United Athletic Conference

Complete Release (PDF)

 

Grand Canyon's Marleen Schimmer and Lamar's Meg Sheppard been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for October 25 through 31.

 

Schimmer, a senior from Mainz, Germany, was the main actress that led to Grand Canyon's 6-2 home win against Utah Valley that secured them the West Division title, Saturday. Before the last game of the regular season, she contributed to two assists on Thursday's 4-1 win over Dixie State. Schimmer then closed the regular season scoring two goals and contributing two assists on the deciding match against the Wolverines, ending the week with a total of two goals and four assists.

 

Sheppard, a junior from Nederland, Texas, played two full matches and led Lamar's defensive line that recorded two shutout victories this past week, granting them a second-place finish in the Southwest Division. She also contributed offensively by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime on Saturday's 1-0 win over Abilene Christian.

 

Other offensive nominees: Chicago State's Jayla Gage scored a game-winner in overtime on Saturday's 2-1 win over UT Rio Grande Valley … Lamar's Hollie Massey played a role in the two goals that the Cardinals scored against Chicago State by scoring her own and assisting another on Thursday's 2-0 win … NM State's Hannah Leitner recorded her fourth game-winner of the season when she scored the Aggies' second goal on Saturday's 2-1 win over Dixie State … Sam Houston's Caitlyn McDonald scored the game-winning goal that snapped their seven-game losing streak against Stephen F. Austin on Saturday's 2-1 win … UT Rio Grande Valley's Emily Zapata contributed to both goals scored against Abilene Christian by assisting the first and scoring the game-winner on Thursday's 2-1 win.

 

Other defensive nominees: Chicago State's Lauren Reiber led the Cougars' defensive line that contributed to Saturday's 2-1 win over UT Rio Grande Valley … Grand Canyon's Hannah Edwards cemented herself as an offensive defender by scoring her fourth goal of the season on Saturday's 4-1 win over Dixie State … NM State's Mia Montano had her first start in the net for the Aggies, she made two saves to contribute to NM State's ninth win of the season on Saturday's 2-1 win over Dixie State.

 

Stephen F. Austin and Grand Canyon secured the Southwest and West Division titles, respectively, and will proceed to the WAC tournament with a first-round bye.

 

The Lumberjacks managed to clinch the Southwest Division title with two matches to spare. They locked their spot at the top of the division with 24 points.

 

It took all ten matches for the Lopes to secure the West Division title. They were tied for first with Utah Valley until they met in the last match of the regular season. The Lopes snagged the title with a 6-2 win at home.

 

The regular season has ended and Grand Canyon keeps their spot as league leaders in shots (314), points (164), goals (55), assists (54), assists per game (2.84), average goals per game (2.89) and least goals against average (0.86). Utah Valley is the leader in shutouts (10) and corner kicks (102). Dixie State leads the league in saves (137). 

 

Individually, Grand Canyon's Schimmer is the league's top scorer (12). Schimmer is also the WAC leader in total shots (100), shots on goal (47), assists (14) and points (38). In the net, Lamar's Nicole Panis is the leader in saves (99). Kayla Gonzales is the leader in saves per game (7). Grand Canyon's Jordan Ferguson led the least goals against average (0.80) and save percentage (.817). 

 

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.