Summer league puts Brown on course to lead BU

Casey Brown of Azzurri (center) dribbles through the defense of the Randolph-based Hawks at Medfield's Wheelock Field during an Eastern Mass. Women's Soccer League game Monday. (Wiqan Ang for the Boston Globe)

When the Medfield-based Azzurri club team voted for its Eastern Massachusetts Women's Soccer League All-Star representatives this summer, Casey Brown topped the ballot.

"She's developed into a fabulous player," said Azzurri co-head coach Dick Fischman of his central midfielder, who was a sophomore last fall at Boston University was named America East's Defender of the Year. "Every year when she returns to us she's more fit and more skilled."

In addition to playing for Azzurri, a team composed mainly of current and former college players, the former Natick High three-sport captain trains six days a week under the direction of Ali Gerrish of Jump Start Physical Therapy in Natick to prepare for her junior season at BU.

"There are always things to improve on tech nically and fitnesswise," said Brown, who as a central defender last season led the Terriers in goals (5) and was second in points (11) en route to the America East regular season co-championship, the conference tournament championship and an automatic NCAA Division 1 tournament berth. "Right now, I feel more fit and strong than ever and I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season."

BU head coach Nancy Feld man, whose team opens against visiting Boston College at Nickerson Field on Aug. 23, said Brown is one of the smartest and most prepared athletes she's ever coached.

"Couple that with her natural athletic ability, her tenacity, determination, team-first mentality, and confidence, and you have one of the best defenders in all of the Northeast region," said Feldman, a Needham native. Last fall, Brown was named the Terrier's top defender and team MVP.

"I also anticipate with continued development she will someday be recognized as one of the top players ever at Boston University," said Feldman.

Brown started playing for Azzurri after her senior year at Natick High and helped the team win the league's Division 1A title last season.

There will be a quick transition from the end of the EMWSL season to the opening of BU's preseason soccer camp, which kicks off on Aug. 10.

"It's kind of fun to be teammates with players in the summer that you go up against in college," said Brown, whose BU teammates include classmate Mikaela Hansen and incoming freshman Michelle Kielty, both defenders and graduates of Newton North High.

Fischman said he had never met Brown until she joined the team and played her first game in an amateur tournament in New York City.

"It was over 100 degrees and Casey went the entire 90 minutes on turf and played extremely well and she's played at a high level in every game since then," said Fischman, a Dover resident whose team was 8-0-2 in the league's South Division and outscored opponents 48-12.

Moved from central midfield to central defender last season by Feldman, Brown was part of one of the stingiest defenses (12th nationally in goals against, 0.6) in Division 1 and was MVP of the conference tournament.

"At central back you're part of the last line of defense," said Brown, "while at central mid you're more in the transition. I always had an attacking mindset and playing central mid this summer and getting more touches on the ball has to help my transition game."

A double-figure goal scorer in four varsity soccer seasons at Natick High, Brown was a senior captain on the 2005 team that advanced to the semifinals of the Division 1 South Sectional for the first time in program history. Natick, the 20th seed, lost 5-4 to top-seed Marshfield in the final seconds, but not before Brown scored three goals, her first career hat trick.

Mae Shamir, Natick High's goalkeeper that season, is now playing at BC as is tricaptain Brianna Wilson-Byrne, the former Wellesley High star and a former Bay State Conference opponent.

"Mae is one of my closest friends and I have great respect for her, Brianna, and BC," Brown said.

Her father, Tim, has run the Boston Marathon and was all-league in football at Natick High, and her mother, Sandy, is an accomplished swimmer.

"She's the ultimate soccer mom," said Brown, whose brother, Tim Jr., played on the varsity soccer team at Natick High and is entering his freshman year at Quinnipiac University, Another brother, Cameron, participated in three varsity sports as a freshman at the Rivers School of Weston.

Last spring, Brown and her father coached a Natick intramural soccer team that included her 8-year-old sister, Taylor, whom she described as "the real superstar in the family."

Based on the Brown family's athletic accomplishments, that's high praise, indeed.