Sam Kerr Named to 2017 NWSL Best XI

Sky Blue FC forward Sam Kerr was officially named to the 2017 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Best XI, her first Best XI selection of her five-year career in the league.

The Australian international earned her second NWSL accolade of the season, with the first being the NWSL Golden Boot. Kerr finished the 2017 campaign with 17 goals in 22 appearances. Her 17 tallies eclipsed the previous NWSL record of 16 that was set by former Seattle Reign FC midfielder Kim Little in 2014.

Kerr was also named a finalist for the 2017 NWSL MVP award as voted by owners, general managers, coaches, players and the media in the preliminary round. The winner will be announced by the league on Friday, October 20th.

In addition to setting a new NWSL single-season goal record, Kerr also became the league's most prominent goal scorer when she recorded her 35th career goal on July 8 against FC Kansas City. During the match, Kerr registered a second-half hat trick in 12 minutes to lead Sky Blue FC to an improbable 3-2 comeback win at Yurcak Field. The 12-minute hat trick became the fastest in league history. The Western Australia native currently sits atop the NWSL career scoring list with 43 goals and counting.

Kerr broke multiple records this year, including becoming the first player in NWSL history to score two hat tricks in a single season. On August 19, she led Sky Blue FC to another incredible comeback victory, this time a 5-4 win over Seattle Reign FC at Yurcak Field. She tallied a total of four goals in the second half of that match-up, becoming the first player in NWSL history to score four goals in a single contest.

After finishing the 2017 campaign with 17 goals and four assists, Kerr became the first player in NWSL history to reach 50 career points, and now sits on 58 points overall. For her five-year career, she has registered 43 goals and 15 assists.

The 2017 NWSL Best XI:

Goalkeeper: Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC)

Defenders: Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride)

Midfielders: Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign FC), Sam Mewis (North Carolina Courage), McCall Zerboni (North Carolina Courage)

Forwards: Marta (Orlando Pride), Sam Kerr (Sky Blue FC), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars).

The NWSL awards are voted on by club officials, players, fans and media who cover the league on a consistent basis.