It’d been a few years since the Blue Devils had a first-team All-American. For one last mark in her historic season, striker Michelle Cooper changed that.
Cooper was named a first-team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches, Duke’s first such awardee since striker Kayla McCoy in 2018. She’s not only the first freshman in Duke history to earn All-American honors as a freshman, but the first freshman to make First-Team since Stanford virtuosa midfielder Catarina Macario.
It’s hard to overstate what Cooper accomplished this season, and the stats speak for themselves:
- 10th in the Power 5 in goals per game and points per game (3rd in the ACC)
- 11th in Power 5 shots per game (2nd ACC)
- Duke freshman scoring record
- Sixth in points per game in Blue Devil history
- Two away from a tie for seventh in single-season goals for Duke
- One away from a tie for seventh in multi-goal games
- One away from a tie for fifth in game-winning goals
And the praise heaped upon her could not have been more effusive.
Cooper is the fifth Duke Blue Devil forward to be named an All-American, and the eighth first-team selection for the program.
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