University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew A. Smith
Tigers Sweep American Athletic Conference Honors; Nine Named to All-Conference Teams
Oct 30, 2023 | Women's Soccer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis women's soccer team swept the 2023 American Athletic Conference Awards with five earning individual honors, nine named to All-Conference Teams and Brooks Monaghan and staff being named as the Coaching Staff of the Year, the conference announced Monday.
"I'm extremely proud of the entire team for all the awards that were received," Monaghan said. "They were all well-deserved but none of them could have been accomplished without the support of others. I hope this gives the entire group the confidence and belief it takes to win a conference championship."
Coming in as the unanimous choice, Mya Jones was named as the Offensive Player of the Year following her nine goals and 11 assists this season. Jones, who notched 17 of her 29 points during AAC play, recorded two game-winning goals and three multi-goal games while leading the conference in assists per game, points per game, total assists and total points.
Haylee Spray was named as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring the Tiger backline to 12 shutouts this season while holding conference opponents to single-digit shots in seven of the nine matches. Spray led the Memphis defense to only one goal allowed during its conference slate and just five over the entire season.
The Midfielder of the Year honor went to Momo Nakao following her five goal and four assist 2023 season. The junior recorded the game-winning goals against Kansas State, UT Martin and Charlotte while assisting on the game-winning strike over Ohio State.
Junior Kaylie Bierman was named as the Goalkeeper of the Year after a spectacular season between the pipes. Bierman, who racked up a 13-1 record with seven solo shutouts, allowed just four goals in over 1,150 minutes of work while boasting an NCAA-best 0.313 goals-against average to close out the regular season. In conference play, Bierman went a perfect 8-0 while making 16 saves and allowing just one goal during that time.
Anna Hauer, the AAC's 2023 Co-Rookie of the Year, had a breakout start to her collegiate career; Hauer finished the regular season with seven goals and three assists with three of her strikes serving as the game-winning goal. A standout during conference play, Hauer would record five of her goals in the nine-game span while ranking at the top of the AAC in shot accuracy.
Six Memphis Tigers were named to the All-AAC First Team; Bierman, Jones, Nakao and Spray were joined by Saorla Miller and Grace Stordy while Hauer was named to the All-AAC Second Team.
The Tiger freshmen continue to make a name for themselves with Hauer, Honoka Hamano and Finley Lavin being named to the All-Rookie Team. Hauer was a unanimous decision.
Monaghan and staff were honored as the Coaching Staff of the Year following the best season for the Tigers since 2011. Memphis finished the regular season 15-1 with a perfect 9-0 mark in AAC play – the first time in program and conference history – while claiming the AAC West Division. The 12-game winning streak the team is currently on marks the longest unblemished streak since the 2011 season while also boasting a 19-match undefeated home streak that dating back to Oct. 2021.
The Tigers finished the regular season outscoring its opponents 42-5, the second-best goal differential in Division I, while leading the country with its 0.312 goals-against average.
See the full list of award winners at TheAmerican.org.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
"I'm extremely proud of the entire team for all the awards that were received," Monaghan said. "They were all well-deserved but none of them could have been accomplished without the support of others. I hope this gives the entire group the confidence and belief it takes to win a conference championship."
Coming in as the unanimous choice, Mya Jones was named as the Offensive Player of the Year following her nine goals and 11 assists this season. Jones, who notched 17 of her 29 points during AAC play, recorded two game-winning goals and three multi-goal games while leading the conference in assists per game, points per game, total assists and total points.
Haylee Spray was named as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring the Tiger backline to 12 shutouts this season while holding conference opponents to single-digit shots in seven of the nine matches. Spray led the Memphis defense to only one goal allowed during its conference slate and just five over the entire season.
The Midfielder of the Year honor went to Momo Nakao following her five goal and four assist 2023 season. The junior recorded the game-winning goals against Kansas State, UT Martin and Charlotte while assisting on the game-winning strike over Ohio State.
Junior Kaylie Bierman was named as the Goalkeeper of the Year after a spectacular season between the pipes. Bierman, who racked up a 13-1 record with seven solo shutouts, allowed just four goals in over 1,150 minutes of work while boasting an NCAA-best 0.313 goals-against average to close out the regular season. In conference play, Bierman went a perfect 8-0 while making 16 saves and allowing just one goal during that time.
Anna Hauer, the AAC's 2023 Co-Rookie of the Year, had a breakout start to her collegiate career; Hauer finished the regular season with seven goals and three assists with three of her strikes serving as the game-winning goal. A standout during conference play, Hauer would record five of her goals in the nine-game span while ranking at the top of the AAC in shot accuracy.
Six Memphis Tigers were named to the All-AAC First Team; Bierman, Jones, Nakao and Spray were joined by Saorla Miller and Grace Stordy while Hauer was named to the All-AAC Second Team.
The Tiger freshmen continue to make a name for themselves with Hauer, Honoka Hamano and Finley Lavin being named to the All-Rookie Team. Hauer was a unanimous decision.
Monaghan and staff were honored as the Coaching Staff of the Year following the best season for the Tigers since 2011. Memphis finished the regular season 15-1 with a perfect 9-0 mark in AAC play – the first time in program and conference history – while claiming the AAC West Division. The 12-game winning streak the team is currently on marks the longest unblemished streak since the 2011 season while also boasting a 19-match undefeated home streak that dating back to Oct. 2021.
The Tigers finished the regular season outscoring its opponents 42-5, the second-best goal differential in Division I, while leading the country with its 0.312 goals-against average.
See the full list of award winners at TheAmerican.org.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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