United Athletic Conference

Grand Canyon's Gianna Gourley and Utah Valley's Sydney Bushman been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for September 20 through 26.

Gourley, a junior forward from Las Vegas, Nevada, scored the first WAC hat trick of the season on the Lopes' 5-1 win over Dixie State, Saturday. She scored the back-to-back goals within four minutes solidifying GCU's first WAC game win.

 

Bushman, a sophomore defender from American Fork, Utah, anchored the Wolverines' defense to two shutouts this past week, she was the key player that contributed to UVU's 62 percent possession game on their 2-0 win over NM State, Saturday. She helped limit the number of shots on goal to only seven made against UVU in the past week.

 

Other offensive nominees: Abilene Christian's Emily Heidman scored the game winner in overtime on the Wildcats' 3-2 win over UTRGV, Sunday … California Baptist's Madison Sonerholm scored the Lancers' game-winner on their 1-0 win over Seattle U, Saturday … Lamar's Christine Kitaru contributed to all the goals scored by the Cardinals this past week with two goals and an assist on their 3-1 win over Chicago State, Sunday … NM State's Bella Garcia scored at the 77th in what turned to be the game-winner on Thursday's 2-1 win over Dixie State … Stephen F Austin's Teia Haynes scored a game-winner as a substitute on their 2-0 win over Sam Houston, Friday … UT Rio Grande Valley's Shentatious Knox scored the Vaqueros' game winner on their WAC opener 1-0 over Chicago State, Friday …. Utah Valley's Sadie Brockbank recorded a total of 10 shots with four on target and contributed to both goals for the Wolverines with a goal and an assist on their 2-0 win over NM State, Saturday.

 

Other defensive nominees: Abilene Christian's Lily Foster recorded a total of 14 saves and a shutout, contributing to the Wildcats' Sunday 3-2 win over UTRGV in a highly offensive game where both teams made more than 20 shots with nine and 10 on goal respectively … California Baptist's Romy Salvador recorded her third shutout of the season and 16th in her career as a Lancer on their win 1-0 over Seattle U, Saturday … Chicago State's Lauren Reiber played a major role in the Cougars' defensive line on their narrow losses this past week … Grand Canyon's Tyler Ferguson showed versatility as she fulfilled her duty anchoring the Lopes' defense that only conceded one goal while contributing offensively with an assist on Saturday's 5-1 win over Dixie State … Lamar's Nicole Panis was on the net for the Cardinals in a week where they only conceded one goal … NM State's Makenna Gottschalk recorded 15 saves, nine of which contributed to the Aggies' 2-1 win over Dixie State, Thursday … Stephen F Austin's Jamie Jezierski played all 90 minutes contributing both defensively and offensively with an assist on the Lumberjacks' 2-0 shutout win over Sam Houston, Friday … UT Rio Grande Valley's Maile Lunardi recorded her third shutout of the season on their 1-0 win over Chicago State, Friday.

 

Starting off the first week of conference schedule we have two teams tied in first spot in both divisions. Grand Canyon and Utah Valley are sharing the top spot in the west division while Lamar and Abilene Christian are in the Southwest Division. 

 

Coming off the first week of WAC matches, Grand Canyon keeps their spot as league leaders in shots (196), points (80), goals (28), assists (24) and assists per game (2.18), average goals per game (2.55) and least goals against average (0.79). Utah Valley is the leader in shutouts (4) and corner kicks (70). Dixie State leads the league in saves (78). 

 

Individually, Lamar's Isela Ramirez Grand Canyon's Lindsey Prokop and Gianna Gourley, and Utah Valley's Heather Stainbrook and Sadie Brockbank are all tied first in goals (5). Grand Canyon's Marleen Schimmer keeps the top spot for total shots (60) and shots per game (5.46). Schimmer is also leading the league in assists (4). In the net, Dixie State's Kayla Gonzales is the leader in saves (72). Grand Canyon's Jordan Ferguson is in the lead with the least goals against average (0.75) while Seattle U's Jessica Berlin is at the top in save percentage (.820). 

 

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.