Women's Soccer Takes Home Awards From AAC
WALESKA, Ga.- The women's soccer end-of-the-year awards were announced by the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). Tennessee Wesleyan saw the team take home multiple awards.
Krista Eik Hardardottir earned the Golden Boot Award, given to the leading goal-scorer in conference play. Hardardottir scored 17 goals over the team's 12 conference games. Natascha Frei was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year after helping the defense post 12 shutouts during the season.
Joining Hardardottir and Frei on the All-AAC First Team was Laia Roch Font. Lauryn Smith and Cristina Escrig earned spots on the All-AAC Second Team.
Earning a spot on the All-AAC First Team as a forward, Hardardottir had a conference-leading 25 goals and had three assists for a conference-best 53 points. Hardardottir also led the conference in shots with 113.
Along with her prowess on defense nabbing one of the defender spots on the First Team, Frei scored three goals and assisted on two goals.
Roch Font earned one of goalkeeper spots after finishing as the conference-leader in save percentage, saving 80.4% of shots she faced. Roch Font also led the conference in goals allowed (10) and was second in goals-against average with a 0.59 goals allowed per game. Roch Font had eight shutouts in the net.
Smith, a member of the All-AAC Second Team as a defender, scored two goals had four assists while being a part of the stout defense with Frei. The defense consisting of the two All-AAC members pitched 12 shutouts, had the second-best goals-against average (.53) and only gave up 10 goals.
Escrig was named to the All-AAC Second Team in a midfielder position. Escrig led the team with nine assists, tied for second in the conference, and scored eight goals for the offense.
After leading the team to a 12-1 AAC record and a second-place finish in the regular season standings, head coach Bryan Walker was named the AAC Coach of the Year. This is the first AAC Coach of the Year award for Walker.
Austen Meyers was named the team's representative to the AAC Champions of Character Team. To be named to the Champions of Character Team, a player must exhibit the NAIA's Five Core Values of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership.
Karanna Bailey, Alyssa Battiston, Lucia Bonfante, Alyssa Bridges, Aliyah Collins, Annabel Cuthbert, Malene Duus, Cristina Escrig, Sara Gluch, Krista Eik Hardardottir, Madisen Hodges, Tessa Lewis, Alexandra Machado, Kaelyn Pluta, Alayna Richardson, Allison Seiber, Emma Shell, Jordan Smith, Lauryn Smith, Kaitlynn Stanford, Marte Stokseth, Julia Ruiz Vargas, and Jamie York earned a spot on the AAC All-Academic Team. To be selected to the All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must be in sophomore in academic standing and maintain a 3.25 grade-point average