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College Update: Conference Awards Commence

11/06/2019, 4:00pm EST
By UWS PR

Jones, Popadinova & Stone highlight first recap of fall accolades


Sierra Stone (credit Hartford Athletics)

METUCHEN, NJ - The college season in the Division I ranks has moved into the postseason stage, as a multitude of teams vie to supplant the defending national champion Florida State University Seminoles. Correspondingly, conferences from around the country have begun to announce their year-end awards and a trio of United Women's Soccer (UWS) stars highlight our first recap. Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we will list all of our UWS alumnae who have garnered postseason recognition.

In the America East Conference, University of Hartford midfielder Sierra Stone (Connecticut Fusion) was named the Midfielder of the Year for the second time in her college career. Stone led #AEWSOC in assists (10), scored four goals (including three game winners) and ranked third in points per game (1.06). Five more UWS alumnae joined Stone on the 2019 All-Conference Team. University at Albany forward Jada Colbert (New Jersey Copa FC) and Hartford defender Anna Cronin (Connecticut Fusion) were selected to the First Team alongside Stone while UAlbany forward Jasmine Colbert (New Jersey Copa FC), Hartford goalkeeper Maia Perez (Grand Rapids FC) and University of New Hampshire defender Megan Rumbold (Colorado Pride) made the Second Team.


Mya Jones (credit Memphis Athletics)

University of Memphis midfielder Mya Jones (Calgary Foothills Women's FC) was awarded for her strong freshman season as the 2019 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year. The Canadian international was a unanimous choice by the league coaches and was also rewarded with First Team and All-Rookie status. Jones had an excellent first season with the Tigers, tallying three goals and nine assists (15 points). Her Memphis and Calgary Foothills team mate Tanya Boychuk was named to the All-Conference Second Team. Boychuk led the UWS West Conference champions in goals scored this past summer (eight) and earned All-UWS and All-West honors. Indiana Union alum and Tigers defender Stasia Mallin joined Jones on the All-Conference First Team.

Florida Gulf Coast University forward Evdokia Popadinova (Santa Clarita Blue Heat) is putting a big bow on her senior season for the Eagles as the 2019 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year. The reigning Bulgarian Player of the Year became the fifth FGCU student-athlete to be named Player of the Year in program history. Popadinova recorded 10 goals with six of those coming against conference foes (tied for the conference best). She led her college side to a share of the ASUN regular season title and the top seed in the ASUN Championship. The ASUN First Team All-Conference selection has played for Santa Clarita the past two years - compiling over a 1,000 minutes - after being named to the 2017 UWS All-Tournament Team for Detroit Sun FC.


Evdokia Popadinova (credit FGCU Athletics)

In the BIG EAST Conference, six UWS alumnae were honored for their contributions this fall. Four of those players have connections with the 2019 UWS Midwest champion Indiana Union, as Xavier University midfielder Samantha Dewey and Butler University's Annika Schmidt and Katie Soderstrom were selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team. Dewey is the reigning UWS Midwest Offensive Player of the Year and was also selected to the 2019 All-UWS Team. The reigning UWS Midwest Defensive Player of the Year Molly McLaughlin was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team for Xavier University. McLaughlin solidified the center of the pitch for Indiana as an All-UWS defensive midfielder and allowed the top scoring offense in the league to flourish. Forward Kristin Boos (Michigan Legends) and defender Avery Hay (Michigan Legends) garnered Second Team honors for DePaul University. Boos was also a All-Freshman Team selection.

Three UWS alumnae received recognition from the Big South Conference. Winthrop University defender Dylan Patterson (Rochester Lancers) was awarded with First Team All-Conference plaudits while Campbell University's defender Callie Beckwith (Syracuse DA) was named to the Second Team and forward Jessica Donald (Syracuse DA) made the Honorable Mention Team. Patterson started all 15 games on the back line for the Eagles, anchoring a defensive unit that allowed only 1.33 goals per contest in 2019. Beckwith started in all 17 regular season matches and her defensive prowess helped the Camels post nine shutouts on the year (two shy of program record). One of the nation's best at distributing the ball, Donald dished out nine assists on the year to rank second in the league.


Dylan Patterson (credit Winthrop Athletics)

In the Big Ten Conference, nine UWS standouts garnered All-Conference status. University of Iowa midfielder Natalie Winters (Detroit Sun FC) and University of Indiana defender Allison Jorden (Indiana Union) were on the All-Big Ten Second Team. University of Wisconsin midfielder Lauren Rice (Indiana Union), Penn State University defender Ellie Jean (New England Mutiny), Rutgers University defender Chantelle Swaby (New England Mutiny) and University of Michigan goalkeeper Hillary Beall (LA Galaxy OC) made the All-Big Ten Third Team. The All-Freshman Team had a pair of Grand Rapids FC alumnae on it as Indiana midfielder Avery Lockwood and Michigan State University defender Bria Schrotenboer passed their first test. Jean was joined by Michigan State's Sadie Misiewicz (Grand Rapids FC) as a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honoree.

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