser into the back of the net at the 47:54 mark • had the first multi-assist game of her career in NCAA Tournament third round against Michigan, assisting on goals by Isabel Cox at 5:56 and 50:01.