Tag Archive for: Washington Spirit

Meggie Dougherty Howard Heats Up the Grill with espnW

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What athletes eat: Soccer star Meggie Dougherty Howard’s grilled balsamic chicken and veggie kabobs

By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie

Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard is in just her second year of professional play, representing the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. But the University of Florida All-American is no stranger to high-level soccer. Dougherty Howard has represented the U.S. in national competition on both Under-15 and Under-23 teams.

Chicken and veggies are Dougherty Howard’s go-to pregame meal, so she shared with espnW one of her recent favorite Pinterest finds — perfect to send off summer and embrace the remaining weeks of grilling weather.

Day and time: Saturday night in the summer

Place: Avalon, on the Jersey Shore

What I’m eating: Grilled balsamic chicken and veggie kabobs

Why I’m eating it: I love to grill, especially in the summer when the weather is nice outside, because it’s a great way to make a quick meal that’s full of flavor. I try to incorporate a lot of colors in my cooking, so I love that this recipe uses a variety of vegetables and is packed with nutrients. On lighter training day, I’ll pair the kabobs with a side salad. When I’ve had a heavier day and my body needs more calories, I’ll serve the chicken and veggies over brown rice.

Whose recipe: I do a lot of browsing on Pinterest for new food to cook, and that’s where I found this recipe.

The recipe:

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, cubed
2 peppers, cubed (I used red and orange)
1 onion, cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced

For the marinade:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dry basil

Combine the ingredients for the balsamic glaze and add half of the glaze to the cubed chicken in a bowl. Let it marinate while chopping the vegetables.

Chop the veggies, then assemble the kabobs, alternating between veggies and chicken.

Grill the kabobs on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes each side. Brush on the remaining balsamic glaze for the last 2 minutes of grilling. Serve with cooked rice or salad.

View the story on espnW.

MEGGIE DOUGHERTY HOWARD JOINS IPZ

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NWSL Washington Spirit Midfielder and U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team Pool Player Selects IPZ for Representation

WARREN, NJ, December 27, 2017 – Meggie Dougherty Howard, a U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Soccer Team contributor and a midfielder for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, has signed with IPZ, the company announced today.

The five-foot-four central midfielder was selected as the 29th overall pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft by the Washington Spirit. The 22-year-old made her professional debut on April 22, 2017, against the Orlando Pride. In Dougherty Howard’s rookie season with the Spirit, she started 21 of 23 contests she appeared in, notched one goal and one assist, and ranked among the top rookies in minutes played. She is set to continue her professional career with the Spirit for the 2018 season.

The native of Largo, FL has also been involved with the U.S. National Team since 2011 when she attended the U.S. Under-15 Girl’s National Team camp at the U.S. Soccer Federation National Training Center. In 2016, she was called up by the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team and remains in the U-23 player pool.

Dougherty Howard played collegiately at the University of Florida beginning in the fall of 2013. She was a major contributor for the Gators during the entirety of her tenure, appearing in all 94 games and starting 89. Dougherty Howard racked up 7,331 minutes, 14 goals (five game-winners), 25 assists, and 53 total points.

In all four seasons, she was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Additionally, she was named to the NSCAA Scholar All-America First Team (2016), All-America Third Team (2016), All-South Region First Team (2016) and Second Team (2015), All-SEC First Team (2016) and Second Team (2015), SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player (2016), and was an All-SEC Tournament selection (2015). In her senior year, Dougherty Howard was a nominee for the 2016 Senior Class Award and was on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

While still in college, the Gator played for the Washington Spirit Reserves in the W-League (2015) and the Women’s Premier Soccer League (2016).

“I am very excited to be joining the IPZ family,” said Dougherty Howard. “I feel that Jeff and the rest of the IPZ team understand my desire to promote women’s soccer and will provide me with a platform to grow on and off the field. I was drawn to the extensive network that IPZ has established as well as the connections and opportunities that I will be able to develop through IPZ.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Meggie join the IPZ family,” said Jeff Curtin, IPZ’s managing director. “Meggie is a top young player in the NWSL and is getting better and better with each game. Her technical ability, vision, and understanding of the game gives her the unique ability to dictate the rhythm and flow of a game. Meggie has been a pleasure to work with since our initial contact and we are excited about her future.”

About IPZ: IPZ represents clients in sports, media, and entertainment, providing management, contract negotiations, consulting, public relations and marketing communications support. The company, an alliance with Zito Partners, is built on the integrity of its professionals, maintains a family focus, and provides whole life solutions for its clients. For more information, visit www.ipzusa.com.

About Zito Partners: Zito Partners builds, energizes and defends brands. A boutique firm representing a select group of clients from a range of industries, Zito Partners believes in a “ready, aim, fire” approach – understand the client…develop the appropriate strategy against the key target constituencies…and execute against the plan. And through its strategic alliance with Ketchum, Ketchum Zito Financial, Zito Partners is assisting additional clients with their financial communications needs. For more information, visit www.zitopartners.com.