FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Ally Sentnor, a forward for the Utah Royals, has been honored as the 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year, a recognition announced on Friday.
At just 20 years old, this talented striker made her senior international debut in November during a goalless match against England. She led the U.S. team to a commendable third-place finish at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, where her impressive performance included three goals and earning the Bronze Ball for being the tournament’s third-best player.
Hailing from Hanson, Massachusetts, Sentnor was the first overall pick in the NWSL draft, following an outstanding career at the University of North Carolina. Her remarkable achievements also earned her a nomination for the league’s rookie of the year award.
Currently training with the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), Sentnor expressed her gratitude in a U.S. Soccer news release, stating she feels “grateful and humbled.” She reflected on the significance of this award, noting, “To see the list of players who have won this before shows me the opportunities that are ahead.”
Sentnor joins an elite group of past recipients, including seven members of the USWNT who secured a historic fifth Olympic gold medal at the previous summer’s Games in Paris. Notable past winners include captain Lindsey Horan, defender Naomi Girma, and the dynamic forward trio of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson.
In her burgeoning career, Sentnor earned her second senior cap in December, contributing to a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands. During her inaugural professional season with the Royals, she recorded three goals and four assists across 21 matches. With this accolade, she becomes the ninth alum from the University of North Carolina to receive the Young Player of the Year award, following in the footsteps of Cindy Parlow Cone, the first winner in 1998.
Receiving nearly 56 percent of the votes, Sentnor was chosen through ballots from fans, national team coaches, players, U.S. Soccer board members, and select media representatives. Claire Hutton, a midfielder for the Kansas City Current, finished in second place.
Sentnor is among the 26 players summoned on January 7 by USWNT coach Emma Hayes for the team’s first training camp of 2025. The squad is currently training in Fort Lauderdale in preparation for the upcoming SheBelieves Cup.
