LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference released its 2023 PSAC Women's Soccer All-Conference Teams and major award winners on Tuesday afternoon.
All-Conference Teams and major award winners are determined by a vote of the conference's head coaches.
West Chester's Faith Matter in the Eastern Division and Mercyhurst's Karah Van Horn in the Western Division were selected as Athletes of the Year. Defensive Players of the Year include Kutztown's Bridget Curtis (East) and Maddie Elbro (West), while the Freshmen of the Year choices were Kutztown's Kate Economopoulos in the East and Gannon's Brooklyn Respecki in the West.
The pair of 2023 PSAC Women's Soccer Coaches of the Year were Kutztown's Erik Burstein in the East and Mercyhurst's Richard Wall in the West.
Faith Matter was named Athlete of the Year in the East after earning PSAC Freshman of the Year honors after the conclusion of the 2022 season. She has tallied nine goals and nine assists in the fall season for 27 points, the fourth-highest total in the PSAC and most in the Eastern Division.
Kutztown's Bridget Curtis led a Golden Bears' defense that allowed only seven goals all season long, the lowest total in the conference and an average of .37 per game. She also chipped in with four goals in the regular season. Her teammate Kate Economopoulos was named Freshman of the Year thanks to seven goals and four assists for 18 total points, the second-most on the Golden Bears' squad. Kutztown head coach Erik Burstein was named Coach of the Year after guiding the team to an unbeaten 13-0-5 record in the regular season and No. 1 East seed in the 2023 PSAC Women's Soccer Championship.
In the Western Division, Mercyhurst's Karah Van Horn earned Athlete of the Year honors after a 2023 season in which she scored eight goals and assisted on 11 others. Lakers' teammate Maddie Elbro, the team's goalkeeper, was named Defensive Player of the Year and gave up just nine goals in the regular season, the lowest total in the West, and also tallied 55 saves and 10 shutouts (tied for the most in the PSAC.) Mercyhurst head coach Richard Wall earned Coach of the Year honors thanks to a 15-2-1 regular season (14-1-1 in conference play) and the No. 1 West seed in the 2023 PSAC Women's Soccer Championship.
Gannon's Brooklyn Respecki claimed Freshman of the Year honors after leading the PSAC in goals (12), assists (13), shots (102), and shots on goal (52).
For complete lists of all 2023 PSAC Women's Soccer All-Conference honorees, see below:
EASTERN DIVISION
Eastern Division Athlete of the Year: Faith Matter, West Chester
Eastern Division Defensive Player of the Year: Bridget Curtis, Kutztown
Eastern Division Freshman of the Year: Kate Economopoulos, Kutztown
Eastern Division Coach of the Year: Erik Burstein, Kutztown
PSAC Women's Soccer Eastern Division First Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Bridget Curtis** |
Jr. |
Kutztown |
Warrington, Pa. / Central Bucks South |
| Defense |
Jacqueline Graham^ |
So. |
West Chester |
Toms River, N.J. / Toms River North |
| Defense |
Erin Ranegan^ |
Jr. |
Bloomsburg |
Wilmington, Del. / Conrad School of Science |
| Defense |
Dana Wentz^ |
Sr. |
Kutztown |
Lancaster, Pa. / Conestoga Valley |
| Forward |
Evelyn Ciaccia^ |
Sr. |
Lock Haven |
Fairless Hills, Pa. / Pennsbury |
| Forward |
Alyson Cutter |
Jr. |
West Chester |
Warrington, PA / Central Bucks South |
| Forward |
Faith Matter* |
So. |
West Chester |
Middletown, Pa. / Middletown |
| Forward |
Caroline McDonald^ |
So. |
Kutztown |
Exton, Pa. / Downingtown East |
| Midfield |
Kate Economopoulos |
Fr. |
Kutztown |
Grantville, Pa. / Lower Dauphin |
| Midfield |
Lexy Endres |
Sr. |
Kutztown |
Medford, N.J. / Shawnee |
| Midfield |
Kaitlynn Haughey** |
Jr. |
West Chester |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Penn Charter |
| Midfield |
Rebecca Kotula* |
Gr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Wyomissing, Pa. / Wyomissing |
| Goalie |
Cassandra Baker |
Sr. |
Kutztown |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin |
