Kayla Ann Morrison (born August 5, 1996) is an American-born Australian professional women's soccer player who plays as a defender for Melbourne Victory in the A-League Women.[3][1] She has previously played college football for Kansas Jayhawks and professionally for Australian club Bulleen Lions, Swedish club Morön, and for American club Portland Thorns.[2] With Melbourne Victory she played in the team's 2021 W-League grand final championship win and captained the team.
 Kayla Morrison playing for Melbourne Victory, December 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kayla Ann Morrison[1] | ||
| Date of birth | August 5, 1996[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Corona, California, United States[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Melbourne Victory | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2017 | Kansas Jayhawks | 83 | (3) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | Bulleen Lions | (13) | |
| 2020 | Morön | 24 | (5) |
| 2020–2023 | Melbourne Victory | 35 | (6) |
| 2023 | Portland Thorns | 0 | (0) |
| 2023– | Melbourne Victory | 23 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2024 | |||
Youth career
editMorrison attended Corona High School, where she competed in volleyball, soccer, and track. As a soccer player, she scored 90 goals, and as a senior captained the team and was named its most valuable player.[4]
She also played club soccer for seven years with Legends FC, where she played as a midfielder and won the 2012 U15 US Youth Soccer National Championship.[4]
College career
editIn October 2017, Morrison became the first Kansas Jayhawk ever named Big 12 Conference Defender of the Year,[5] sharing the award with Amandine Pierre-Louis.[6] She majored in communications.[4]
Club career
editFC Bulleen Lions, 2018–2020
editMorrison signed with the National Premier Leagues Victoria Women (NPLVW) side of FC Bulleen Lions in 2018. The Lions won the NPLW Championship, the club's first, and was awarded the NPLVW Media Player of the Year award. She won Media Player of the Year a second time in 2019, sharing with fellow American Catherine Zimmerman of Calder United SC. In her two seasons with the club, Morrison scored 13 goals.[5]
Morön BK, 2020
editDue to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports, the NPLW cancelled its 2020 season. Morrison signed with Swedish club Morön BK of the Elitettan in 2020 before returning to Australia before the 2020–21 W-League season.[5] She scored 5 goals in 24 matches with the club, which finished the season in 3rd place.[7]
Melbourne Victory, 2020–2023
editMelbourne Victory manager Jeff Hopkins had contacted Morrison while in Sweden to offer her a role with the team.[8] Morön BK transferred Morrison to Melbourne Victory FC on November 4, 2020.[9] She scored her first professional goal on February 20, 2021 in a 2–0 win against Newcastle Jets FC.[10]
Morrison played every minute in the 2020–21 season at center-back, in which Victory recorded eight clean sheets on its way to winning the 2021 W-League grand final for the league championship. The team voted Morrison its Player's Player of the Year, and the club awarded her the Victory Medal as its Player of the Year.[11] She re-signed with the team in August 2021.[8]
The team appointed Morrison its captain for the 2021–22 season.[12] After scoring a goal in the season's first match she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in her right knee at the 38th minute. She underwent surgery and missed the remainder of the campaign.[13][14]
Morrison returned to Victory for the 2022–23 season and was again named captain.[15] Morrison scored four goals during the season, including a hat-trick against Newcastle Jets.[16] Victory registered five clean sheets in the league to finish in 4th place.[17]
Portland Thorns, 2023
editOn June 29, 2023, NWSL club Portland Thorns signed Morrison to a short-term national team replacement player contract, with the team losing six players for the duration of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[2] At the end of the tournament, Morrison was released.[18]
Melbourne Victory, 2023–
editFollowing her short stint at Portland Thorns, Morrison re-signed with Melbourne Victory in the A-League Women.[19]
Personal life
editMorrison became an Australian citizen in November 2023.[20]
Honors
editFC Bulleen Lions
- National Premier Leagues Women's Championship: 2018[5]
Melbourne Victory
- A-League Women Championship: 2020–21, 2021–22
Individual
- Big 12 Conference Defender of the Year: 2017[5][6]
References
edit- ^ a b c "K. Morrison". Soccerway. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c Clarke, Ryan (June 29, 2023). "Portland Thorns sign defender Kayla Morrison as national team replacement player". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b "Kayla Morrison". Portland Timbers. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Kayla Morrison". Kansas Jayhawks. 18 July 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Lynch, Joey (January 21, 2021). "NCAA women's soccer stars finding success in Australia's W-League". ESPN. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b "Woodard, Morrison, Pierre-Louis and Berg Lead All-Big 12 Honors" (Press release). October 30, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Kayla Morrison". Soccerstand. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b "Kayla Morrison: So, Who Are We?" (Press release). Melbourne Victory FC. August 6, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Victory signs Kayla Morrison". Melbourne Victory. November 4, 2020. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Samantha (February 21, 2021). "Teresa Polias ready to anchor Matildas' midfield, Larissa Crummer makes sensational return". ESPN. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Kayla Morrison awarded Victory Medal" (Press release). Melbourne Victory FC. April 14, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ Harrington, Anna (November 15, 2021). "Victory eye A-League Women double". 7Sport. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ Paquette, Catherine (December 8, 2021). "Updated: A-League captain to miss rest of Victory season". The Women's Game. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ Morrison, Kayla (May 4, 2022). "Joy for 38 minutes and then snap: 'My worst fear ever'". Keep Up. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "A strong balance of new and old for Victory's defence" (Press release). Melbourne Victory FC. November 15, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ Hope, Shayne (December 18, 2022). "Ayres, Morrison fire in Victory ALW win". Bunbury Mail. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "A-League Women stats". FBref. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Thorns FC release goalkeeper Lindsey Harris, defender Kayla Morrison". Portland Thorns. 17 August 2023.
- ^ "Melbourne Victory re-signs Kayla Morrison". Melbourne Victory. 21 August 2023.
- ^ Morrison, Kayla. "Citizenship ✅ The welcome bag contained a DVD box set of Kath & Kim, a matching Nike tech fleece tracksuit (bum bag included), and a 6 pack of VB. All the essentials". Instagram. Retrieved 17 December 2023.