Chicago -- Michele Murphy of Alta High School has been named Gatorade's 2011-12 Utah girls soccer player of the year.
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Murphy is the third Alta player to receive the award, which recognizes athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character. She is now a finalist for national player of the year honors, which will be announced in May.
Murphy led the Hawks to a 19-1 record and the Class 5-A state championship this season. She scored 37 goals and finished with 22 assists, including seven goals and four assists in four postseason games.
The 2011 Salt Lake Tribune Class 5-A player of the year, Murphy scored the lone goal in Alta's 1-0 win over Viewmont in the state final. She completed her high-school career with 49 goals and 39 assists.
Murphy has also maintained a 3.84 grade-point average in the classroom.
Off the field, she has volunteered at Primary Children's Medical Center, on behalf of a fundraising campaign to benefit diabetes research.
"Michele Murphy was a dominating force that my team had no answer for," said West coach Brady Smith. "She had the ability level to take over a game at any time. She is truly a superior athlete."
Murphy will attend BYU, starting next fall.
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