Morgan Andrews will be available to play while she finishes degree

A few days before Amanda Da Costa played her last game as a professional soccer player, the New Hampshire Union Leader released a feature covering Morgan Andrews that said, “Saturday’s contest will mark one of Andrews’ final appearances for Boston this season.”

Some fans took this to imply that Andrews’ season with Boston would end early, followed by a quote that further sounded as though she would be finished with soccer after this season. Perhaps it only sounds that way to those who are already paranoid, but sports fans can be a suspicious lot, and perhaps Boston fans were especially tender having just lost midfielder Emilie Haavi and now Amanda Da Costa due to off-field reasons.

Andrews cleared things up in an interview after the Breakers played the Orlando Pride. As mentioned in the Union Leader article, she will be returning to the University of Southern California to finish her degree. Andrews also joined the team late while she finished up coursework at USC. “When I transferred from the University of Notre Dame to the University of Southern California, all of my credits turned into electives, therefore I was a little bit behind,” said Andrews, who unfortunately does not have the option of completing these courses online. “I have three classes left to finish my degree and honestly, I just can’t afford to forfeit my scholarship. Right now it’s free. And I’m so thankful to the [Breakers] that they’re allowing me to go and finish it. I don’t think it’s stressed enough how important an education is and for me personally…I’m gonna go get it. [My degree is] in broadcast and digital journalism. Not to brag – I mean, okay, to brag a little bit, [USC is] one of the better journalism schools and I want to get my degree.”

Andrews clearly knows the value of an education, and in particular for women’s soccer players, most of whom will never make the kind of big money that can set them up for their post-game lives. What this means logistically is going to be a tough balancing act for Andrews, though she sounded up to the challenge.

“I leave Monday and I am taking a redeye flight back Thursday night,” she said. “Practice on Friday morning, then we’re busing to New Jersey and then I’ll play the game and fly out again to LA from there. I’m available for whatever game the team needs me to be at. Obviously I want to give everything I have to this club. So it’s up to them after that.”

Andrews ended the interview with a final reassurance: “I absolutely love our fans and I love Boston and I don’t want to leave any time soon.”

So sleep easy about at least this one thing, Boston fans, and kudos to Morgan Andrews for being willing to rearrange her life so drastically in order to pursue her education.