PSAC Women's Soccer Eastern Division Second Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Taylar Luckenbill^ |
Sr. |
Mansfield |
Harrisburg, Pa. Central Dauphin |
| Defense |
Caitlin Norwood |
Jr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Collegeville, Pa. / Spring-Ford HS |
| Defense |
Brie Seaman* |
Gr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Brick, N.J. / Brick Memorial |
| Defense |
Kylie Sullivan^ |
Gr. |
Millersville |
Branchburg, N.J. / Somerville |
| Forward |
Nia Chinapoo |
Fr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin |
| Forward |
Isabel Coy |
So. |
Millersville |
York, Pa. / York Suburban |
| Forward |
Lydia Gable |
So. |
Shepherd |
Felton, Pa. / Kennard Dale |
| Forward |
Millie Smith |
Jr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Middletown, Md. / Middletown |
| Midfield |
Lauren Bull |
Sr. |
Bloomsburg |
Bloomsburg, Pa. / Central Columbia |
| Midfield |
Alivia Gallardo* |
Sr. |
Bloomsburg |
Cherry Hill, N.J. / Cherry Hill West |
| Midfield |
Julia Raybold |
Sr. |
West Chester |
Elizabethtown / Elizabethtown |
| Midfield |
Natalie Schooley |
Jr. |
East Stroudsburg |
Cherry Hill, N.J. / Paul VI |
| Goalie |
Samantha Merklin |
So. |
Mansfield |
Effort, Pa. Pleasant Valley |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection
---
WESTERN DIVISION
Western Division Athlete of the Year: Karah Van Horn, Mercyhurst
Western Division Defensive Player of the Year: Maddie Elbro, Mercyhurst
Western Division Freshman of the Year: Brooklyn Respecki, Gannon
Western Division Coach of the Year: Richard Wall, Mercyhurst
PSAC Women's Soccer Western Division First Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Taryn Baxter*** |
Gr. |
Mercyhurst |
Spokane, Wash. / East Valley High School |
| Defense |
Leah Bermudez^* |
Gr. |
Gannon |
Milton, Ontario, Canada / Jean Vanier Catholic |
| Defense |
Julia Csernyik |
Sr. |
IUP |
Stow, Ohio / Stow-Munroe Falls |
| Defense |
Hannah Shepard |
Fr. |
Gannon |
Erie, Pa. / McDowell |
| Forward |
Corinne Morgan |
Fr. |
Mercyhurst |
Port Republic, N.J / Cedar Creek High School |
| Forward |
Brooklyn Respecki |
Fr. |
Gannon |
McKean, Pa. / General McLane |
| Forward |
Hannah Scardina** |
Sr. |
IUP |
Indiana, Pa. / Indiana Area |
| Forward |
Karah Van Horn* |
Jr. |
Mercyhurst |
Granville, Ohio / Granville |
| Midfield |
Grace Emanuel |
Fr. |
Gannon |
Erie, Pa. / McDowell |
| Midfield |
Ella Fadale* |
So. |
Gannon |
Brockport, N.Y. / Brockport |
| Midfield |
Madison Hoover^ |
Gr. |
Mercyhurst |
Wattsburg, Pa. / Seneca High School |
| Midfield |
Haley Neidig^* |
R-Jr. |
Pitt-Johnstown |
South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area |
| Goalie |
Maddie Elbro*^ |
Sr. |
Mercyhurst |
Kinver, United Kingdom / Kinver High School |
PSAC Women's Soccer Western Division Second Team All-Conference
| Position |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown / Previous |
| Defense |
Faith Diffenbacher |
Jr. |
Slippery Rock |
Huron, Ohio / Huron |
| Defense |
Nina King** |
Jr. |
Slippery Rock |
Washington, Pa. / Trinity |
| Defense |
Brooke Riefenstahl*^ |
Sr. |
Slippery Rock |
Hellertown, Pa. / Saucon Valley |
| Defense |
Maddie Teakle |
Fr. |
Seton Hill |
Toowoomba, QLD,Australia / Harristown State |
| Forward |
Gabby Boden^ |
Jr. |
Gannon |
Butler, Pa. / Butler |
| Forward |
Sydney Patrick |
Sr. |
Slippery Rock |
Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield Area |
| Forward |
Morgan Sarver |
So. |
Slippery Rock |
Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area |
| Forward |
Emily Vogel |
So. |
Edinboro |
Elyria, Ohio / Elyria Catholic |
| Midfield |
Kilee Coatney |
Fr. |
Seton Hill |
Bonney Lake, WA / Bonney Lake |
| Midfield |
Emma Hays |
Fr. |
IUP |
Prospect, Pa. / Slippery Rock HS |
| Midfield |
Teagan Mehalko |
Jr. |
Mercyhurst |
Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park High School |
| Midfield |
Ashley Rea |
Gr. |
Slippery Rock |
Cranberry Township, Pa. / Seneca Valley |
| Goalie |
Morgan Sinan |
Sr. |
Gannon |
Cranberry Twp., Pa. / Seneca Valley |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection