Lavin, Kitagawa Highlight Seven AAC Award Recipients
Nov 03, 2024 | Women's Soccer
Headlining the awards for Memphis are Defender of the Year Finley Lavin and Freshman of the Year Ai Kitagawa. Momo Nakao joins Lavin as an All-AAC First Team honoree; Kitagawa was named to the Second Team alongside Anna Hauer, Ashley Henderson and Anne-Valerie Seto. Graduate midfielder Maddie Eskin was named to the third team.
Memphis also received the fair play award for having the fewest fouls, yellow cards and red cards during the conference season.
Lavin leads the Tigers this year with 1,422 minutes out of a possible 1,440. Playing as a central defender as well as a holding midfielder, she has been a crucial component of a defense that is ninth in the country in goals allowed (nine).
In her freshman campaign, Kitagawa has contributed a team-high-tying six goals and a team-high four assists. A five-time recipient of Freshman of the Week, she joins Anna Hauer (2023) as a winner of the award.
The Four-year Tiger Nakao adds another honor to her esteemed collection, having won the Midfielder of the Year award (2023) in addition to spots on the First Team (2023) and Second Team (2024). She has three goals and three assists and was the only unanimous First Team selection.
Hauer also has three goals and three assists playing on the left and right wings for the 11-1-4 Tigers. The 2023 Rookie of the Year also appeared on last season's Second Team in her freshman season.
The Memphis native Henderson is amid a strong sophomore campaign, as well, scoring six times and assisting twice. The Harding Academy alum scored the opening goal against Florida Atlantic and Rice in the month of October.
The senior midfielder Seto has been a mainstay at the base of the Tiger midfield for two seasons and counting, and her contributions in defense and attack resulted in a Second Team nod. The Montreal, Quebec, native has two goals and an assist in 1,372 minutes.
Eskin, a graduate transfer, has made a substantial impact since joining from Tennessee, with two goals and three assists including a game-winning dish against South Florida on Sept. 29. The Germantown native earned a Third Team selection in her final collegiate season.
The No. 19 Tigers will be back in action Monday, Nov. 4, taking on Tulsa in the AAC quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Offensive Player of the Year
Leah Chancey, Gr., M, Rice
Defensive Player of the Year
Finley Lavin, So., D, Memphis
Midfielder of the Year
Sadie Sider-Echenberg, Jr., South Florida
Goalkeeper of the Year
Leire Herraez Gallach, Jr., South Florida
Freshman of the Year
Ai Kitagawa, M/F, Memphis
Coaching Staff of the Year
Rice (Head Coach Brian Lee, Assistant Coaches Genessee Puntigam and Travis Curson, Goalkeeper Coach Bella Killgore)
Team Fair Play Award
Memphis
All-Conference First Team
Abbey Burns, Jr., M, UAB
Macey Bader, Sr., F, Charlotte
Sydney Smith, Gr., D, Charlotte
Sydney Schnell, Gr., F, East Carolina
Finley Lavin, So., D, Memphis
Momo Nakao, Sr., M, Memphis*
Rachel Roebuck, Gr., D/M/F, North Texas
Leah Chancey, Gr., M, Rice
Georgia Brown, Sr., D, South Florida
Leire Herraez Gallach, Jr., GK, South Florida
Sadie Sider-Echenberg, Jr., M, South Florida
All-Conference Second Team
Jette Zimmer, Jr., F, UAB
Abby Sowa, Sr., D, East Carolina
Jodi Smith, Sr., D, Florida Atlantic
Anna Hauer, So., F, Memphis
Ashley Henderson, So., F, Memphis
Anne-Valerie Seto, Sr., M, Memphis
Ai Kitagawa, Fr., M/F, Memphis
Faith Hutchins, Gr., GK, Rice
Anna Sutter, Sr., F, South Florida
Gentiana Fetaj, Jr., M, South Florida
Leah Diaz, So., F, Tulsa
All-Conference Third Team
Annabelle Abbott, M, East Carolina
Maeve English, Gr., GK, East Carolina
Juliana Viera, Jr., D, East Carolina
Michelle Horan, Jr., F, Florida Atlantic
Maddie Eskin, Gr., F, Memphis
Alexis Miller, So., M, North Texas
Claire Niedermeier, Fr., F, North Texas
Kat Lazor, Gr., D, Rice
Micahela Hill, So., F, South Florida
Phoebe Hollin, Sr., D, Temple
Sasjah Dade, Sr., D, UTSA
Blaine Schutte, Fr., F, Tulsa
All-Freshman Team
Louise Larsson, D, UAB
Reese Black, M, Charlotte
Caitlen-Star Dolan Boodram, F, East Carolina
Ai Kitagawa, M/F, Memphis
Ella Bushko, D, North Texas
Claire Niedermeier, F, North Texas
Lilly Reuscher, D, Rice
Sophia Cabral, F, South Florida
Brooke Fabri, M, South Florida
Addy Johnson, F, UTSA
Aniya Facen, F, Tulsa
Blaine Schutte, F, Tulsa
* denotes unanimous selection
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