Former Auburn soccer standout and 2021 SEC Defender of the Year Alyssa Malonson was called up to the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team for its slate of October friendlies, U.S. Soccer and head coach Emma Hayes announced on Thursday. Malonson becomes the first Auburn woman to receive an invitation to compete for the full U.S. Women’s National Team.
“Super excited to see Alyssa earn her spot on the National Team,” said Auburn head soccer coach Karen Hoppa. “She has always put the work in, at Auburn, in the NWSL, she has just grown leaps and bounds. We could not be more proud of her. We can’t wait to cheer her and the Red, White and Blue on very soon!”
During her playing career at Auburn, Malonson started a school record 97 matches, tallying four goals and 23 assists. In addition to being named the league’s defensive player of the year for her dynamics at the left back position, the Spring, Texas, native also earned all-conference honors in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021, and was named a United Soccer Coaches All-American in her final season.
Malonson was drafted 20th overall by the North Carolina Courage in the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Draft; however, she opted to return to Auburn and compete in her final season of eligibility. Following the conclusion of her collegiate career, she spent two seasons with the Seattle Reign (formerly OL Reign) before being selected first overall in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft by Bay FC out of San Jose, California.
This season with Bay, Malonson has appeared in 20 of her club’s 24 matches and has earned the starting nod in 14 of them.
The USWNT will play three matches in the upcoming international window, facing Iceland on Oct. 24 and Oct. 27 and Argentina on Oct. 30. TG
