FRISCO, Texas – The Lamar Cardinals lead the way with ten selections on the SLC All-Conference teams, as announced by the Conference Office on Tuesday.
The Cardinals also dominated the superlative accolades, scooping five of the eight individual honors.
Hollie Massey was named SLC Player of the Year, whilst Head Coach
Nathan Kogut,
Nicole Panis, and
Arely Alaniz were all named repeat selections as Coach, Goalkeeper, and Defender of the Year respectively.
Alana Clark was also tabbed as Midfielder of the Year.
Massey led the Cardinals to the SLC Regular Season Championship, with an undefeated 9-0-1 record. The Englishwoman led the SLC with 10 assists and 2.0 shots on goal per game in the regular season, whilst also chipping in with 6 goals, good enough for second in the Conference in points.
Coach Kogut has led the Cardinals to back-to-back SLC Regular Season titles, and will look to defend their Championship crown this week in Corpus Christi. Under Kogut’s stewardship, the Cardinals amassed 28 out of a possible 30 points in SLC play, scoring 23 goals and only conceding six. Both of these totals were best in the league. Kogut is the first Head Coach to win this award back-to-back since Wally Critenden of Stephen F. Austin won three straight honors between 2013 and 2015.
Alaniz and Panis were key cogs of Lamar’s league best defense, garnering themselves repeat selections as Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year. Alaniz scored one goal and had three assists during the SLC regular season, and crucially helped limit opposing teams to just over half a goal per game. Panis has made 59 saves in 18 games this season, only conceding nine goals, and keeping ten clean sheets - a new career high. Panis has also broken Lamar’s school record for career saves, eclipsing the previously set 328 mark earlier this season. Panis has an SLC-best .509 goals against average, and ranks second in overall save percentage.
Alana Clark earned Midfielder of the Year recognition. Clark has scored two goals this year, and played nearly 1500 minutes in the heart of Lamar’s midfield. She is the third Lamar Cardinal to win this award, after Juliana Ocampo (2018), and Madison Ledet (2020).
Texas A&M-Commerce’s Hannah Bell scooped both the Freshman and Forward of the Year accolades, whilst teammate Kaydence Ramirez was recognized as the Newcomer of the Year in the SLC. Bell and Ramirez are the most potent strikeforce in the league, occupying the top two spots on the goalscoring charts, with ten and nine each respectively. Ramirez leads the SLC in points, whilst Bell ranks second in game-winning goals, with four. Bell is the second straight Lion to win Freshman of the Year, after teammate Mya Mitchell did so last year.
A total of 16 players in the all-conference teams were repeat honorees, led by Kaisa Juvonen of Lamar, and Southeastern’s Mya Guillory, who both earned all-conference honors for the fourth season.
Three-time honorees include Panis, Kiana Kukaua of McNeese, and Sierra Wannamaker of UIW.
Two-time all-conference winners are Massey, Alaniz, Isela Ramirez, Cariel Ellis, and Trinity Clark from Lamar, Kat Lazor of HCU, Nya Mitchell and Mindy Shoffit of Texas A&M-Commerce, Jackie Kelly and Morgan Schooley of McNeese, and Rachel Loetzer of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The Southland Conference Soccer All-Conference Teams are nominated and voted upon by the league’s head coaches and SIDs.
The Southland Conference Soccer Championship begins this Wednesday, Nov. 1st in Corpus Christi, TX., with the Semi Finals taking place on Friday Nov. 3rd, and the Championship game on Sunday Nov. 5th. All games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Player of the Year: Hollie Massey, Lamar
Freshman of the Year: Hannah Bell, Texas A&M-Commerce
Newcomer of the Year: Kaydence Ramirez, Texas A&M-Commerce
Defender of the Year: Arely Alaniz, Lamar
Midfielder of the Year: Alana Clark, Lamar
Forward of the Year: Hannah Bell, Texas A&M-Commerce
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nicole Panis, Lamar
Coach of the Year: Nathan Kogut, Lamar
2023 Southland Conference Soccer All-Conference Teams
First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| GK |
Nicole Panis3 |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Opmeer, Netherlands |
| DF |
Arely Alaniz2 |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Deer Park, Texas |
| DF |
Kat Lazor2 |
HCU |
Sr. |
Missouri City, Texas |
| DF |
Kaisa Juvonen 4 |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Tampere, Finland |
| DF |
Nya Mitchell |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
So. |
Dallas, Texas |
| MF |
Camila Montero |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| MF |
Hollie Massey2 |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Cheshire, England |
| MF |
Kaile Kukaua |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Valencia, California |
| MF |
Alana Clark |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Austin, Texas |
| FWD |
Isela Ramirez2 |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Pflugerville, Texas |
| FWD |
Hannah Bell |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Fr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| FWD |
Cariel Ellis2 |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Madison, Miss. |
| FWD |
Kaydence Ramirez |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Rs-Fr. |
Waxahachie, Texas |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| GK |
Jackie Kelly2 |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Benicia, California |
| DF |
Mindy Shoffit 2 |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Sr. |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
| DF |
Caragan Childs |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Sumrall, Mississippi |
| DF |
Maddie Janolo |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Denton, Texas |
| DF |
Morgan Schooley2 |
McNeese |
Jr. |
St. Augustine, Florida |
| MF |
Rachel Loetzer2 |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Frisco, Texas |
| MF |
Mya Guillory |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Prairieville, Louisiana |
| MF |
Kiana Kukaua 3 |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Valencia, Calif. |
| MF |
Trinity Clark2 |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Austin, Texas |
| MF |
Alexa Huerta |
HCU |
So. |
Austin, Texas |
| MF |
Melissa Storey |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Sr. |
Tyne and Wear, England |
| FWD |
Taylor Spitzer |
Northwestern State |
So. |
Allen, Texas |
| FWD |
Olivia Rossman |
HCU |
Fr. |
Santa Ana, California |
| FWD |
Sierra Wannamaker 3 |
UIW |
Sr. |
San Antonio, Texas |
| FWD |
Magalie Dépôt |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
2 – Two-time All-Southland selection
3 – Three-time All-Southland selection
4 – Four-time All-Southland selection
#SouthlandStrong