OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second time in her illustrious career, Emma Rice of Science & Arts has been named the Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year.
Rice was also selected as the SAC offensive player of the year, marking the third consecutive year she has claimed the league's highest offensive honor.
SAC regular season champion John Brown raked in most of the honors as Aubrey Mendez claimed the defensive player of the year award, Caitlyn Logan notched her fourth straight goalkeeper of the year acclaim, Pam Seiler nabbed freshman of the year and Kathleen Paulsen was selected as the coach of the year.
In her first season with the Pioneers, Wayland Baptist's Reagan Cordell was selected as the newcomer of the year.
A junior forward from Moore, Okla., Rice has continued to be one of the elite scorers in the NAIA. The All-American striker currently ranks second in the country in goals scored (29) and total points (70). Rice also sits atop of the SAC in assists with 12, ranking 13th nationally.
During the season, Rice surpassed 100 goals in her four-year Drovers career and in the win over Wayland Baptist in the SAC semifinal notched her 40th career assist.
On the defensive side, Mendez has continued to lockdown the John Brown backfield. The starting center-back from Chino, Calif. has spearheaded the Golden Eagles defense that has allowed the third-lowest goals allowed average in the NAIA (0.29) while conceding 4.2 shots per game with just 2.2 landing on-goal.
In the few occasions the opposition were able to place on-target shots, Logan has been a stalwart in the box. The senior keeper from Charlotte, N.C. is in the midst of her best season in-goal, conceding just five shots for a 0.33 goals allowed average and has made 32 saves for an .865 save percentage.
Logan has also boasted eight shutouts during the 2021 campaign, bringing her career total 43 in her five seasons with the Golden Eagles.
In earning the SAC freshman of the year award, JBU's Pam Seiler has been one of the most prolific scorers in a balanced Golden Eagles offensive attack. The forward from Rogers, Ark. has netted the second-most goals on the team with seven while her four assists places her with 18 points, the third-most with the squad.
In garnering the newcomer of the year honor, WBU's Cordell has been one of the team's top scorers in the 2021 campaign. The freshman forward from Farmington, N.M. has pushed across four goals and dished out an assist for nine points, ranking third on the team in goals and points. Cordell has played a pivotal role in helping lead the Pioneers to a third-place finish in the SAC standings.
Earning her third coach of the year honor, Paulsen guided the Golden Eagles to their fourth league regular-season title after going undefeated in Sooner Athletic Conference play with a 9-0 mark. Paulsen has also led JBU to its sixth SAC tournament championship match in the past seven seasons.
So far in her nine seasons with JBU, Paulsen has amassed a 132-29-15 (.792) overall record and holds a 69-7-6 (.878) mark against SAC competition.
| 2021 All-Sooner Athletic Conference Women's Soccer |
| Player of the Year: Emma Rice, Science & Arts |
| Offensive Player of the Year: Emma Rice, Science & Arts |
| Defensive Player of the Year: Aubrey Mendez, John Brown |
| Newcomer of the Year: Reagan Cordell, Wayland Baptist |
| Freshman of the Year: Pam Seiler, John Brown |
| Goalkeeper of the Year: Caitlyn Logan, John Brown |
| Coach of the Year: Kathleen Paulsen, John Brown |
| FIRST TEAM |
| F |
Emma Rice |
Science & Arts |
Jr. |
Norman, Okla. |
| F |
Mackenzie Holub |
Science & Arts |
Jr. |
Edmond, Okla. |
| F |
Lauren Walter |
John Brown |
So. |
Centennial, Colo. |
| F |
Alicia Rey |
Science & Arts |
Fr. |
Valladolid, Spain |
| MF |
Kelsey Henry |
Mid-America Christian |
Sr. |
Arima, Trinidad & Tobago |
| MF |
Vanessa Reynoso |
John Brown |
Sr. |
Springdale, Ark. |
| MF |
Ryan Winingham |
John Brown |
So. |
Highlands Ranch, Colo. |
| MF |
Marga Franco |
Mid-America Christian |
Sr. |
Palma de Mallorca, Spain |
| D |
Aubrey Mendez |
John Brown |
Jr. |
Chino, Calif. |
| D |
Makena Wood |
Science & Arts |
Sr. |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
| D |
Dixie Anderson |
Mid-America Christian |
Sr. |
Shawnee, Okla. |
| D |
Aniyah Gibbs |
John Brown |
So. |
Muskogee, Okla. |
| GK |
Caitlyn Logan |
John Brown |
Sr. |
Charlotte, N.C. |
| GK |
Zoe Boldt |
SW Assemblies of God |
So. |
Midlothian, Texas |
| SECOND TEAM |
| F |
Pam Seiler |
John Brown |
RS Fr. |
Rogers, Ark. |
| F |
Alexa Riddle |
Central Christian |
Sr. |
Garden Grove, Calif. |
| F |
Kyleigh Rushing |
Mid-America Christian |
Jr. |
Moore, Okla. |
| F |
Nahoma Olivia |
Southwestern Christian |
Fr. |
Guatemala |
| MF |
Alair Love |
John Brown |
Sr. |
Topeka, Kan. |
| MF |
Thais Silva |
Science & Arts |
Sr. |
São Paulo, Brazil |
| MF |
Laura Barrantes |
Science & Arts |
So. |
Bogota, Colombia |
| MF |
Madi Caputo |
Oklahoma City |
Sr. |
Broken Arrow, Okla. |
| D |
Bianca Roman |
Wayland Baptist |
Sr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| D |
Danielle Trought |
Texas Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Aledo, Texas |
| D |
Lisette Whiteside |
Central Christian |
Sr. |
Issaquah, Wash. |
| D |
Paige Graham |
Oklahoma City |
Sr. |
El Reno, Okla. |
| GK |
Kanade Morita |
Wayland Baptist |
Fr. |
Chigasaki, Kanagawa, Japan |
| GK |
Jennifer Starwalt |
Mid-America Christian |
Sr. |
Moore, Okla. |