Women's Soccer

MIAC announces 2023 Women’s Soccer Awards

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its annual women's soccer awards on Tuesday.
 
St. Catherine senior midfielder Ari Green was selected by conference coaches as the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, while the Knights' junior defender Piper Dean earned MIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. St. Olaf first-year forward Emily Johnson was named MIAC Rookie of the Year honors. Knights head coach Jessica Mueller was celebrated by her peers as the MIAC Coach of the Year.
 
Green (Sr. | Hastings, Minn.) was selected the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year after leading all scorers in goals (10), game-winning goals (4), and points (26) in conference games. Green also ranked second among all players in conference assists (6). She joins teammate Amanda Elton (2021) as Wildcats to have won the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year award.
 
Dean (Jr. | Arlington, Va. | Yorktown) earned MIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. Dean guided a Carleton defense that allowed a conference-low four goals during the regular season. She also scored three goals for the regular season MIAC champions. Dean joins former St. Thomas goalkeeper and inaugural MIAC Defensive Player of the Year recipient Tarynn Theilig (2015-16) as the only players to win the award in back-to-back seasons.
 
Johnson (Fy. | Vadnais Heights, Min. | Mounds View) was selected as the MIAC Rookie of the Year recipient after starting every game for the Oles in her debut season. Johnson was involved in seven of the team's 14 goals in conference play and led all first-year players with five goals and 12 points against conference opponents. She is the second Ole to receive MIAC Rookie of the Year honors in women's soccer, joining 2022 recipient Cat Duffy-Shaw.
 
Mueller (third season) was recognized by her peers as MIAC Coach of the Year for the second time in as many seasons after guiding Carleton to its fifth regular season conference championship in program history and its second in a row. The Knights went 9-0-2 in conference play during the regular season and clinched a berth in the MIAC Playoffs for the ninth time in program history.
 
In addition to the individual awards, 22 players were named All-Conference, and nine received honorable mention distinction. All-Conference and individual awards were nominated by and voted on by the 12 MIAC head women's soccer coaches; any nominated player not selected as All-Conference but still receiving votes from at least three coaches was named honorable mention.
 
Eight of the 22 All-Conference selections were also selected in 2022. St. Catherine senior forward Amanda Elton became the 19th player in recorded MIAC history to be named All-Conference four times in women's soccer, while Wildcat teammate Kate Praetz joined Carleton senior midfielder Cate Patterson in becoming three-time All-MIAC honorees - a feat achieved by just 60 women's soccer players ever.
 
The MIAC also announced the All-Playoff Team for women's soccer, which recognized the top eleven performers from the conference tournament, as selected by playoff-participant head coaches.

| 2023 MIAC Women's Soccer Awards |