Mallory Pugh dominated the Colorado prep scene before establishing herself as a starter on the U.S. women’s national team. Now she’s set to take on another challenge, announcing Monday she was leaving UCLA and turning pro.
“This decision was certainly not easy for me to make,” Pugh said in a news release from the school. “UCLA is such a special place, and being a Bruin was an incredible thing. UCLA soccer brought amazing things to my life, and chasing after a national championship with my friends and teammates would’ve been special, but I could not turn down this opportunity.”
The 18-year-old Mountain Vista High graduate didn’t play in a game for the Bruins and was set to enter her freshman season in the fall.
Pugh joined the national team in January 2016 at the age of 17. Since then, she’s tallied five goals and three assists in 22 caps. She was a part of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team that advanced to the quarterfinals in Rio.
“We are sad to see Mal depart UCLA, but it’s exciting for her to have such a unique opportunity,” UCLA head coach Amanda Cromwell said in a news release from the school. “Our relationship with Mal started a long time ago in the recruiting process. We’ve seen her develop and grow into an amazing young woman and player. Mal will always be a Bruin, and we have no doubt that she is destined for great things as her career progresses.”
