(WIAC) MADISON, Wis.–The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced the 2024 All-WIAC Women’s Soccer Team that was selected by the league coaches.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Ellie Arndt and Alexis McMahon were selected the Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year and Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, while UW-Platteville’s Madison Way, UW-River Falls’ Grace Zellmer and UW-Stevens Point’s Erika Panella shared Kwik Trip Goalkeeper of the Year honors. In addition, UW-Oshkosh’s Ryley Meenk was named the Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year, while UW-La Crosse was tabbed the Kwik Trip Coaching Staff of the Year.
Arndt secured the honor for the second straight year and is the fourth individual in program history to claim the Offensive Player of the Year award, joining Margaret Harings (2017, 2018), Sophie Amundson (2021) and Ainsley Allan (2022). Arndt received first team status for the third consecutive season and is second in the WIAC with eight assists, tied for seventh with 16 points and 10th with 22 shots on goal.
McMahon is the first individual in WIAC history to claim the Defensive Player of the Year award three straight years. She is a four-time All-WIAC first team selection. McMahon is tied for fourth in the conference with six assists.
Way, Zellmer and Panella have each recorded six shutouts on the season. Way tops the conference with an .867 goals against average, while Zellmer owns a WIAC-best 114 saves. Panella is second in both categories with an 1.027 goals against average and 84 saves.
Meenk is the third Titan to receive the Newcomer of the Year honor, joining Molly Jackson (2021) and Lauren Silvestri (2023). Meenk started all 16 matches for the Titans and scored one goal. She was one of three freshmen on the first team. A newcomer is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in women’s soccer this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in women’s soccer at their previous institution.
Repeat selections on the first team from the 2023 campaign included: UW-Eau Claire’s Paige Crawford and Elise Pinewski; UW-La Crosse’s Addie Pauling; UW-Platteville’s Arianna Lombardi and Lydia Smith; UW-Stevens Point’s Gabby Dunn and Mara Gustafson; and UW-Whitewater’s Emily Thill. In 2022, Pauling, Pinewski, Smith and Thill claimed first team accolades with UW-La Crosse’s Ellie Behnke and UW-Whitewater’s Juliana Madonia.
Coaching Staff of the Year distinction was presented to UW-La Crosse after claiming the regular-season title for the third consecutive season. The Eagles extended their unbeaten streak against WIAC opponents to 22 contests (21-0-1). The coaching staff includes: head coach Jason Murphy; assistant coaches Joe Czerniak and Lauren Johnson; and student assistant coach Kenny Lloyd.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was announced for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each team as selected by that team.
2024 All-WIAC Women’s Soccer Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Ellie Arndt, La Crosse, Senior, Midfielder, Appleton, Wis. (St. Xavier)
Ellie Behnke, La Crosse, Senior, Midfielder, Appleton, Wis. (East)
Paige Crawford, Eau Claire, Junior, Defender, Elk River, Minn. (Elk River)
Gabby Dunn, Stevens Point, Senior, Forward, Dallas, Texas (Bishop Lynch)
Chelsea Gale, La Crosse, Senior, Midfielder, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Mara Gustafson, Stevens Point, Senior, Defender, Green Bay, Wis. (Bay Port)
Molly Henderson, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, Duluth, Minn. (East)
Ellie Ketcher, River Falls, Sophomore, Midfielder, Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson)
Arianna Lombardi, Platteville, Senior, Midfielder, Bourbonnais, Ill. (Bradley Bourbonnais)
Juliana Madonia, Whitewater, Senior, Defender, Schaumburg, Ill. (James B. Conant)
Alexis McMahon, La Crosse, Senior, Defender, San Jose, Calif. (Valley Christian)
Ryley Meenk, Oshkosh, Freshman, Defender, Waukesha, Wis. (South)
Jess Morawski, Platteville, Sophomore, Midfielder, Tinley Park, Ill. (Victor J. Andrew)
Erika Panella, Stevens Point, Freshman, Goalkeeper, Waukesha, Wis. (Kettle Moraine)
Addie Pauling, La Crosse, Senior, Defender, Appleton, Wis. (West)
Elise Pinewski, Eau Claire, Senior, Forward, Anoka, Minn. (Anoka)
Jillian Sawadski, La Crosse, Sophomore, Forward, Mount Prospect, Ill. (Prospect)
Madyson Shew, River Falls, Senior, Forward, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
Lydia Smith, Platteville, Senior, Forward, Troy, Ill. (Triad)
Emily Thill, Whitewater, Senior, Midfielder, West Chicago, Ill. (St. Francis)
Madison Way, Platteville, Sophomore, Goalkeeper, Blaine, Minn. (Blaine)
Kayla White, Stout, Freshman, Midfielder, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)
Grace Zellmer, River Falls, Senior, Goalkeeper, Blaine, Minn. (Spring Lake Park)
Honorable Mention
Vanessa Grunwald, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, Suamico, Wis. (Pulaski)
Piper Hanley, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Defender, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)
Sophie Hubbard, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, De Pere, Wis. (De Pere)
Haley James, River Falls, