Crystal Dunn‘s 2015 has been well documented. After being cut from the 2015 Women’s World Cup roster in early April, Dunn went on a tear in the NWSL, scoring a league-leading 15 goals in 20 games for the Washington Spirit. As a result of her prolific scoring record she was named NWSL MVP.
It proved to be a defining year for Dunn as she overcame her 2014 injuries and World Cup disappointment to become one of the brightest stars in the NWSL.
She capped off the year by scoring her first international goal for the U.S. in the team’s 5-0 victory over Haiti on the victory tour. She added two assists in that game as well.
Looking to 2016, Dunn hopes to make the Olympic roster as the U.S. aims to win its fourth consecutive gold medal.
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In a U.S. Soccer video, Dunn opens up about the emotions of 2015 and how her perspective of the game changed.
“When I came back into the victory tour I had a completely different mindset,” Dunn explains. “I think I’ve always been that stressed player, that I always want to have a perfect game and in the end I think that’s what set me back a bit. I think this time around I was so stress-free, I was relaxed.”
Dunn’s strong on-field performances and relaxed outlook have set herself up nicely to appear in her first major international tournament with the senior team as they prepare for Olympic qualifying in February and a trip to Rio in August.
