BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference announced Friday morning its women’s soccer all-conference teams and major award winners following a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Concord’s Sydney Tucker was named the MEC Offensive Player of the Year. The 5-foot-7 senior forward from Raleigh, North Carolina, emerged in 2023 and followed up that strong campaign with a season worthy of top honors this year. Tucker has scored 16 goals in 18 games this season, which leads the MEC and is tied for fourth nationally.
Frostburg State’s Cat Smith was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. The 2023 D2CCA All-Region selection earned three Player of the Week honors this season — one each in September, October, and November. The Bobcats’ back line has surrendered only 10 goals this season, which is the best in the MEC and ranks in the Top 25 nationally.
Sara Parìs Filter of West Virginia State is the Freshman of the Year. She is one of six MEC players who have scored double-digit goals this season (10 in 18 appearances), which is tied for fourth in the conference. League coaches also voted her on the MEC all-conference second team and all-freshman team.
Sarah Leiby is the MEC Coach of the Year after leading the University of Charleston to the South Division title. UC is 14-4 overall and 13-2 in league play this season. Leiby was named the Golden Eagles’ head coach in March.
The 2024 MEC All-Conference Teams are listed below.
| 2024 All-MEC First Team |
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
| GK |
Katie Sterne |
Sr. |
Frostburg State |
| F |
Juliette Lucas |
So. |
Charleston |
| F |
Sydney Tucker |
Sr. |
Concord |
| F |
Sandra Linares |
Sr. |
West Virginia State |
| F |
Serenity Thomas |
So. |
Fairmont State |
| M |
Lina Jaime |
Sr. |
Charleston |
| M |
Marika Svensson |
Fr. |
Concord |
| M |
Carly Gillette |
Jr. |
Frostburg State |
| M |
Mary DiFonzo |
Sr. |
Wheeling |
| D |
Ida Marhaug |
Fr. |
Charleston |
| D |
Leah Fleming |
Sr. |
Concord |
| D |
Cat Smith |
Sr. |
Frostburg State |
| D |
Maxima Bellscheidt |
Sr. |
West Virginia State |
|
|
|
|
| 2024 All-MEC Second Team |
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
| GK |
Laura Galindo |
Sr. |
West Virginia State |
| F |
Caitlin Webster |
Jr. |
Concord |
| F |
Sara Parìs Filter |
Fr. |
West Virginia State |
| F |
Lily Hanna |
Fr. |
Wheeling |
| M |
Michelle Wenger |
So. |
Charleston |
| M |
Tiana Campbell |
Fr. |
Concord |
| M |
Ashley Rainho |
Sr. |
Fairmont State |
| M |
Karissa Vela |
Sr. |
West Virginia State |
| M |
Aika Tobaru |
Jr. |
West Virginia State |
| D |
Hannah Goes |
So. |
Charleston |
| D |
Filippa Stahlhammar |
Sr. |
Fairmont State |
| D |
Mei Homman |
Sr. |
Frostburg State |
| D |
Alba Closa |
Sr. |
West Virginia State |
|
|
|
|
| 2024 All-MEC Honorable Mention |
GK: Jordan Maynard (UC)
F: Madi Allen (FROST), Vanessa Vazquez (PPU), Leila Karam (WVSU), Maggie Queen (WVWC)
M: Braylyn Sparks (FAIR), Marcelle Stoller (GSU)
D: Ella Rowell (CU), Mackenzie Hendrick (GSU), Abby Fowler (WVWC) |
|
|
|
|
| 2024 All-MEC Freshman Team |
| Pos. |
Name |
|
School |
| D |
Ida Marhaug |
|
Charleston |
| M |
Marika Svensson |
|
Concord |
| F |
Sam Yuen |
|
Fairmont State |
| F |
Sara Paris Filter |
|
West Virginia State |
| F |
Lily Hanna |
|
Wheeling |
|
|
|
|
| Offensive Player of the Year: Sydney Tucker (Concord) |
| Defensive Player of the Year: Cat Smith (Frostburg State) |
| Freshman of the Year: Sara Parìs Filter (West Virginia State) |
| Coach of the Year: Sarah Leiby (Charleston) |