2020-21 Women's Soccer All-RMAC teams announced
RMAC Media, Matt Kennedy
FULL RELEASE
COLORADO SPRINGS - CO. The 2020-21 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's soccer All-RMAC teams were announced on Friday and four athletes headline this year's rosters.
The major awards, along with All-RMAC First and Second Teams were voted on by the conference's 12 head women's soccer coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
Four forwards, four midfielders, four defenders and one goalkeeper each made All-RMAC First Team and All-RMAC Second Team. Players that did not make either First or Second Team but received one First Team vote or two Second Team votes were named Honorable Mention.
Leading the pack is UC-Colorado Springs' Tarah Patterson who was named the RMAC Player of the Year. Patterson is the points leader for the entire conference with 17 total on the season and averages 2.13 points per game...which also leads the RMAC. She leads an undefeated UCCS team that captured the RMAC regular season title and is the overall No. 1 seed in the RMAC Tournament.
Katie Smith of Fort Lewis was given the Defensive Player of the Year award after starting and playing in all the games for the Skyhawks this year and led the defense that has allowed only .78 goals per game and dished out three shutouts in their four victories. Smith has missed only one start even since joining FLC in 2018.
Colorado Mesa's Lila Dere is the Freshman of the Year in one of the most impressive college rookie seasons in recent memory. The Grand Junction native leads the RMAC this year in total shots taken and shots on goal. She is also tied for most goals this season with seven. Even more impressively, she also has four game-winning scores...the most in the RMAC.
CSU Pueblo's Nicole Genis is the Goalkeeper of the year after leading the RMC in shutouts (five) and is second in total saves (53). Genis transferred to Pueblo this last offseason from the New York Institute of Technology and instantly made an impact for the Thunderwolves. The Pack this year is third in the conference in goals allowed per game (.58).
Finally, UCCS's head honcho, J.B. Belzer, is the RMAC Coach of the Year after leading the Mountain Lions to an undefeated conference and division championship. Belzer in his only his first year with the Mountain Lions but is not a stranger to success as he won eight prior RMAC titles at Regis.
RMAC Major Awards
POTY- Tarah Patterson, UCCS
Defensive POTY- Katie Smith, Fort Lewis
Freshman OTY- Lila Dere, Colorado Mesa
Goalkeeper OTY- Nicole Genis, CSU Pueblo
Coach OTY - J.B. Belzer, UCCS
All-RMAC First Team
F-Lila Dere, Colorado Mesa
F-Eliot Edwards, Colorado School of Mines
F-Amelia Junge, UCCS
F-Aubrey Swindle, Fort Lewis
M-Chaney Brugman, Colorado School of Mines
M-Tarah Patterson, UCCS
M-Annie Rolf, MSU Denver
M-Litzy Serna, CSU Pueblo
D-Sabrina Bridwell, CSU Pueblo
D-Michaela Dangler, Colorado Mesa
D-Elizabeth David, Fort Lewis
D-Makenna Fowler, UCCS
GK- Nicole Genis, CSU Pueblo
All-RMAC Second Team
F-Ellie Echeverio, Westminster
F-Jessie Jacobsen, Western Colorado
F-Lexi Newton, Colorado Mesa
F-Corinne Sanderson, Fort Lewis
M-Ella Fischer, UCCS
M-Alexa Maple, Westminster
M-Emma Peterson, Colorado School of Mines
M-Katie Smith, Fort Lewis
D-Emily Goodson, Regis
D-Jordan Lewis, MSU Denver
D-Jordin Schaller, CSU Pueblo
D-Samantha Scott, Colorado School of Mines
GK-Sierra Roth, Colorado School of Mines
Honorable Mention
M- Parker Barnhardt, Western Colorado
M- Payton Billingham, Adams State
M- Karlee Caballero, Adams State
GK- Julia Coombs, Regis
GK- Chloe DeShazer, UCCS
M-Mikayla Eccher, Colorado Mesa
M- Luna Garcia, MSU Denver
D- Bobbie Golik, Colorado Mesa
M- Charlie Kaiser, Fort Lewis
D- Jensen Leivo, Colorado Christian
D- Alexandria Lisenbe, Black Hills State
D- Kailey Maness, MSU Denver
D- Taylor Potter, CSU Pueblo
M- Kinley Sanders, CCU
M- Zoe Sano, Colorado School Mines
M- Caileen Sienknecht, Western Colorado
D- Diana Sifuentes, Fort Lewis
D- Zoe Sims, UCCS
M- Keegan Storlie, Regis
D- Abby Swanda, Colorado Christian
M- Shebly Ransom, CSU Pueblo
M- Hannah Taie, Westminster
GK- Ireland VanDyke, Colorado Christian
M- Hanna Wallgren, Regis
M- Sydney Wiedeman, Adams State