Tennessee Tech’s
Yao Giada Zhou was named the 2022 OVC Midfielder of the Year while the Golden Eagles
Steve Springthorpe earned Coach of the Year honors in a vote of the league’s head coaches and communication directors. Southeast Missouri’s
Cayla Koerner was named the Forward and Freshman of the Year while SIUE’s
Matea Diekema earned Defender of the Year honors and Lindenwood’s
Sam Blazek was tabbed the Goalkeeper of the Year.
Giada Zhou (San Michele al Tagliamento, Italy) finished the regular season tied for first in the league with six assists. She tallied three assists in the match with Furman. The junior midfielder was also among the OVC leaders in shots with 32. Giada Zhou, an All-OVC First Team pick, scored two goals both of which were game winners. She is the first Golden Eagle to earn Midfielder of the Year.
Springthorpe earns his first OVC Coach of the Year honor and becomes just the second Golden Eagle coach to win the award. He led his team to its first regular season title since 1998 after posting a 5-0-3 league mark. Tennessee Tech led the OVC in goals (24), goals per game (1.50), assists (26), assists per game (1.63) and points (74). The Golden Eagles enter the tournament on an eight game unbeaten streak.
Koerner (Mahomet, Ill.) leads the Conference with six goals and 0.41 goals per game while ranking second in points (15) and points per game (0.88). The freshman forward also ranks among league leaders in shots with 38 and shots per game (2.24). Koerner, an All-OVC First Team and All-Newcomer selection, scored a pair of goals in the final game of the regular season against UT Martin. She is the first Redhawk to be named the Forward of the Year and the fifth to earn Freshman of the Year honors.
Diekema, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich., anchored a defense that recorded five shutouts in the regular season. The All-OVC First team selection also scored a pair of goals, including one game winner. She also took 13 shots over SIUE’s 15 matches. Diekema is the first Cougar to earn Defender of the Year accolades.
A native of Diamond Bar, Calif., Blazek led the league in shutouts (7), saves (110), saves per game (6.11) and save percentage (.880). The First Team All-OVC pick was also among OVC leaders with a 0.90 goals-against average. She made a season-high 14 saves in the quarterfinals of the OVC Soccer Championship against Southeast Missouri. She is the first Lion to earn Goalkeeper of the Year honors.
Tennessee Tech had the most All-OVC First Team selections with three while Little Rock and SIUE each had a pair. Lindenwood, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri and UT Martin each had one pick. Joining Giada Zhou, Koerner, Diekema and Blazek on the first team are: Little Rock redshirt freshman forward Bronte Peel (Branxton, NSW, Australia) and senior defender Natalee Geren (Round Rock, Texas); Tennessee Tech senior forward Chloe Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio); senior defender Emily Carlevato (Knoxville, Tenn.); Morehead State senior midfielder Colleen Swift (Loveland, Ohio); SIUE junior forward Lily Schnieders (Fenton, Mo.); and UT Martin sophomore forward Izzy Patterson (St. Louis, Mo.)
Earning second team honors are: Eastern Illinois junior midfielder Jenna Little (Portage, Mich.) and sophomore defender Sarah Hagg (Horgenzell, Germany); Southern Indiana senior goalkeeper Maya Etienne (Midland, Mich.) and graduate defender Elizabeth Lippert (Lexington, Ky.); Tennessee Tech freshman forward Katie Toney (McMinnville, Tenn.) and junior midfielder Meredith Nye (Jackson, Tenn.); Lindenwood graduate defender Paige Anderson (O’Fallon, Mo.); Little Rock freshman midfielder Amaya Arias (Downey, Calif.); Morehead State junior forward Nicki Fiantaco (Sterling Heights, Mich.); Southeast Missouri junior midfielder Faith Liljegren (Collinsville, Ill.); SIUE sophomore midfielder Sidney Christopher (New Baden, Ill.).
Eleven student-athletes make up the 2022 OVC All-Newcomer Team, which consists of freshman, redshirt freshman, transfers or other first-year players. In addition to Koerner, making up the All-Newcomer team are: Tennessee Tech freshman forward Kaite Toney (McMinnville, Tenn.), sophomore goalkeeper Maggie Conrad (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and freshman midfielder Allison Lee (Powell, Tenn.); Little Rock freshman midfielder Amaya Arias (Downey, Calif.) and redshirt freshman forward Bronte Peel (Branxton, NSW, Australia); Morehead State junior forward Hadley Cytron (Creve Coeur, Mo.) and freshman goalkeeper Erin Gibbs (Mesa, Ariz.); Lindenwood graduate midfielder Jacqueline Baetz (St. Louis, Mo.); SIUE sophomore midfielder Kasey Niedhardt (Highland, Ill.); and Southern Indiana freshman midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Ind.)
2022 ALL-OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAMS
(As selected by OVC women’s soccer coaches and communication directors)
FIRST TEAM
Sam Blazek, Lindenwood
Cayla Koerner, Southeast Missouri
Chloe Smith, Tennessee Tech
Bronte Peel, Little Rock
Lily Schnieders, SIUE
Yao Giada Zhou, Tennessee Tech
Izzy Patterson, UT Martin
Colleen Swift, Morehead State
Matea Diekema, SIUE
Natalee Geren, Little Rock
Emily Carlevato, Tennessee Tech
2022 OVC FORWARD OF THE YEAR: Cayla Koerner, Southeast Missouri
2022 OVC MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR: Yao Giada Zhou, Tennessee Tech
2022 OVC DEFENDER OF THE YEAR: Matea Diekema, SIUE
2022 OVC GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR: Sam Blazek, Lindenwood
2022 OVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Cayla Koerner, Southeast Missouri
2022 OVC COACH OF THE YEAR: Steve Springthorpe, Tennessee Tech
SECOND TEAM
Maya Etienne, Southern Indiana
Katie Toney, Tennessee Tech
Nicki Fiantaco, Morehead State
Jenna Little, Eastern Illinois
Sidney Christopher, SIUE
Meredith Nye, Tennessee Tech
Amaya Arias, Little Rock
Faith Lijegren, Southeast Missouri
Sarah Hagg, Eastern Illinois
Paige Anderson, Lindenwood
Elizabeth Lippert, Southern Indiana
ALL-NEWCOMER
Cayla Koerner, Southeast Missouri
Katie Toney, Tennessee Tech
Hadley Cytron, Morehead State
Amaya Arias, Little Rock
Erin Gibbs, Morehead State
Kasey Niedhardt, SIUE
Bronte Peel, Little Rock
Maggie Conrad, Tennessee Tech
Jacqueline Baetz, Lindenwood
Peyton Murphy, Southern Indiana
Allison Lee, Tennessee Tech