Soccer All-OVC Release (PDF) |
Photo Gallery
UT Martin’s
Amy McGivern was named the 2018 Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year while the Skyhawks’
Kaci Mitchell was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Murray State’s
Abby Jones was named Freshman of the Year while UT Martin’s
Phil McNamara was selected as the Coach of the Year.
McGivern, a native of Drumaness, Northern Ireland, is the second student-athlete from UT Martin to be named Offensive Player of the Year. She leads the Conference in points (27), points per game (1.80), goals (13), goals per game (0.87) and game-winning goals (5). Her 0.87 goals per game are sixth in the nation while her 13 total goals rank 13th. In OVC play, the senior midfielder recorded a league-leading 12 goals and 47 shots in nine games. In addition to being named the Offensive Player of the Year, McGivern earned All-OVC First Team honors.
A senior defender, Mitchell becomes the third Skyhawk to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Oak Ridge, Tenn. native anchored a defense that ranked second in the league with seven shutouts, including five in OVC action. The Skyhawk defense allowed just 13 goals overall and just five in league play. Mitchell has played 1,286 minutes so far this season and scored one goal on the year. She also earned All-OVC First Team accolades.
Jones, freshman forward, becomes the fourth student-athlete from Murray State to be named Freshman of the Year. The Powell, Ohio native leads the league with seven assists while ranking second in points (23) and points per game (1.44). She has scored eight goals this season to rank fourth among league leaders. In OVC action, Jones scored six goals and had a pair of assists. She also earned All-OVC Second Team and All-Newcomer honors.
McNamara earns his second OVC Coach of the Year award after winning it in 2012. He guided his to a 9-0-1 league mark en route to its third regular-season title. The Skyhawks are unbeaten in their last 12 games and have won their last six matches. UT Martin ranks first in the Conference in goals (45), goals per game (2.65), shots (352), assists (28), assists per game (1.65) and goals allowed (13). He is the second different Skyhawk coach to earn the honor.
UT Martin had the most All-OVC First Team selections with four followed by Belmont, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Murray State, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee Tech with one pick each. Joining McGivern and Mitchell on the first team were: UT Martin sophomore goalkeeper
Erica Myers (Holland, Ohio) and senior midfielder
Danae Kaldaridou (Athens, Greece); Belmont sophomore forward
Julie Garst (Franklin, Tenn.); Eastern Illinois junior defender
Henar Urteaga (Pamplona, Spain); Eastern Kentucky junior
Erin Torrence (Hudson, Ohio); Morehead State senior forward
Dani Wilson (Elizabethtown, Ky.); Murray State junior forward
Miyah Watford (Indianapolis, Ind.); Southeast Missouri junior midfielder
Esmie Gonzales (Fort Worth, Texas); and Tennessee Tech defender
Kaitie Shipley (Barrie, Ontario).
Earning second team honors with Jones were: Austin Peay sophomore midfielder
Claire Larose (London, Ontario), junior defender
Renee Semaan (Knoxville, Tenn.) and senior defender
Jennifer Smith (Caledon, Ontario); Murray State sophomore forward
Rebecca Kubin (Lake Zurich, Ill.) and junior defender
Karsyn Hasch (Temecula, Calif.); Eastern Illinois goalkeeper
Sara Teteak (Naperville, Ill.); Eastern Kentucky senior midfielder
Monica Rios (Lexington, Ky.); Jacksonville State senior midfielder
Claire Peterson (Herman, Maine); SIUE sophomore midfielder
Andrea Frerker (Maryville, Ill.); and UT Martin freshman forward
Skylor Keane (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Eleven student-athletes make up the 2018 OVC All-Newcomer Team, which consists of freshman, redshirt freshman, transfers or other first-year players. In addition to Jones, All-Newcomer selections include: Eastern Kentucky redshirt freshman
Sarah Owusu (Brampton, Ontario) and freshman goalkeeper
Zoe Aguirre (Corona, Calif.); Morehead State freshman forward
Colleen Swift (Loveland, Ohio) and freshman defender
Nicole Palmer (Philadelphia, Pa.); Southeast Missouri freshman goalkeeper
Bailey Redden (Belleville, Ill.) and freshman midfielder
Morgan McCourt (Burlington, Wis.); UT Martin freshman forward
Skylor Keane (Knoxville, Tenn.) and junior forward
Sam Kelly (Dungannon, Northern Ireland); Jacksonville State freshman defender
Maisie Paulson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.); and Tennessee Tech freshman forward
Chloe Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio).
2018 All-OVC Soccer Teams and Award Winners
OVC Offensive Player of the Year: Amy McGivern, UT Martin
OVC Defensive Player of the Year Kaci Mitchell, UT Martin
OVC Freshman of the Year: Abby Jones, Murray State
OVC Coach of the Year: Phil McNamara, UT Martin
All-OVC First Team
GK - Erica Myers, UT Martin
F - Erin Torrence, Eastern Kentucky
F - Dani Wilson, Morehead State
F - Miyah Watford, Murray State
F - Julie Garst, Belmont
MF - Amy McGivern, UT Martin
MF - Esmie Gonzales, Southeast Missouri
MF - Danae Kaldaridou, UT Martin
D - Kaci Mitchell, UT Martin
D - Kaitie Shipley, Tennessee Tech
D - Henar Urteaga, Eastern Illinois
All-OVC Second Team
GK - Sara Teteak, Eastern Illinois
F - Abby Jones, Murray State
F - Rebecca Kubin, Murray State
F - Skylor Keane, UT Martin
MF - Andrea Frerker, SIUE
MF - Claire Larose, Austin Peay
MF - Monica Rios, Eastern Kentucky
MF - Claire Peterson, Jacksonville State
D - Karsyn Hasch, Murray State
D - Renee Semaan, Austin Peay
D - Jennifer Smith, Austin Peay
All-Newcomer Team
Abby Jones, Murray State
Skylor Keane, UT Martin
Sarah Owusu, Eastern Kentucky
Colleen Swift, Morehead State
Bailey Redden, Southeast Missouri
Chloe Smith, Tennessee Tech
Sam Kelly, UT Martin
Morgan McCourt, Southeast Missouri
Nicole Palmer, Morehead State
Zoe Aguirre, Eastern Kentucky
Maisie Paulson, Jacksonville State