Mars Area sophomore Ellie Coffield was named to the Best XI Team 16-U at the 2018 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, held July 23-29 at the Toyota Soccer Center (Frisco, Texas).

The Best XI honor recognizes the Top 11 players in each age group, as voted on by coaches of the participating teams in that age group. Coffield attended the event as a midfielder on the North United Rush U-16 Girls Soccer Team, which competed against teams from California, New Jersey, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.

The team, made up of players from Avonworth, Butler, Fox Chapel, Mars Area, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley school districts, advanced to the national competition after winning the 2018 U.S. Soccer Eastern Regional champion, held June 29-July 3 at the Publix Virginia Soccer Training Center & Embrey Mill Complex (Spotsylvania, Va.)

Coffield is also a member of the Mars Area High School Girls Varsity Soccer, and was a member of the school’s 2018 state-championship winning Girls Varsity Basketball Team.

For more information, visit http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org/2018_national_championships_best_11/.