WAC Announces Women’s Soccer Postseason Honors
DENVER – The Western Athletic Conference announced its All-WAC women's soccer teams and major awards as selected by the league's eight head coaches. Seattle U received two of the four major awards as Sydney Carr was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and her teammate Hallie Bergford earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors. Utah Valley's Jenna Shepherd garnered WAC Defensive Player of the Year distinction while Grand Canyon Head Coach Chris Cissell was named WAC Coach of the Year.
Carr, a redshirt junior forward from Orange, Calif., paced the WAC in goals (16) and points (38) while also finishing one assist shy of the WAC lead for assists, turning in six helpers on the year. She also led the conference in goals scored and points in league play, finishing with 15 goals and 35 points in WAC matches. Carr closed the regular season leading all NCAA Division I players in total goals and points while also finishing tied for ninth in game-winning goals with four on the season. Carr's dominant offensive year led the Redhawks to a 10-2-2 record in league play and a share of the WAC regular season championship.
Shepherd, a redshirt sophomore defender from American Fork, Utah, anchored the Wolverines' back line and led UVU to a 10-2-2 conference record and a share of the WAC title for the first time in program history. Shepherd helped lead Utah Valley to a WAC-best eight shutouts in conference play and was one of only three Wolverines to start all 18 matches this season. She played a crucial part in helping Utah Valley hoist the best goals-against average in the conference, allowing just 0.80 goals per match.
Bergford, a forward from Olympia, Wash., started seven games for the Redhawks and finished the season with a trio of assists, two of which came in conference play. Bergford becomes the first player in Seattle U program history to earn WAC Freshman of the Year honors.
Cissell led Grand Canyon to a 7-4-1 record against WAC opponents and the third seed in the upcoming WAC tournament. In his debut season with the Lopes, Cissell led the Lopes to just its fourth WAC tournament appearance and the highest seed in program history. He also led GCU to its second-best winning percentage in conference play since joining the WAC in 2013.
Offensive Player of the Year: Sydney Carr, R-Jr., F, Seattle U
Defensive Player of the Year: Jenna Shepherd, So., D, Utah Valley
Freshman of the Year: Hallie Bergford, F, Seattle U
Coach of the Year: Chris Cissell, Grand Canyon
2020-21 First Team All-WAC
Rola Badawiya, Sr., F, California Baptist
Sydney Carr, R-Jr., F, Seattle U
Whitley Griffiths, Jr., F, Dixie State
Emily Zapata, Jr., F, UT Rio Grande Valley
Ava Benedetti, So., MF, Seattle U
Marleen Schimmer, Jr., MF, Grand Canyon
Amber Tripp, Sr., MF, Utah Valley
Michele Adam, So., D, Seattle U
Erin Gallagher, Jr., D, California Baptist
Jenna Shepherd, So., D, Utah Valley
Romy Salvador, Sr., GK, California Baptist
2020-21 Second Team All-WAC
Sadie Brockbank, Jr., F, Utah Valley
Jaycee Iranshad, Grand Canyon
Hannah Leitner, So., F, NM State
Emily Bunnell, Jr., MF, Seattle U
Ari Coronado, Jr., F, California Baptist
Karley Weeks, Jr., MF California Baptist
Sydney Bushman, So., D, Utah Valley
Natalie Dixon, Jr., D, Seattle U
Tess Donaldson, Jr., D, Dixie State
Emma Smith, Sr., D, NM State
Isabel Jones-Dawe, Sr., GK, Utah Valley
2020-21 All-Freshmen Team
Brenna Alderson, MF, Grand Canyon
Grace Beeston, D, Utah Valley
Hallie Bergford, F, Seattle U
Sarah Creighton, MF, Seattle U
Breanna Eves, MF, Utah Valley
Jordan Ferguson, GK, Grand Canyon
Anna Frida Groedem, F, UT Rio Grande Valley
Mari Liis Lillemae, F, UT Rio Grande Valley
London Miller, F, Utah Valley
Jayden Ramirez, MF, California Baptist
Deniah Wells, F, California Baptist
2020-21 Honorable Mention
Amy Aquino, F, California Baptist
Jill Bennett, F, Dixie State
Julianna Carter, F, Utah Valley
Corey Kizer, F, NM State
Mari Liis Lillemae, F, UT Rio Grande Valley
Leahi Manthei, F, Seattle U
Barbara Castellanos, MF, Chicago State
Kelsey Cook, MF, Dixie State
Xitlaly Hernandez, MF, NM State
Heather Stainbrook, MF, Utah Valley
Gina Steiner, MF, UT Rio Grande Valley
Sophie Stewart, MF, Dixie State
Anna Torslov, MF, UT Rio Grande Valley
Lece Aviles, D, NM State
Anna Barkey, D, UT Rio Grande Valley
McKinley Barney, D, Dixie State
Elizabeth Beilfuss, D, UT Rio Grande Valley
Hannah Edwards, D, Grand Canyon
Shi'Anne Swift, D, UT Rio Grande Valley
Makenna Gottschalk, GK, NM State
Maile Lunardi, GK, UT Rio Grande Valley