United Athletic Conference

Complete release (PDF)

 

Lamar's Christine Kitaru and Stephen F. Austin's Madeline Talbot been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for October 11 through 17.

 

Kitaru, a senior forward from Nairobi, Kenya, scored both goals on the Cardinals' 2-1 win over Sam Houston, Friday. Kitaru then stormed Stephen F. Austin's defense with five shots, three on goal, as they fall short in Sunday's 1-0 loss. She was the Cardinals' leading offensive player this past weekend as she racked up a total of 11 shots with seven in frame.

 

Talbot, a senior goalkeeper from Shreveport, La., was in the Lumberjacks' net for two full games contributing to two shutout wins over the past weekend. She recorded a total of 13 saves, four on Friday's 1-0 win over UT Rio Grande Valley and nine more came as she weathered Lamar's offense on Sunday's 1-0 win.

 

Other offensive nominees: California Baptist's Morgan Witz led the Lancers' offense with a total of eight shots, she scored their game winner on Friday's 1-0 win over NM State … Chicago State's Jayla Gage scored the Cougars' first winning goal of the season on Saturday's 1-0 over Abilene Christian … Dixie State's Emily Garbett led the Trailblazers' offensive efforts, shooting two out of five shots made by the team this past weekend …Grand Canyon's Marleen Schimmer scored one a piece this past weekend contributing to Friday's 2-1 win over Seattle U and Saturday's 1-1 draw against California Baptist …. Stephen F Austin's Carly Wyatt scored a game winner in the last 17 seconds of the game on Sunday's 1-0 win over Lamar … Utah Valley's Amber Tripp scored a goal and assisted the game winner on Saturday's 4-0 win over Dixie State.

 

Other defensive nominees: California Baptist's Romy Salvador recorded her fifth shutout of the season on Friday's 1-0 win over NM State, she made a total of 11 saves, four of which came in overtime on Saturday's 1-1 draw against Grand Canyon … Chicago State's Alexa Seiler was in the goal for the Cougars as they pick up their first win of the season and first conference play win on Saturday's 1-0 win over Abilene Christian … Dixie State's Noela Nawahine was the Trailblazers' main defensive player this past weekend as they weather the offensive storm from Utah Valley, in Saturday's 4-0 loss … Grand Canyon's Jordan Ferguson was in the net for the Lopes recording a total of nine saves in 200 minutes contributing to a win and a draw this past weekend … Lamar's Nicole Panis was in the net for a two full matches recording 10 saves, contributing to a win, while only conceding two goals this past weekend … Utah Valley's Jenna Shepherd anchored the Wolverines' defense that only allowed 5 shots made against them on Saturday's 4-0 win over Dixie State.

 

Fourth week of conference play in the books and Southwest and West division leaders, Stephen F. Austin and Grand Canyon, continues to cement their top spot by adding six and five points respectively. Scramble for a spot at the championship tournament is heating up in the West Division with only four points in between second and fourth place, with California Baptist (13) in second, Utah Valley in third (11), and NM State in fourth (9).

 

After the fourth week of WAC play, Grand Canyon keeps their spot as league leaders in shots (275), points (127), goals (44), assists (39), assists per game (2.44), average goals per game (2.75) and least goals against average (0.72). The Lopes share the top spot with Utah Valley in shutouts (7). The Wolverines are lone leaders in corner kicks (82). Dixie State leads the league in saves (111). 

 

Individually, Grand Canyon's Marleen Schimmer is the league's current top scorer (10). Schimmer is also the WAC leader in total shots (85), shots on goal (37), assists (9) and points (29). In the net, Dixie State's Kayla Gonzales is the leader in saves (84) and saves per game (7). Grand Canyon's Jordan Ferguson is in the lead with the least goals against average (0.64) and save percentage (.844). 

 

Following a short offseason and an influx of new programs, Stephen F. Austin is the preseason favorite to win the 2021 Western Athletic Conference Southwest Division while Utah Valley is the coaches' pick to win the WAC West Division in a vote of the league's 12 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players. 

 

WAC-newcomer Stephen F. Austin received three first place votes to edge out Abilene Christian and Lamar for the top spot with 22 points, compared with two first place votes and 18 points for the Wildcats and one first place vote and 18 points for the Cardinals. UT Rio Grande Valley was picked fourth, followed by Sam Houston in fifth and Chicago State in sixth.

 

In the west, defending WAC champion Utah Valley received four first place votes and 24 total points to edge out rival Seattle U for the first spot. The Redhawks received one first place vote and 21 points to take second, followed by Grand Canyon, with the final first place vote and 17 points, in third. California Baptist takes fourth, NM State is fifth and Dixie State is sixth.

 

Seattle U's Sydney Carr and UVU's Jenna Shephard were selected as the WAC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year respectively in a vote of the league's 12 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.

 

Carr represented the Redhawks on the Preseason All-WAC team whole Shephard was joined by teammates Sadie Brockback, Heather Stainbrook and Amber Tripp. California Baptist had two players honored as Erin Gallagher and Romy Salvador represented the Lancers. Also earning honors were Abilene Christian's Christina Arteaga, Dixie State's Whitley Griffiths, Grand Canyon's Marleen Schimmer and Stephen F. Austin's Jamie Jezierski. 

 

The Western Athletic Conference is a little bit bigger this season as Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin have all joined the party. Due to the increase from eight teams to 12 teams, the league will play in a divisional format this season with the top three teams from each division advancing to the WAC Tournament.

 

WAC women's soccer teams will take on some of the top teams in the nation this season with 17 non-conference games against opponents that participated in the 2020-21 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament in North Carolina. Stephen F. Austin has the most daunting schedule, facing off against four postseason opponents. GCU is second with three matches scheduled against NCAA tournament teams. Sam Houston and Seattle U have two each.

 

The 2021 WAC Women's Soccer Tournament will feature the top three teams from each division on November 3, 5, and 7 at Elmer Gray Stadium in Abilene, Texas. The two divisional winners will receive byes to the semifinal round with the second place team taking on the third place team from the other division in the first round.

 

As Tarleton continues its growth to NCAA Division I, the athletics department will be adding women's soccer with the expectation to begin play in the fall of 2022. Southern Utah will also join the WAC, with the Thunderbirds moving all their athletic grams from the Big Sky Conference to the WAC effective July 1, 2022.