SANDY, Utah (Monday, March 30, 2020) – Utah Royals FC forward Christen Press and defender Kelley O’Hara have been selected by the Utah Sports Commission as the co-recipients of the Governor’s State of Sports Professional Female Athlete of the Year.
The award comes after great success for the American duo in 2019, a year that saw them clinch their second-consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy.
In the 2019 season Press became a staple in Utah Royals FC’s offensive, scoring eight goals in just 14 matches, good for the second-most on the team and tied for sixth-most in the league. Her success in front of goal earned her a spot of the NWSL Best XI and selection as the NWSL Player of the Month for August and the NWSL Player of the Week. Additionally, she was voted as the NWSL Goal of the Week on three separate occasions. O’Hara contributed one assist in four appearances for Royals FC and was a member of FIFA FIFPro World XI for her contributions at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The ceremony, which was set to be held at the beginning of April, will honor Press and O’Hara alongside the state’s top athletes. The Utah Sports Commission is a non-profit organization established by all-volunteered Board of Trustees members across statewide sports, business, community, and government leaders.
URFC previously won the Governor’s State of Sport Event of the Year Award at the 2019 ceremony for its inaugural home opener that took place on April 14, 2018.
