2018 #BigSkySoccer All-Conference Team Unveiled
OGDEN, Utah (October 30, 2018) – The 2018 Big Sky Women’s Soccer All-Conference Team and individual award winners have been announced with a total of 38 student-athletes and all 10 schools being recognized as voted on by the league’s head coaches. Coaches could not vote for their own players on the ballot.
Northern Colorado senior midfielder Mariel Gutierrez became just the fourth player in league history to earn four All-Big Sky First Team nods as the lone unanimous first team selection on this year's squad.
Named the Big Sky Offensive MVP and Golden Boot winner for most points in Big Sky play, Gutierrez tied for the league lead with 21 points on the season. She scored a league-best eight goals and added five assists while starting in all 18 matches for the Bears. Gutierrez edged out fellow senior teammate Maddie Roberts for the Golden Boot by scoring 13 points with five goals and three assists during Big Sky competition. She joins Montana’s Shannon Forslund (1997-2000), Weber State’s Hayley McCoy (2005-08) and Eastern Washington’s Chloe Williams (2014-17) as a four-time All-Big Sky First Team selection.
Idaho senior defender Kelly Dopke was tabbed the Big Sky Defensive MVP leading a Vandal unit that posted a 0.86 goals against average on the season while recording an impressive 0.42 goals against average in league play. Dopke and the Vandals allowed just four goals to Big Sky opponents, posting seven shutouts in nine matches including five-straight clean sheets heading into this week’s Big Sky Championship.
As a result of a strong conference showing, Idaho senior Makayla Presgrave was tabbed the Big Sky Co-Goalkeeper of the Year along with Northern Arizona sophomore Taryn Benham. Presgrave was named to the honorable mention team while Benham was tabbed All-Big Sky First Team. Presgrave posted nine shutouts on the season, one short of Benham’s 10 clean sheets as the pair were nearly unstoppable between the posts for their respective teams during conference play with seven shutouts apiece.
Presgrave notched a 0.88 goals against average on the season with 4.67 saves per game to rank third in the Big Sky. Benham paced the league with a 0.61 goals against average during the season including a 0.31 average in league play allowing just three scores. Benham's 10 shutouts this season are just one shy of the Big Sky single-season record of 11 set by Northern Arizona’s Liz Winkelblech (2007) and Portland State’s Caitlin Plese (2013).
Northern Colorado’s Lindsi Jennings and Weber State’s Olivia Barton were honored as Co-Newcomers of the Year by the league.
Named to the All-Big Sky Second Team, Jennings made 17 starts at center back during her freshman campaign with the Bears. Jennings was part of a back line that held Big Sky opponents to a 0.95 goals against average and just nine goals in league play.
Also named a second team selection at midfielder, Barton ranked second in scoring for the regular season champion Wildcats with 12 points. The freshman ranked second in the Big Sky with six assists.
Weber State led the way with three first team selections followed by Idaho, Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado with two apiece.
Eastern Washington senior midfielder Jenny Chavez earned her third-straight first team accolade while Montana senior defender Taryn Miller, Sacramento State senior midfielder Caitlin Prothe and Northern Arizona junior defender Carly Gamble were repeat first team honorees.
In total, Weber State earned a league-best nine all-conference selections with Idaho and Northern Colorado following with six apiece.
The 2018 Big Sky Championship kicks off Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. (MT) at Weber State’s Wildcat Soccer Field with quarterfinal action. The semifinals are set to get underway at 12:05 p.m. on Friday while the championship match is slated for Sunday at 12:05 p.m. The winner earns the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA College Cup.
| 2018 Big Sky Women's Soccer All-Conference Team |
|
| FIRST TEAM |
| Position |
Name |
School |
Class |
| Goalkeeper |
Taryn Benham |
Northern Arizona |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Kelly Dopke |
Idaho |
Senior |
| Defender |
Olivia Glassford |
Weber State |
Senior |
| Defender |
Taryn Miller% |
Montana |
Senior |
| Defender |
Carly Gamble% |
Northern Arizona |
Junior |
| Midfielder |
Mariel Gutierrez*# |
Northern Colorado |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Jenny Chavez$ |
Eastern Washington |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Madison Garlock |
Weber State |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Caitlin Prothe% |
Sacramento State |
Senior |
| Forward |
Morgan Quarnberg |
Weber State |
Senior |
| Forward |
Maddie Roberts |
Northern Colorado |
Senior |
| Forward |
Myah Merino |
Idaho |
Junior |
| * - Unanimous All-Big Sky First Team selection |
| # - Four-time All-Big Sky First Team selection |
| $ - Three-time All-Big Sky First Team selection |
| % - Two-time All-Big Sky First Team selection |
|
| SECOND TEAM |
| Position |
Name |
School |
Class |
| Goalkeeper |
Nikki Pittman |
Weber State |
Junior |
| Defender |
Lindsi Jennings |
Northern Colorado |
Freshman |
| Defender |
Maddie Barkow |
Northern Colorado |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Haley Thomas |
Weber State |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Mikayla Reed |
Sacramento State |
Junior |
| Midfielder |
Mei-Te Coco |
Northern Arizona |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Olivia Barton |
Weber State |
Freshman |
| Midfielder |
Hadley Sbrega |
Idaho |
Sophomore |
| Midfielder |
Janessa Fowler |
Montana |
Senior |
| Forward |
MaKenzie Lawrence |
Southern Utah |
Junior |
| Forward |
Lexi Pulley |
Northern Colorado |
Freshman |
| Forward |
Ana Rivera |
Northern Arizona |
Freshman |
|
|
|
|
| HONORABLE MENTION |
| Position |
Name |
School |
Class |
| Goalkeeper |
Makayla Presgrave |
Idaho |
Senior |
| Goalkeeper |
Claire Howard |
Montana |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Maia Inniss |
Eastern Washington |
Junior |
| Defender |
Kayleigh Frederick |
Idaho |
Senior |
| Defender |
Emma Robson |
Northern Arizona |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Shailyn Jenkins |
Weber State |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Sadie Newsom |
Weber State |
Sophomore |
| Midfielder |
Kennedy Yost |
Montana |
Sophomore |
| Midfielder |
Cara Quinn |
Northern Colorado |
Sophomore |
| Midfielder |
Makena Bambei |
Idaho State |
Junior |
| Midfielder |
Allison Raniere |
Eastern Washington |
Senior |
| Forward |
Mylee Broad |
Weber State |
Sophomore |
| Forward |
Krystal de Ramos |
Portland State |
Senior |
| Forward |
Bridget Daley |
Idaho |
Senior |
2018 Big Sky Individual Award Winners
Offensive MVP – Mariel Gutierrez, Northern Colorado
Defensive MVP – Kelly Dopke, Idaho
Co-Goalkeeper of the Year – Taryn Benham, Northern Arizona; Makayla Presgrave, Idaho
Golden Boot – Mariel Gutierrez, Northern Colorado
Co-Newcomer of the Year – Lindsi Jennings, Northern Colorado; Olivia Barton, Weber State