CHICAGO – The National Women’s Soccer League announced today the recipients of the 2021 Best XI First Team and Best XI Second Team awards, presented by Mastercard. The inaugural recognition honors the top 22 players in the league.

The Best XI First Team and Best XI Second Team are based on a weighted voting scale comprised of players (50%), owners/GMs/coaches (20%), media (20%) and fans (10%).

On the first team is former St. Johns Country Day School star Carson Pickett, daughter to Lady Spartans coach Mike Pickett, who is a defender for the North Carolina Courage team.

North Carolina finished at 9-9-6 for 2021. Pickett finished the season with 25 games started and played, nine blocks and 58 interceptions and 47 clearances.

In some very soccer soccer statistics on the NWSL website, Pickett was 77.7 percent successful on her passes, 52 percent successful on duels, 62 percent successful on tackles with an impressive 86 percent success on passes in the defensive half of the field that created 62 key passes.

Pickett was fourth ranked in the league in assists.

Pickett was a two-time Miss Florida Award recipient as best high school soccer player in Florida, own a national title at Florida State University and was drafted in 2016 by the Seattle Reign. Pickett has played in Seattle, Orlando, Japan, Australia and now, North Carolina in her storied professional career.