JBU women’s soccer reels in the honors
Head coach Kathleen Paulsen was tabbed Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the third time in her career, senior Caitlyn Logan earned Goalkeeper of the Year, Pam Seiler was named Freshman of the Year and junior Aubrey Mendez was voted as Defensive Player of the Year as eight John Brown University women’s soccer players were selected to the 2021 All-Sooner Athletic Conference teams, the league office announced Wednesday, Nov. 10.
Voted on by the league’s head coaches, sophomore Lauren Walter, senior Vanessa Reynoso, sophomore Ryan Winingham, and sophomore Aniyah Gibbs joined Mendez and Logan on the All-SAC first team listing. Seiler and senior Alair Love were named second-teamers.
In her ninth season at the helm, Paulsen led John Brown to its second straight Sooner Athletic regular season title – fourth overall – while piecing together consecutive undefeated seasons in league play. The Golden Eagles finished 9-00 again, allowing just three goals in nine matches (0.33 goals-against per game) and outscoring its opponents 36-3.
The Golden Eagles have enjoyed a top-10 ranking this entire season and have appeared in three consecutive NAIA National Championship fields.
Returning to the top goalkeeper slot in the conference, senior Caitlyn Logan finished a perfect 4-of-4 landing the Goalkeeper of the Year honors. Pacing the conference by allowing just three goals against (0.39) in SAC action, the native of Charlotte, N.C. completed two clean sheets and shared four others. While not conceding more than one goal against in any SAC contest this season, Logan stopped 15-of-18 shots sent her way (.833 save percentage).
Junior Aubrey Mendez, often tasked with marking the opposing striker, anchored a John Brown back line that conceded just .333 goals-against per game in Sooner Athletic play while outscoring the opponents by a 36-3 margin. The 2020 All-America third team selection started all nine contests and racked up 708 minutes on defense, second-most among all Golden Eagles.
After injury sidelined her in the spring, freshman Pam Seiler pieced together an incredible opening season by scoring seven goals in SAC play, totaling 16 points. The Rogers, Ark. native boasted three braces – versus Wayland Baptist (Texas), Texas Wesleyan and Southwestern Christian – and recorded one goal every 39 minutes played. She led all freshman in scoring and is John Brown’s second straight Freshman of the Year selection (Ryan Winingham).
Sophomore Lauren Walter returned to the SAC first team to lead the league in scoring with 20 points (seven goals, six assists), scoring game-winners against Wayland Baptist and Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas). Hailing from Centennial, Colo., she finished fourth with 18 shots on goal, averaging 2.00 per match. Bolstered by a pair of five-point outings, Walter recorded at least a point in eight of nine SAC matches this fall, including a pair of two-goal efforts.
Both Seiler and Water finished atop the SAC goalscoring leaderboard with seven goals apiece.
Helping Mendez on the back line was first-time selection Aniyah Gibbs. The Muskogee, Okla. product logged 624 minutes on defense, right behind Mendez. The duo combined to help John Brown shut down three of the nation’s top five scorers throughout the year and post six clean sheets in nine SAC matches.
Sophomore Ryan Winingham returns to the first team list for the second time in as many seasons after securing an All-America third team selection last season. The native of Highlands Ranch, Colo. started all nine SAC matches, posting three goals and four assists (10 points), including the game-winner in John Brown’s 4-0 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State. She logged 550 minutes in the midfield, launching 27 shot attempts, placing 10 on frame.
Senior Vanessa Reynoso spent 536 in the John Brown midfield, often commanding the Golden Eagle offense. From there, the Rogers, Ark. native passed out an SAC-leading eight assists in nine outings en route to her first first-team selection after landing on last season’s second team. From Oct. 9 through Oct. 26, Reynoso registered an assist in five straight matches.
Senior Alair Love returns to the SAC’s second team after racking up five goals and four assists (14 points) in nine matches. Besides scoring the game-winner versus Mid-America Christian (Okla.) in a 3-0 Golden Eagle victory, the Topeka, Kan. native boasted four goals in a five-match stretch from Oct. 16 through Oct. 30. Love logged the most minutes of any Golden Eagle in league play with 732.