Wambach, Leroux and Lloyd top list for USA's Female Athlete of the Year

By Kyle McCarthy
Published

Abby Wambach headlines a list of five United States women's national team stars nominated for U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.

Wambach is in search of a seventh award after claiming the honor last year and scoring a team-high 14 goals during 2014. She will vie with midfielders Lauren Holiday and Carli Lloyd and forwards Sydney Leroux and Christen Press to take home the award.

The collective success of the USWNT this year – including a compelling run to cinch a berth at next summer's FIFA Women's World Cup and win the CONCACAF Women's Championship this fall -- makes highlighting one player a particularly difficult task, but veteran forward Wambach may ultimately loom as the favorite to secure the honor once more.

Her exploits this year included another prolific year in front of goal and an instrumental role during the qualifying run (four appearances, seven goals). Holiday burnished her case with assured displays in midfield and an influential campaign for NWSL champions FC Kansas City, while Lloyd remained one of the key components of the side with her considerable presence in the center of the park and her goalscoring prowess (10 goals, second on the team).

Leroux (nine goals, third on the team) and Press (the only player to appear in every game this year) stated their claims with their consistent threat in front of goal during the course of the year.

U.S. Soccer will unveil the winner during the network's comprehensive coverage of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup draw on Saturday (live, 12 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports Go).

FOX Sports will provide wall-to-wall coverage of the event with teams located on site in Ottawa and in the studio back in Los Angeles. Rob Stone will host in Los Angeles with USA star Alex Morgan, former Olympic champion Heather Mitts, ex-Mexico international Monica Gonzalez, England forward Kelly Smith and former Germany midfielder Ariane Hingst scheduled to contribute. Kate Abdo will helm the coverage from the site of the draw with analysis from former U.S. World Cup winning coach Tony DiCicco and Grant Wahl.