VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Soccer Star Alex Morgan On Her Training Tips

Alex Morgan, 23, put together a stunning 2012 Olympics, with three goals and four assists en route to leading Team USA to its third straight Olympic gold medal. Morgan continued to make big plays, none more memorable than her game-winning goal in Team USA’s overtime semifinal match against Canada. Morgan is currently on a tear, having scored 20 goals in her last 21 games for Team USA and leading the team with 49 total points, thanks to her 12 assists. Here’s to hoping London isn’t the end of a magnificent run, but the start of a historic one.

Born and raised in Diamond Bar, Calif., Morgan displayed a knack for athletic competition. Morgan lettered in both track and volleyball at Diamond Bar High School; however, she had to stop playing those sports in order to focus on soccer. Morgan went on to attend the University of California, where she was named an All Pac-10 player in each of her four years, and a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) First Team All-American as a senior. She finished her career third all-time in goals scored (45) and total points (107), a particularly incredible feat considering she missed a number of games her senior season to play for Team USA. Not afraid to flex her intellectual muscle, Morgan was also named All Pac-10 Academic Honorable Mention three times and even graduated early with a degree in Political Economy. Morgan joined Team USA as a reserve in 2010 but earned a starting spot in time for the 2012 Olympics. In her short time on the team, Morgan has already snagged a catchy nickname, “Baby Horse,” a comment on her youth and running style that resembles a gallop. Admired not only for her drive and athleticism, Morgan has also garnered praise for her stunning looks, which were on display after she posed for Sports Illustrated’s February swimsuit issue, in which she wore nothing but body paint.

Morgan’s past successes represent a series of calculated moves to ensure she achieved her ultimate dream of playing for Team USA. “I’ve dreamt of this ever since I was a really young girl,” Morgan told uInterview exclusively. “I’ve looked up to the 1999 World Cup team and the national team since then, so it’s definitely been a dream of mine to get to where I am today …. But I really did work hard to get to where I am today, I really put in all of the effort and focused in school and made sure my priorities were right to be ready for the World Cup and then on from there. I’ve been taking small steps each year and I’m really happy with where I am leading into the Olympics.”