SAN MATEO, Calif. – No. 15 BYU and No. 23 Santa Clara combined to win five of the West Coast Conference’s six major awards as the WCC announced its 2022 women’s soccer postseason honors. All six individual awards and the All-WCC teams were voted on solely by the Conference’s 10 coaches.
New this year is a specific position format for the All-WCC First Team, and specific only to the first team. The first team format is as follows: (3 forwards, 4 midfielders, 3 defenders, 1 goalkeeper).
After Santa Clara came from behind to beat Pepperdine last Saturday, 2-1, the Broncos won their third straight WCC title. Head Coach Jerry Smith was tabbed the WCC Coach of the Year and Izzy D'Aquila was named WCC Offenisve Player of the Year, and selected to the All-WCC First Team. Annie Karich for the Broncos was also named the WCC Freshman of the Year, and selected to the All-WCC First Team and All-WCC Freshman Team, as well.
For BYU, Laveni Vaka earned WCC Defender of the Year honors, while Jamie Shepherd was tabbed the WCC Midfielder of the Year. Both Cougars were also named to the All-WCC First Team.
The lone major award that did not go to Santa Clara or BYU was Gonzaga's Lyza Bosselmann winning WCC Goalkeeper of the Year.
Izzy D’Aquila ranks fourth in the nation averaging 2.29 points per game. She is also fourth in goals with 18, a career best. She led the charge for the Broncos to take over in Conference play this season, as SCU went unbeaten through the nine-game WCC slate. D'Aquila netted the game winner in Santa Clara's victory to clinch the WCC title last Saturday. She picked up all-conference honors for the fourth time in her career, and it was her third straight season being named to the first team.
D'Aquila's teammate, Karich, appeared in 18 contests with 17 starts. Her seven assists rank second on the team and tied for third in the WCC. She made an impact when it mattered most, assisting on both goals in the season-finale victory at Pepperdine. She also secured two assists in a 4-0 win over San Francisco.
Smith guided his Broncos to an unbeaten Conference season after dealing with multiple injuries to key players at the start of the season. The WCC title won in 2022 marked three in a row for Smith and SCU, and it was also Smith's 13th WCC title during his tenure. Smith looks to guide his Broncos back to the College Cup in 2022 after they fell to BYU in the national semifinals last season. Smith has now been named WCC Coach of the Year nine times and in two of the last three years.
Bosselmann was named the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week twice this season, and boasts four in her career. She recorded her 19th and 20th career shutouts in the final week of the regular season, and the standout ends her collegiate career second all-time in shutouts in school history. She ended the regular season tied with Santa Clara's Marlee Nicolos for the WCC lead in goals-against average at 0.72.
Shepherd and Vaka propelled the Cougars to go unbeaten in Conference play, and BYU only lost twice during the entire season. Shepherd ranked fifth in the WCC with 18 points, third on her team. Her seven goals ranked tied for third among the Cougars. Their efforts helped BYU secure seven shutouts during the campaign, including two 6-0 victories over WCC foes. BYU finished the regular season ranking 11th in the nation in scoring offense while battling a strength of schedule that ranked 28th in the nation. The Cougars fell to Florida State in the national championship game a year ago, and look for another deep run in this year's NCAA Tournament.
2022 WCC Women's Soccer Award Winners
| WCC COACHES OF THE YEAR |
| Jerry Smith |
Santa Clara |
| WCC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR |
| Izzy D'Aquila |
Santa Clara |
Sr. |
| WCC DEFENDER OF THE YEAR |
| Laveni Vaka |
BYU |
Jr. |
| WCC MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR |
| Jamie Shepherd |
BYU |
Jr. |
| WCC GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR |
| Lyza Bosselmann |
Gonzaga |
Sr. |
| WCC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR |
| Annie Karich |
Santa Clara |
M |
ALL-WCC FIRST TEAM
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
YEAR |
| Izzy D'Aquila |
Santa Clara |
F |
Sr. |
| Brecken Mozingo |
BYU |
F |
Jr. |
| Marissa Vasquez |
San Francisco |
F |
So. |
| Sophia Braun |
Gonzaga |
M |
Sr. |
| Carlee Giammona |
Pepperdine |
M |
Sr. |
| Annie Karich |
Santa Clara |
M |
Fr. |
| Jamie Shepherd |
BYU |
M |
Jr. |
| Marisa Bubnis |
Santa Clara |
D |
Jr. |
| Laveni Vaka |
BYU |
D |
Jr. |
| Trinity Watson |
Pepperdine |
D |
Sr. |
| Lyza Bosselmann |
Gonzaga |
GK |
Sr. |
ALL-WCC SECOND TEAM
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
YEAR |
| Shay Adams |
Portland |
D |
Jr. |
| Colby Barnett |
Santa Clara |
M |
So. |
| Erin Healy |
Gonzaga |
M |
Sr. |
| Marlee Nicolos |
Santa Clara |
GK |
Jr. |
| Bre Norris |
Portland |
GK |
So. |
| Jenae Packard |
Pacific |
M |
Sr. |
| Tessa Salvestrin |
Saint Mary's |
F |
Fr. |
| Olivia Smith |
BYU |
D |
So. |
| Cally Togiai |
Portland |
F |
So. |
| Olivia Wade |
BYU |
M |
Jr. |
| Tatum Wynalda |
Pepperdine |
M |
Fr. |
ALL-WCC FRESHMAN TEAM
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
| Lindsey Chau |
San Francisco |
F |
| Allie Fryer |
BYU |
F |
| Hannah Gray |
Gonzaga |
M |
| Annie Karich |
Santa Clara |
M |
| Cameryn Maddox |
San Diego |
F |
| Giana Riley |
Gonzaga |
F |
| Tessa Salvestrin |
Saint Mary's |
F |
| Izzi Stratton |
BYU |
M |
| Farrah Walters |
Santa Clara |
F |
| Tatum Wynalda |
Pepperdine |
M |
| Isabella Yakel |
Portland |
D |
ALL-WCC HONORABLE MENTION
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
| Emma Barthel |
Saint Mary's |
M |
| Taylor Bloom |
Pepperdine |
D |
| Lindsey Chau |
San Francisco |
F |
| Brenna Crump |
Pacific |
GK |
| Amanda Delgado |
LMU |
GK |
| Nayeli Diaz |
Saint Mary's |
F |
| Kate Doyle |
Gonzaga |
F |
| Cameryn Maddox |
San Diego |
F |
| Sophia Mattice |
Portland |
M |
| Jaida Nyby |
Pacific |
M |
| Kelsey Oyler |
Gonzaga |
D |
| Kam Pickett |
Pepperdine |
D |
| Taylor Poland |
Saint Mary's |
GK |
| Alice Santen |
LMU |
D |
| Camryn Scully |
Pacific |
D |