MORGANTOWN — It’s official, soccer is in Gracie Brown’s DNA.
The Morgantown High midfielder capped off a stellar junior season in which she led the Mohigans to the Class AAA state title in November with a 2-1 overtime victory against Parkersburg South. It was Brown’s penalty kick in overtime that sealed the victory.
“I think there were a lot of things going on, but also maybe not a lot was running through my mind,” she said of the winning goal. “It was just one of those moments that goes by so fast. When the penalty was called, I looked over at (head coach Stirlin Rivers) and we just kind of nodded at each other. I think we both knew I was going to take the shot.”
“She was always going to take that PK,” added Rivers. “She wants that pressure. She thrives on it, and she’s able to handle it, which makes her an even more special player. Gracie is the type of player who makes things very easy for a coach, because she’s not only talented, but she’s always been the hardest worker.”
As for her soccer DNA, Brown is the daughter of WVU women’s soccer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown and the younger sister to Sammie Brown, who was the 2018 West Virginia Player of the Year and the 2019-20 state Gatorade Player of the Year and is now a senior at Auburn.
“It seems like soccer has been in my life forever,” Gracie said. “It’s been a part of me ever since I could remember. Having my mom coach at WVU, anytime I wanted to go for a workout, she was always there to lead me in the right direction. It’s a sport I’ve grown up with, but also one that I’ve always loved being around.”
“I think there’s been a lot of pressure on her, just because of the expectations that goes with what her sister accomplished and her mother coaching at WVU,” Rivers said. “The thing about it is she’s always had high expectations for herself. That’s pushed her to continue to become a better player.”
Brown is now following along in the family affair, as she’s been named the state’s girls’ soccer Player of the Year by the West Virginia Sportswriters Association.
“It’s obviously really exciting,” she said. “To be able to follow in my sister’s footsteps is a big thing. We had such a close-knit team with a lot of great seniors. To be able to step up and show what I can do, that’s how the season sort of went for me.”
Brown’s game-winning goal in the state finals was her 23rd of the season and she also recorded her 17th assist of the season in the match for a team that finished 20-1-1. In the state semifinals, it was Brown’s overtime goal that gave MHS a 1-0 victory against Hedgesville to advance to the finals.
“The state tournament was her moment,” Rivers said. “We were in overtime, which can be stressful, but I knew I had Gracie Brown, who could make something out of nothing.”
Over Brown’s first three seasons with the Mohigans, she’s recorded 42 goals and 36 assists.
“My freshman year, I remember I was just a little scared freshman, but I had a lot of older teammates I played club with, so they helped me along the way,” Brown said. “My sophomore year was a little better, and then it seems like everything just came together this year. Not just for me, but for the whole team. For me, it was like all the work I had put in finally allowed me to prove what I could do.”
She will be honored at the 76th annual Victory Awards Dinner on May 7 at the Embassy Suites in Charleston, and then she’ll get ready for her senior season.
“We had a lot of seniors, but also a lot of talented freshmen who will be moving up,” Brown said. “It’s going to take a lot of work to bring everything together, but I think we can go after another state title.”
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