BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference announced its women’s soccer all-conference teams and major award winners following a voted of the league’s head coaches.
West Virginia Wesleyan did not land a player on the team.
The University of Charleston swept the MEC postseason awards with midfielder Lina Jaime earning MEC Offensive Player of the Year honors and defender Angela Gatto garnering Defensive Player of the Year accolades. UC forward Juliette Lucas was voted the league’s Freshman of the Year. In addition, first-year UC head coach Gary Ogilvie was recognized as the league’s Coach of the Year.
Jaime, a junior from Bogota, Columbia, scored 26 points on the season, including eight goals and 10 assists. She had two game-winning goals and went 1-for-1 on PK attempts during the season. The midfielder fired 21 shots on goal this season for a .538 shots on-goal average. Jaime led the MEC in assists and ranked top five in the league in points and top 10 in the league in goals.
Gatto, a junior from France, scored four goals from her defensive position during the 2023 season. Gatto also led a UC defense that surrendered just eight goals this season. The Golden Eagles allowed just .33 goals per game and recorded 11 total shutouts on the season.
Lucas, a freshman from New Zealand, tied for the UC lead with 26 points as a freshman this season. The forward also tied for the team lead with 10 goals while adding six assists on the year. She fired 28 shots on goal this season and made three game-winning goals for the Golden Eagles. Lucas ranked in the top 10 in the league in points, goals, game-winning goals and assists this season.
Ogilvie led the Golden Eagles to a 15-0-3 record this season and won the MEC South Division Championship. UC currently ranks first in the Atlantic Region and sixth nationally in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. UC is one of seven teams in DII women’s soccer without a loss this season.
The 2023 MEC All-Conference teams are listed below.
2023 All-MEC First Team | |||
Pos. | Name | Cl. | School |
GK | Ashley Bilger | Sr. | Frostburg State |
F | Esther Dhiramo | Gr. | West Virginia St. |
F | Toni Fiocco-Mizer | Sr. | Frostburg State |
F | Juliette Lucas | Fr. | Charleston |
F | Miriam Szijarto | Jr. | Notre Dame |
M | Olivia Bekeleski | Gr. | Concord |
M | Reeanna Cook | So. | Concord |
M | Lina Jaime | Jr. | Charleston |
M | Carina Widauer | Gr. | Charleston |
D | Maxima Bellscheidt | Jr. | West Virginia St. |
D | Angela Gatto | Jr. | Charleston |
D | Hannah Goes | Fr. | Charleston |
D | Catherine Smith | Jr. | Frostburg State |
2023 All-MEC Second Team | |||
Pos. | Name | Cl. | School |
GK | Jordan Maynard | Jr. | Charleston |
GK | Jordan Pasalaqua | Sr. | Notre Dame |
F | Alejandra Puerto | So. | Fairmont State |
F | Merel Smets | Jr. | Glenville State |
F | Alexa Todd | Gr. | Concord |
M | Alba Closa | Jr. | West Virginia St. |
M | Isabella Maldonado | Fr. | Fairmont State |
M | Ashley Rainho | Jr. | Notre Dame |
M | Hannah Thompson | Sr. | Frostburg State |
D | Anaya Edwards | Sr. | Notre Dame |
D | Lotte Fasen | Fr. | Concord |
D | Mei Homman | Jr. | Frostburg State |
D | Olivia Shollenberger | Jr. | Concord |
2023 All-MEC Honorable Mention | |||
GK: Olivia Kqira (WU) F: Mary DiFonzo (WU), Kiera Kuzinski (FAIR), Frankie Morrow (UC) M: Jori Alexander (WLU), Ciara Casamento (DE), Amelia Compston (WLU), Paula Murcia (WVSU), Aitana Viejo (GSU), Michelle Wenger (UC) D: Carolyn DeSena (FROST), Emma Ring (CU), Gracie Smith (FAIR), Anna Van Der Reijden (UC) | |||
2023 All-MEC Freshman Team | |||
Pos. | Name | School | |
M | Ciara Casamento | Davis & Elkins | |
D | Lotte Fasen | Concord | |
D | Hannah Goes | Charleston | |
M | Wilma Hedenberg | Concord | |
F | Juliette Lucas | Charleston | |
M | Isabella Maldonado | Fairmont State | |
F | Nyah Smith | Wheeling | |
M | Aitana Viejo | Glenville State | |
M | Michelle Wenger | Charleston | |
– | |||
Offensive Player of the Year: Lina Jaime (Charleston) | |||
Defensive Player of the Year: Angela Gatto (Charleston) | |||
Freshman of the Year: Juliette Lucas (Charleston) | |||
Coach of the Year: Gary Ogilvie (Charleston) |