Big 12 Honors WSoc Trio
November 03, 2014 03:41 PM | General
 |
| Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown is the first coach in Big 12 Conference history to win three straight coach of the year honors. |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The No. 8-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team was recognized by its league peers today, as nine Mountaineers earned All-Big 12 honors, while coach Nikki Izzo-Brown and sophomore Kadeisha Buchanan repeated as the Big 12 Coach and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Additionally, freshman Michaela Abam was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
The Mountaineers’ (14-2-2, 7-0-1) nine all-conference honors were tops in the league and a program record. WVU scored a conference-best eight awards in 2013 and seven in 2012.
“To have this many representations in one of the country’s best leagues is a huge compliment to all the hard work and focus these young women have put forth all season,” said Izzo-Brown.
All honors were selected by the conference coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
Today’s award is the third straight Big 12 honor for Izzo-Brown; she is the first coach in conference history to earn three consecutive honors. She has collected five conference coach of the year awards in 19 years. Izzo-Brown led the Mountaineers (14-2-2, 7-0-1) to their third straight Big 12 Conference regular-season title in 2014. Riding a 15-match unbeaten streak, WVU is the seventh team in conference history to win the title without a league loss, a feat the squad also achieved in 2012. The Mountaineers own a three-year Big 12 record of 21-1-2.
“It is a huge honor to represent such a successful group of coaches,” Izzo-Brown said. “I’m honored that I was able to gain this group’s respect. Ultimately, this award is a reflection of what (associate coach) Lisa Stoia, (assistant coach) Marisa Kanela and (volunteer coach) Zach Johnson do each day to make this program a success.”
Buchanan, a Brampton, Ontario, native, scored her second consecutive Big 12 defensive honor. She is the third student-athlete in conference history to earn back-to-back defensive accolades, and the first to do so in her freshman and sophomore seasons. A Mountaineer has earned the conference’s defensive honor each year since WVU joined the league in 2012, with Bry McCarthy winning in the team’s inaugural season.
“I’m so proud of Keish and her hard work,” Izzo-Brown said. “She’s such a great student of the game. I’m always impressed by the bar she sets for herself to keep improving. This honor is a great award for her hard work.”
The team’s anchor at center back, Buchanan, a member of the 2014 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and a 2013 NSCAA Second Team All-American, has helped the Mountaineers post nine shutouts this year, five in Big 12 play. WVU allowed only one conference opponent to score two goals this year. Buchanan shows eight points (3 G, 2 A).
Abam, a Houston native, is the second Mountaineer to earn the newcomer award in as many seasons, as Buchanan collected the award last year. She made five starts at forward this season and paces the Mountaineers with seven goals, the fourth-best total in the Big 12, and ranks No. 2 with 14 points; the totals are the third- and fifth-best marks for a Mountaineer freshman. Additionally, Abam has posted two two-goal performances this season, with her latest effort coming in WVU’s 2-0 win over Baylor Oct. 31.
“I’ve never asked a player to do all the different things that I’ve asked Michaela to do this year,” said Izzo-Brown. “I’m so proud of her selfless attitude and determination to be a team player, and I’m happy that she’s be rewarded for all her hard work.”
For her efforts against the Bears, Abam was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week earlier today, her second conference honor of the season.
A conference-best three Mountaineers laded on the All-Big 12 First Team, led by unanimous selections Buchanan and sophomore midfielder Ashley Lawrence. The honors are the second career awards for the duo. Lawrence ranks No. 3 on the team with 13 points (4 G, 5 A). Senior forward Kate Schwindel also was named to the first team for the third straight season. She caps her Mountaineer career with five all-conference honors, dating back to the Big East in 2011. Schwindel also shows 13 points (6 G, 1 A).
Juniors Kailey Utley and Cari Price were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team, the first career honor for each. Utley, a forward, paces the Mountaineers with 15 points (5 G, 5 A), the sixth-best total in the Big 12. Price, a midfielder, earned her spot on the team as the utility player. She owns five points (1 G, 3 A).
A conference-best four Mountaineers were named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team: Abam, freshman midfielder Carla Portillo, redshirt-freshman forward Amandine Pierre-Louis and junior goalkeeper Hannah Steadman. Portillo was the lone unanimous selection.
A full listing of the All-Big 12 recipients can be found at Big12Sports.com.
The Mountaineers are set to defend their Big 12 Soccer Championship title this week at Swope Soccer Village. The No. 1 seed, WVU meets No. 8 seed TCU on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Wren Baker | May 19
Tuesday, May 19
NCAA Selection Show
Wednesday, May 13
WVU Baseball Defensive Highlights
Tuesday, May 12
Kansas Recap
Tuesday, May 12
