LaRicci Voted Soccer Player of the Year; All-Conference Teams Named
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – McNeese senior forward Savannah LaRicci was named the 2017 Southland Conference Soccer Player of the Year, the league announced Monday in conjunction with the all-conference first and second teams.
Regular season champion Lamar led the way with six total all-conference picks between the first and second teams. Runner-up McNeese followed with five total selections while Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist and Sam Houston State all earned a pair of honorees. Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin each garnered a lone all-conference selection.
LaRicci picked up both Player of the Year and Forward of the Year honors as she led the league in every scoring category: 44 shots, 10 goals and 25 points against conference opposition. She also tied for fourth with five assists to her name. Her 31 points in overall games rank her 14th in the nation to cap the regular season. The senior out of Sugar Land, Texas, also netted seven game-winning goals in all games, ranking second in Division I.
Abilene Christian freshman midfielder Christina Arteaga was named the Freshman of the Year. The Pflugerville, Texas, native racked up 3.55 shots per game and 13 total points against conference opponents, ranking fourth in both categories.
Newcomer of the Year went to Lamar’s Kelso Peskin. The junior transfer from Tyler Junior College (Texas) ended the regular season ranked second in league play in goals (seven) and points (19). Her 10 assists through all competition tied her for second in the nation.
McNeese senior Gabi D’Alesandro earned Defender of the Year distinction as she anchored one of the conference’s top defenses in 2017. The Cowgirls ended the regular season tied for second with 10 total goals allowed through 11 league games. The Flower Mound, Texas, native helped McNeese to a league-best seven shutouts in Southland play.
Stephen F. Austin’s Hanna Barker earned her second-straight Midfielder of the Year Award and was named to her third consecutive all-conference team. The senior out of Farmers Branch, Texas, ranked third in the conference with 15 total points, including six goals and three assists to pace the Ladyjack attack.
Freshman shot stopper Emma Roccaforte of McNeese was named the Goalkeeper of the Year. In her debut campaign for the Cowgirls, the Nederland, Texas, product helped marshal a staunch defensive third, registering four shutouts to her name. Before an 0-2 run to end the regular season, the Cowgirls went five consecutive games without allowing a goal. Roccaforte ranked as high as third in the nation in save percentage in 2017.
Rounding out the individual superlatives is Lamar’s Steve Holeman, who was named the 2017 Coach of the Year. The second-year head coach turned his team around from last place to first place in one season – a feat that had never been accomplished in Southland soccer history and only four times in any league sport. The Cardinals finished 2016 with only one conference win then finished this season with a 10-1 SLC record, earning the regular season championship and the top seed in the conference tournament.
In total, there are six returning all-conference members, with Barker being the lone three-time selection. McNeese’s D’Alesandro and LaRicci, Central Arkansas’ Stacia Carroll and Alex Moore, and Abilene Christian’s Dylan Owens all earned their second all-conference team selection.
Three freshman earned selections to the first team, including Arteaga, Roccaforte and Lamar’s Lucy Ashworth.
For participating teams, individual superlative winners and all-conference honorees will be honored before their first games at the
2017 Southland Conference Soccer Tournament in Corpus Christi, Texas, taking place from Nov. 1-5.
Player of the Year: Savannah LaRicci, McNeese
Freshman of the Year: Christina Arteaga, Abilene Christian
Newcomer of the Year: Kelso Peskin, Lamar
Defender of the Year: Gabi D’Alesandro, McNeese
Midfielder of the Year: Hanna Barker, Stephen F. Austin
Forward of the Year: Savannah LaRicci, McNeese
Goalkeeper of the Year: Emma Roccaforte, McNeese
Coach of the Year: Steve Holeman, Lamar
2017 Southland Conference Soccer All-Conference Teams
First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| D |
Gabi D’Alesandro2 |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Flower Mound, Texas |
| D |
Stacia Carroll2 |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
South Jordan, Utah |
| D |
Marie Lund |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Bergen, Norway |
| MF |
Hanna Barker3 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Farmers Branch, Texas |
| MF |
Christina Arteaga |
Abilene Christian |
Fr. |
Pflugerville, Texas |
| MF |
M.J. Eckart |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Flower Mound, Texas |
| F |
Savannah LaRicci2 |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Sugar Land, Texas |
| F |
Dylan Owens2 |
Abilene Christian |
Jr. |
Willard, Mo. |
| F |
Kelso Peskin |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Cape Town, South Africa |
| GK |
Emma Roccaforte |
McNeese |
Fr. |
Nederland, Texas |
| F* |
Lucy Ashworth |
Lamar |
Fr. |
Wigan, England |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| D |
Baylii Bieke |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Little Elm, Texas |
| D |
Nikki Schaaf |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Cypress, Texas |
| D |
Amelia Fullmer |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Pleasant Grove, Utah |
| MF |
Ellee Hall |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Uintah, Utah |
| MF |
Nola Prickett |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Hemet, Calif. |
| MF |
Alex Moore2 |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Yukon, Okla. |
| F |
Carlota Suarez Crespo |
Sam Houston State |
So. |
Madrid, Spain |
| F |
Brittany Caserma |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Murrieta, Calif. |
| F |
Autumn Wildung |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Cedar Park, Texas |
| GK |
Lauren Lovejoy |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Port Neches, Texas |
| MF* |
Beryl Smith |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
The Woodlands, Texas |
* - At-large selection
2 – Two-time all-conference selection
3 – Three-time all-conference selection
Honorable Mention: Defenders: Kennedy Rose, Stephen F. Austin; Megan Rickert, Houston Baptist; Carli Arthurs, Stephen F. Austin; Kristen Ricks, Central Arkansas; Christina Čutura, Southeastern Louisiana; Michelle Mulrooney, Abilene Christian; Peyton Bucklew, Abilene Christian; Whitney Woodward, Sam Houston State.
Midfielders: Sophia Fondren, Stephen F. Austin; Shay Johnson, Abilene Christian; Casey Basso, Houston Baptist.
Forwards: Ashley Smith, Central Arkansas; Sabriah Spencer, Houston Baptist; Brooke Erdmann, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Katelyn Termini, Stephen F. Austin; Havana Johnson, McNeese.
Goalkeepers: Alanis Guevara, Houston Baptist; Lauren Mercuri, Central Arkansas; Allyson Smith, Stephen F. Austin.
The Southland Conference Soccer All-Conference Teams are nominated and voted upon by the league’s head coaches and SIDs. Each team consists of three defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and a goalkeeper, plus an at-large selection which is given to the next highest vote recipient regardless of position (not including goalkeepers). To receive honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.