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Photo by: Josh Tu

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

Photo by: Josh Tu

Aven Alvarez

Position:
Defender
Height:
5-8
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
New Hill, N.C.
High School:
Crossroads FLEX

Career Honors

2024 National Champion

Freshman Season (2024)
2024 National Champion • One of three freshmen to appear in all 27 games, earning a starting role in 13 of them • First collegiate start was against #16 Georgia • Finished the year with one goal and one assist for three points • First career goal came against Louisville • Her lone shot of the season was her goal vs. the Cardinals • First career assist was against Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament Third Round • Logged 1,606 minutes, including nine games of a full 90 • Played every minute of the College Cup • Helped anchor a back line which limited opponents to 8.0 shots per game and 3.8 shots on goal per game, and only conceded one goal throughout the NCAA Tournament with zero goals allowed in the College Cup.

U.S. Youth National Team
Earned bronze with the U.S. U-19 Women’s Youth National Team at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, the first time the USA had competed in the event since 2007 • Invited to a U-20 training camp in July 2024, playing two matches against Mexico • Called up to U-19 training camps, playing two games vs. Spain • Invited to a pair of U-17 training camps, playing two matches against England.

High School/Club
Attended Crossroads FLEX High School in Cary, North Carolina • National Honor Society member and Honor Roll student • Cary Youth Leadership Academy Member • Played club soccer with North Carolina Courage under coaches Willie Davis, Paul Forester and David Maddren • Named team captain • ECNL All-American and ECNL All-Region Team.

Personal
Aven Elizabeth Alvarez is the daughter of Laura and Daniel Alvarez • Father played soccer at Furman before playing professionally for the Virginia Mariners and Cincinnati • Father also attend graduate school at UNC • Has three younger siblings: Brayden, Madison and Emerson • Birthday is November 14 • Plans to major in biology.

Why Carolina?
I chose UNC because of the academic and athletic rigor. It also felt less like a university and more like a home, a place where I could become the best version of myself.