Megan Buckingham

Position:
Midfielder
Height:
5-5
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Novi, Mich.
High School:
Northville

MEGAN BUCKINGHAM
Dorrance on Megan: Megan Buckingham is just a fantastic athlete. She has a very good athletic platform. She has a very good technical platform. She can be a game breaker. She has moments where she is one of the best players on the field. Her challenge was consistency. In 2016, as she became more consistent she was more and more of an impact player. She will certainly start for us either on the flank in a flat back 1-3-4-3 or in the middle of the 3 in a 1-4-2-3-1. But she is a shoo-in to start with a great potential to impact.
Junior Year (2016): Had a magnificent junior season, regularly playing full time in virtually every game • second-team All-ACC selection • Carolina’s starter at left midfield • second-team NSCAA All-Southeast Region selection • returned to starting lineup on full-time basis in 2016 • started two matches in the Duke Nike Classic at an outside back position • earned starting nods in all 25 games and played 2,123 minutes • ranked fifth on the team in minutes played behind Lindsey Harris, Hanna Gardner, Julia Ashley and Maggie Bill • the team’s third-leading scorer with 14 points • tied for fourth on team in goals scored with four • had six assists, the second highest total on the squad • took 41 shots last year • scored the game-winning goal in the 69th minute of play in 2-1 victory at UCLA • scored the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute of Carolina’s 1-1 tie at #7 Virginia on October 2 • recorded two assists in 3-1 win over Miami on game-tying goal by Bridgette Andrzejewski and insurance tally by Dorian Bailey • scored goals in back-to-back ACC games at Pitt and Syracuse • recorded the assist on game-winning goal by Madison Schultz versus Florida State • recorded assist on Madison Schultz’s game-winning goal versus Liberty • assisted on both goals in 2-0 NCAA victory over Kansas • Veteran Leader in Carolina Leadership Academy • named to 2016 All-ACC Academic in women’s soccer • named to 2016-17 ACC Academic Honor Roll.
Sophomore Year (2015): Tapped for 2015-16 ACC Academic Honor Roll • Dean’s List honoree in spring semester 2016 • missed first four games of 2015 season while recovering from a broken collarbone she sustained while training with U.S. U20 National Team in July 2015 • returned to action vs. Cal, scoring game-tying goal in the 88th minute • returned to starting lineup against Miami at left midfield position where she had started as a freshman • with injuries to other Tar Heels she moved into attacking center midfield position for NCAA Tournament • debuted at that spot with a tremendous performance against Liberty • scored her second goal of the season in the 63rd minute and then assisted on Alexa Newfield’s insurance goal in the 84th minute • played in all 17 matches since returning from her injury, starting three times.
Freshman Year (2014): 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year • named third-team All-ACC and to ACC All-Freshman Team • Soccer America first-team All-Freshman • moved into the starting lineup two games into her freshman season, splitting time between forward and midfield • started the last 18 games of the season after coming off the bench in the season-opening Carolina Nike Classic • with a season-ending injury to Brooke Elby at NC State she moved to the left midfield spot after playing forward in the first nine games • tied for second on the team in goals scored with four • opened the scoring in a 3-2 win over #5 Virginia Tech, tallying in the fourth minute • tallied the game-winning goal in UNC’s 2-1 win at #16 Clemson • headed in the game-winner with 13:02 left in the match • scored the first goal of the UNC season in the 73rd minute against Ohio State • finished off a brilliant passing combination with a nifty finish from 15 yards out for the winner against the Buckeyes • also added an insurance goal in win over Miami • a 2014 preseason Top Drawer Soccer Freshman Best XI selection • earned 2014-15 ACC Academic Honor Roll accolades • merited spring semester 2015 Dean's List kudos.
High School: Graduated from Northville High School in June 2014 • led her high school team her senior year to a magnificent season • the squad went undefeated at 23-0, won the state championship, was ranked #1 in Michigan and was named amongst the FAB50 sides nationally • she won multiple awards individually as a senior, being named an all-academic athlete as well as All-Association, All-District, All-Region and All-State in addition to the “Dream Team” • selected as the Gatorade Player of the Year for Michigan as a senior as well as Miss Soccer in Michigan • played multiple sports in high school • played JV basketball for two years and then played point guard on the varsity as a junior • on the soccer field, she played midfield and forward her freshman, sophomore and senior years • in 2012, as a sophomore soccer player, she was named KLAA All-Conference, All-District, All-Region and All-State and a KLAA Scholar-Athlete • was voted the outstanding midfielder on her high school team that year by her teammates • tapped for 2013 NSCAA All-America Team • as a freshman in high school she scored four goals and had three assists in 12 games • had 15 goals and eight assists in 23 games as a sophomore.
Club: Played midfield and forward for the Michigan Hawks ECNL U15-U18 • played for Michigan Rush U9-U15 as a midfielder and forward • played up a year while on the Rush • competed for her club team in ECNL Tournament in Washington in June 2014 • named to U14-U16 ODP Region II Team • U14-U18 Women’s National Team training camp invitee • was chosen in 2012 for The Chance ECNL/id2team that played in England • earned a spot on U15 WNT that played in Costa Rica • played on club state champs at U15 level.
Personal: Megan Elizabeth Buckingham is the daughter of Tom Buckingham and Joanne Klesendorf • was born in Dearborn, Mich. in March 1996 • her older sister Jennifer played softball at Hope College • parents lived in England for four years • Megan is artistic and loves to draw and make ceramics • majors in media & journalism (advertising sequence).