Given her versatility, it should not surprise anyone that Crystal Dunn is going to her second consecutive Olympics.

A standout as a midfielder and forward in the National Women’s Soccer League, Dunn not only has locked down the left fullback position with the U.S. women’s national team, but she is also considered in many quarters to be one of the best defenders in the world.

Not too shabby for someone who hadn’t played the position until several years ago.

Dunn, who turns 29 on July 3, was named to the U.S. 18-player roster for the Tokyo Olympics by head coach Vlatko Andonovski on Good Morning America on ABC Wednesday morning.

The USA will kick off its part Summer Games participation against Sweden July 21.

A member of the 2019 Women’s World Cup championship side, Dunn will make her second appearance in the Summer Games. She scored a goal for the USA during the 2016 Rio Olympics. That team failed to live up to its expectations as it did not reach the medal round for the first time in six attempts since women’s soccer was added to the Olympics in 1996.

Dunn, a midfielder for Portland Thorns FC, starred for the Albertson Fury before she attended the University of North Carolina. She went on to win Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy honors as the best women’s collegiate soccer player in the nation.

She was drafted by the Washington Spirit in 2014, capturing the goal-scoring title (15 goals) and MVP honors in 2015. Dunn eventually was traded to the North Carolina Courage, where she won consecutive NWSL Shields and NWSL championships in 2018 and 2019. She was dealt to Portland prior to this season.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.