Carolina Ascent honored with USL Super League awards 

STEVE GOLDBERG | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Mia Corbin was one of four Carolina Ascent standouts to earn All-League status in USL Super League. Corbin, Jill Aguilera and Sydney Studer were named to the first team and goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak Murphy earned a spot on the second team.

The biggest recognition got away, but the Carolina Ascent were honored by USL Super League technical staffs. 

After claiming the Players’ Shield as the best regular season team, the Ascent lost in the semifinals to Fort Lauderdale June 8. On Wednesday, the league announced Carolina’s Philip Poole was voted coach of the year, and Jill Aguilera defender of the year.

Four Ascent players earned All-League spots on the first and second teams. Aguilera, Mia Corbin, and Sydney Studer were named to the first team, with goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak Murphy making the second. 
Goalkeeper Meagan McClelland, who started the first 17 games of the season, was named the Golden Glove winner with the lowest goals-against average.

Poole provided guidance

“There’s a lot of good coaches within our league,” Poole said. “I think you’re only as good as your players, your support staff, your organization. Coach of the Year is nice, but you don’t get that without a great team of people.” 

In a league where everything is a first, Poole was announced as head coach and general manager of the Ascent in January 2024 and immediately began putting together his staff and searching for players that could grow throughout the season. The Ascent went undefeated for the first 11 games of their history and finished with the best record (13-6-9) in the Super League. In addition, several of his players were recognized for postseason honors. 

Carolina tied the record for most consecutive wins with six and set a league record for most consecutive clean sheets with five. Carolina’s 45 goals and 24 conceded were both league bests. 

For broadcaster Marion Crowder, co-host of the USL Super League Game Week podcast, “It was Philip Poole's ability to maximize every player, and that's what I think we have seen shine through in the spring season. The only way for a coach to do that, and to really do it right, is to have every player understand their role within an organization, their role within the team, and their role within the game model.”

Poole earned the award with 56% of the vote, while Spokane Zephyr FC’s Jo Johnson finished second with 18%. Tampa Bay’s Denise Schilte-Brown and Dallas Trinity’s Pauline MacDonald tied for third on 13%. 

Aguilera ascends

In the modern game, where most players regardless of position, must play offense and defense, Aguilera was recognized for the completeness of her skills. Previously named Super League’s Golden Playmaker of the Year by leading the league in assists with seven, she was voted defender of the year, too. 

One of the first pieces in Poole’s puzzle, Aguilera joined the Ascent after two seasons in the NWSL. She started 27 of 28 regular season matches and was integral to Super League’s strongest defense that conceded a league-fewest 24 goals. She scored twice and ranked second in the league with 45 chances created along with 52 crosses and 22 total shots. 

Over 2,389 minutes played, Aguilera recorded 101 clearances while winning 99 duels at a 62% success rate, and 28 tackles at a 61% success rate. She made 29 interceptions and 101 recoveries. 

Aguilera received the most votes among defenders, followed by Carolina teammate Sydney Studer and DC Power FC’s Susanna Fitch. 

But wait, there’s more…

While the league’s Player of the Year award will be announced on Friday, Corbin has already been honored with the Players’ Choice POTY title last week by the USL Players Association in a vote of its Super League membership. Teammate Audrey Harding was named the Players’ Choice Comeback Athlete of the Year. 

Corbin finished second in the Golden Boot race with 12 goals, one behind Allie Thornton of Dallas. 

“I think Mia's overall contribution defensively in different parts of the field (makes her) a much more worthy candidate for the Player of the Year,” Poole said. “Thornton, to her credit, ended up being the Golden Boot winner, but she's an out-and-out nine that sits up front, and she takes her chances, and Dallas gives her a lot of service. Mia’s deeper, she creates, she defends, she's had a great season.”

A month back, Crowder said after watching the Ascent: “I literally thought to myself, are we watching Mia Corbin turn into the best player in the Super League, like the most complete player? And I thought about it, and I watched her for a few more chances, and it’s yes for me. Mia Corbin is the most complete player in the USL Super League right now.

“Carolina's got the stats. She’s got the stats as an individual, and that absolutely plays a part in an MVP type of discussion. When I look at how complete she is as an attacker, she’s got the physical attributes, she's got the vision, she's got the technical ability and the creativity, no doubt about that. But it's her game understanding, and for me specifically, she is the hardest person for any team to replace on the field. Mia Corbin is that player, that if you take her off the pitch, I think in any given situation, I’m not sure you have some of the same outcomes.”

If the voters across the league feel the same, we’ll know Friday.

Sealy Strawn of Dallas was named Players’ Choice Young Player of the Year. Brooklyn’s Sam Rosette was honored as the Players’ Choice Humanitarian of the Year.
USLPA also named a Best 11 team that included three Ascent players: Corbin, along with defenders Aguilera and Addison Merrick. 

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