USA FOOTBALL U.S. JUNIOR NATIONAL TEAM ALUMNI AVA WALLACE NAMED MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB GIRLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Two-time gold medal-winning U.S. Junior National Team quarterback wins first-ever Maxwell Football Club Girls National Flag Football Player of the Year Award
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Rouse High School’s (Leander, Texas) Ava Wallace is the inaugural winner of the Maxwell Football Club’s Girls National Flag Football Player of the Year Award. Wallace, who won two gold medals during her time with USA Football’s 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team, was nominated by the Houston Texans.
Each NFL club nominated a local athlete for the award, which will be presented on Friday, March 14 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Ga. as part of the 88th Maxwell Awards. The Maxwell Football Club delivers several iconic football awards annually, including the Bert Bell Award, Chuck Bednarik Award and Maxwell Award, which acknowledge football players at the college and NFL levels.
USA Football, the governing body of American Football in the United States, selects, trains and leads the U.S. National Teams at the junior and adult levels for international competitions, including when flag football makes its Olympic debut on home soil in Los Angeles in 2028.
During the 2024 club season, Wallace led the Texas Fury to a 49-13 record while passing for 6,056 yards and 101 touchdowns. She claimed more than a dozen individual awards during the campaign, adding to her decorated career as an elite national and international competitor. Wallace has passed for more than 30,000 yards in her time with the Texas Fury and is responsible for 522 touchdowns.
Wallace competed with USA Football’s 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team at the 2022 and 2023 Junior International Cup held in Ann Arbor, Mich. and Charlotte, N.C. respectively. She led the U.S. to gold medal finishes in both events, defeating top programs from around the world.
In 2023, USA Football held the Junior International Cup alongside the IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship. In front of an international crowd and members of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams, Wallace turned in a star performance and led the U.S. to a 39-13 victory against Japan in the gold medal game. She was named MVP of the 17U Girls’ Division during the medal ceremony.
The 15U and 17U U.S. National Teams are part of USA Football’s pathway to the U.S. National Teams. The U.S. Junior National Teams compete under international 5-on-5 rules against the best teams from around the world annually at USA Football’s Junior International Cup.
Below is a list of all U.S. National Team and Select Bowl alumni who were nominated for the Maxwell Football Club’s Girls National Flag Football Player of the Year award:
Nominated U.S. National Team Alumni
Maia Helmar; Newport Harbor; Newport Beach, Calif.; Los Angeles Chargers
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2024 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
Alexandria Lofton; Columbus High School; Columbus, Ga.; Atlanta Falcons
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2024 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
Samaya Taylor-Jenkins; Hamilton High School; Chandler, Ariz.; Arizona Cardinals
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2024 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
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2024 Junior International Cup 17U Girls’ Division MVP
Ava Wallace; Rouse High School; Leander, Texas; Houston Texans
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2022 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
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2023 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
Kiona “Ki'Lolo" Westerlund; Liberty High School; Henderson, Nev.; Las Vegas Raiders
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2022 15U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
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2023 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
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2024 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team
Nominated Select Bowl Alumni
Anna Anderson; Park Hill High School; Kansas City, Mo.; Kansas City Chiefs
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2024 17U U.S. Girls’ Flag National Team Alternate
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2024 20U Women’s Select Bowl Participant
Eleana Lee; Chief South International High; Seattle, Wash.; Seattle Seahawks
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2024 20U Women’s Select Bowl Participant
Lilly Rumrill; Mooresville High School; Mooresville, N.C.; Carolina Panthers
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2024 20U Women’s Select Bowl Participant
Nominated USA Football Heart of a Giant Alumni
Vanessa Tepper; Minisink Valley; Slate Hill, N.Y.; New York Giants
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2024 USA Football Heart of a Giant award winner
About USA Football: USA Football is the governing body of American Football in the United States. As a Recognized Sports Organization of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football, USA Football selects, trains and leads the U.S. National Teams in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways.