Jordan Morris announces return to Stanford for junior season

Jan. 2, 2015, 4:58 p.m.

Stanford sophomore and U.S. Men’s National Team member Jordan Morris will be returning to the Farm for a third year.

Sophomore All-American Jordan Morris (above) will return to Stanford for a third season instead of heading to the MLS, he announced on Friday. (JIM SHORIN/stanfordphoto.com)
Sophomore All-American Jordan Morris (above) will return to Stanford for a third season instead of heading to the MLS, he announced on Friday. (JIM SHORIN/stanfordphoto.com)

Many expected that the All-America forward would opt to play professionally for his hometown Seattle Sounders, but Morris instead chose school over the MLS in a press release on Friday.

“Here I am provided the unique opportunity to both play the game I love and learn at one of the world’s great universities,” Morris said in the statement. “Playing professionally is a dream of mine and I feel that Stanford will prepare me extremely well to realize that goal, but also for life after soccer. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to represent this university both on and off the field and look forward to working with my teammates to make our 2015 season a success.”

Morris’ 14 points (4 goals, 6 assists) were second on a 2014 Stanford team that won its first Pac-12 title in 13 years. The Cardinal later made a heartbreaking overtime exit in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

“We are very excited that Jordan is committed to his future here at Stanford. He is an outstanding person and an exceptional soccer player,” head coach Jeremy Gunn said in a statement. “We are left with no doubt that when the time is right Jordan will move on to become a very successful professional athlete.”

Morris made his USMNT debut in November, coming on as a substitute in a 4-1 American loss to Ireland, to become the first active collegiate player to play in a game for the squad since 1995. He was named an NSCAA First Team All-American on Dec. 12.

Contact Joseph Beyda at jbeyda ‘at’ stanford.edu.

Joseph Beyda is the editor in chief of The Stanford Daily. Previously he has worked as the executive editor, webmaster, football editor, a sports desk editor, the paper's summer managing editor and a beat reporter for football, baseball and women's soccer. He co-authored The Daily's recent football book, "Rags to Roses," and covered the soccer team's national title run for the New York Times. Joseph is a senior from Cupertino, Calif. majoring in Electrical Engineering. To contact him, please email jbeyda "at" stanford.edu.

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