Eight Lancers Named on All-WAC Team
4/12/2021 3:31:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DENVER --- The Western Athletic Conference announced its All-WAC women's soccer teams and major awards as selected by the league's eight head coaches on Monday, as California Baptist had eight players represented on the All-WAC Teams.
It marks the most players selected to the all-conference team in the NCAA Division I era and the first time three players have earned First Team honors since the 2014 season (Lindsay Vesling, Justene Kesterson, Audrianna DeGraw).
Rola Badawiya, Romy Salvador, and Erin Gallagher topped the list for the Lancers as First Team selections, while Ari Coronado and Karley Weeks were named Second Team All-WAC. Amy Aquino received an honorable mention, and Deniah Wells and Jayden Ramirez were named on the All-Freshmen Team.
The Lancers finished the season in third place in the Western Athletic Conference standings at 8-4-2 and 10-4-3 on the year. With the 10 wins on the season, head coach Kristen St. Clair extends her double-digit winning seasons to five straight.
"We're very appreciative to Dr. Ellis and the CBU Administration for advocating on our behalf to allow us to play our season this semester," said head coach Kristen St. Clair. "I'm proud of our team for how we competed and navigated through the COVID process this spring. Our eight All-Conference selections are a reflection of our overall team success, finishing with a 10-4-3 record and a top 3 WAC conference standing for the second year in a row. This strong finish continues to build on our continual program success as we navigate through the NCAA Division 1 transition. We're very excited to earn eight overall All-WAC selections, three on the First Team, Two on the Second Team, one honorable mention, and two named to the all-freshmen team."
As for the major awards, Sydney Carr of Seattle U was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Utah Valley's Jenna Shepherd claimed Defensive Player of the Year. Hallie Bergord of Seattle U was named Freshman of the Year, and Chris Cissell of Grand Canyon was named Coach of the Year.
Badawiya, a senior forward from Riverside, finished the season ranked second in goals (7), assists (5), and points (19) when it came to the conference stats. She earns her second straight First Team All-WAC selection after making an immediate impact in the 2019 season for the Lancers. She finishes her time at CBU with 34 games played, 44 points, 18 goals, eight assists, seven game-winners, and 111 shots. She also etched her name into the record books in 2019, moving to third all-time in consecutive games with a goal (5) and fourth all-time in consecutive games with a point (6).
Salvador, a senior goalkeeper from Lyon, France, was second in minutes played (1302:08), wins (8), and third in saves (48) and goals-against average (0.90) in the conference. She recorded five shutouts on the season and moved into sixth all-time in career goalkeeper shutouts with 12. On the season, she held a 0.85 goals-against average which puts her in a tie for eighth all-time in a single season.
Gallagher, a defender from Corona, becomes the first Lancer defender to earn a First Team nod in the DI era. Gallagher held down the backline for the Lancers all season and was critical in the team's six shutouts on the year. While anchoring the Lancers' defense, she also scored a goal in the season opener against St. Katherine and was credited with an assist against Chicago State on March 6.
Coronado, a junior from Woodland, earns her first Second Team nod after showcasing the power behind her right foot in the conference. She finished the season with five goals, four assists, 14 points, and a team-best four game-winners. Her goal against Grand Canyon on April 1 received national attention as it sent the Lancers in overtime with the Lopes.
83' | G⚽️⚽️⚽️AL‼️ Ari Coronado with an incredible strike to bring the Lancers tied once again with the Lopes!!!
— California Baptist Women's Soccer (@CBUwsoccer) April 2, 2021
Lancers 2️⃣
Lopes 2️⃣#LanceUp⚔️ | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/R0mBpNuzHC
Weeks, a junior midfielder from Mentone, records her second All-WAC nomination after being selected as a First Team selection in 2019. She finished the season fourth on the team in goals (4), assists (4), and points (11). Weeks also ranked fifth in the conference when it came to shots with 41.
Aquino, a senior forward from Laguna Niguel, was an offensive threat for the Lancers all season. She tied with Badawiya for most goals with seven and was second in points with 16. Aquino finished fourth in the conference in goals (6), fifth in points (14), and fifth in game-winners (2).
Ramirez, a freshman midfielder from Yorba Linda, led the freshman class for the Lancers with 10 points, scoring three goals and dishing out four assists. She scored her first collegiate goal against St. Katherine in the season opener on Feb. 3.
Wells, a freshman forward from Corona, played in 15 games for the Lancers and was behind Ramirez with nine points on the season. She also scored her first collegiate goal against St. Katherine in the season opener.
