CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced its 2023 women's soccer All-MAC teams, its Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year on Tuesday, as voted by the league's head coaches.
Western Michigan’s Lewis Robinson was named MAC Coach of the Year, while Ball State’s Lexi Fraley was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Western Michigan’s Mira Pierre-Webster took home Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Lauren Boafo picked up Goalkeeper of the Year recognition. Eastern Michigan’s Kate Robinson rounded out the Speciality Awards by being named the Freshman of the Year.
Western Michigan finished MAC play with an undefeated record, becoming the fifth team in league history to accomplish that feat. With that, Robinson was named the conference's Coach of the Year. Robinson took the Broncos from just five wins last season to a 12-3-3 record in 2023. He is just the second WMU head coach to earn the award (Nate Norman, 2015). WMU hasn't had six players land on the All-MAC Teams since the 2015 season. That year, the Brown and Gold won 16 games, claimed the MAC Tournament Championship and made the NCAA Tournament.
Fraley, who became the first player in program history to earn MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors, was a dominating force on the front line during league play for Ball State, scoring nine of her 10 goals this season against MAC foes. Those nine goals tied as the most for any player in league action, while she also ranked atop the MAC in points (20), shots (38) and shots on goal (23) in league play. A First Team All-MAC selection in each of the past two seasons, Fraley is the sixth player in program history to record double-digit goals in a season, with her 10 goals currently ranked 37th nationally. Fraley, who scored braces in league matches versus Kent State (Oct. 5), at Buffalo (Oct. 8) and versus Central Michigan (Oct. 26), also currently leads all league players in shots (59) and shots on goal (30) for the entire season. Her opening goal versus CMU proved to be the match winner and helped the Cardinals secure the No. 3 seed and a home quarterfinal match in the MAC Women’s Soccer Championship. A member of the 2021 MAC All-Freshman Team, Fraley also collected three assists on the year, with two coming in league play. She was named MAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10.
Pierre-Webster doesn't show up much on the stat sheet, finishing the season with one assist. However, her presence on defense help stabilize the best back line in the conference. The junior defender helped the Broncos limit opponents to just 63 shots (33 on goal) in 11 MAC games this season. Additionally, the Broncos allowed just six goals in league action. Pierre-Webster is the first Defensive Player of the Year selection in program history and she has made the All-MAC Team in back-to-back seasons.
Boafo was stellar in net all season, posting an 8-0-3 record, 0.55 goals against average and .818 save percentage to go along with six shutouts. Boafo led the league in clean sheets and wins, while tying for the conference lead in goals against average. Boafo is the first Bronco to win the league's Goalkeeper of the Year Award in program history.
Robinson tallied 13 points during the 2023 season, including three goals and a MAC-leading seven assists. Robinson was the first freshman Eagle in 16 years to record seven assists and the first EMU player with seven-plus assists since 2013. Robinson had a two-assist output against Purdue Fort-Wayne, Sept. 7, in addition to netting the game-winning penalty kick in the 73rd minute against Central Michigan, Sept. 21.
In addition, the All-MAC First Team & Second Team was announced, as well as the All-Freshman squad.
The MAC Women's Soccer Championship semifinals will take place on Thursday as No. 1 Western Michigan takes on No. 4 Kent State at 2 pm ET (ESPN+), while No. 2 Bowling Green will face off against No. 6 Ohio at 11:00 AM ET (ESPN+). The winner will take home the MAC title and will earn a spot in the upcoming NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament.
2023 MAC Women's Soccer Postseason Specialty Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Lewis Robinson, Western Michigan
Offensive Player of the Year: Lexi Fraley, Ball State
Defensive Player of the Year: Mira Pierre-Webster, Western Michigan
Goalkeeper of the Year: Lauren Boafo, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Kate Robinson, Eastern Michigan
All-MAC First Team
Forward: Lexi Fraley, Ball State
Forward: Avery Fenchel, Ball State
Forward: Brynn Gardner, Bowling Green
Forward: Jen Blitchok, Western Michigan
Midfielder: Katie Krohn, Buffalo
Midfielder: Alisa Arthur, Kent State
Midfielder: Abby Werthman, Western Michigan
Defender: Isabelle Gilmore, Bowling Green
Defender: Kelsey Salopek, Kent State
Defender: Mira Pierre-Webster, Western Michigan
Goalkeeper: Lauren Boafo, Western Michigan
All-MAC Second Team
Forward: Arianna Zumpano, Buffalo
Forward: Shae Robertson, Ohio
Forward: Jenna Blackburn, Western Michigan
Midfielder: Delaney Caldwell, Ball State
Midfielder: Leah Wengender, Buffalo
Midfielder: Camber Hayes, Miami
Defender: Lea Gruennagel, Northern Illinois
Defender: Aubrey Robertson, Northern Illinois
Defender: Quintin Tostevin, Ohio
Defender: Brielle Gomez, Western Michigan
Goalkeeper: Celeste Sloma, Ohio
All-Freshman Team
Audrey Goodyear, Ball State
Emma Stransky, Bowling Green
Taylor Green, Bowling Green
Maya Galko, Buffalo
Kate Robinson, Eastern Michigan
Olivia Sipsock, Eastern Michigan
Alanna Raimondo, Kent State
Josie Morgan, Kent State
Dominique Popa, Miami
Morhea Hoefen, Miami
Tyra King, Northern Illinois
Jaimason Brooker, Ohio
