June 20, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women's soccer incoming freshmen Frankie Tagliaferri (Colts Neck, N.J.) and Emma Thomson (Park Ridge, Ill.) have been named the Gatorade Girls' Soccer Player of the Year in their respective home states of New Jersey and Illinois.
Tagliaferri is now a two-time recipient of the award as she earned the honor last spring. A midfielder/forward, Tagliaferri played high school soccer for Colts Neck and club soccer for PDA.
A three-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American, Tagliaferri has been a mainstay with the U.S. Women's National Team at numerous youth levels. Most recently, she joined the U.S. U-20 WNT for a week-long training camp in April. Last fall, Tagliaferri was a member of the U.S. U-17 WNT that competed at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. During her time with the U.S. U-17 WNT, she recorded 24 caps and 11 international goals. According to TopDrawerSoccer, Tagliaferri is ranked No. 5 overall, and is the No. 3 forward, in the 2017 signing class.
Thomson earns the award for the first time in her career after tallying 33 goals and seven assists during her senior season for Maine South High School. Along with playing high school soccer for Maine South, Thomson played club soccer for Sockers FC Chicago.
A forward, Thomson has been a part of the U.S. Women's National Team at the U-14, U-15, and U-17 levels. A three-time NSCAA All-American, Thomson is ranked No. 30 overall, and is the No. 14 forward, in the 2017 signing class, according to TopDrawerSoccer.
Tagliaferri and Thomson join current Nittany Lions Brittany Basinger (Purcellville, Va.), Maddie Elliston (Omaha, Neb.), and Megan Schafer (Langhorne, Pa.) as recipients of the Gatorade Girls' Soccer Player of the Year award in their respective home states. In 2013, Basinger and Elliston brought home the award and in 2014, Elliston and Schafer received the honor.
Gatorade's Player of the Year program, now in its 32nd year, honors the nation's top high school athletes based on their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. The Nittany Lion duo are two of 51 finalists for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls' Soccer Player of the Year award, which will be announced later this month.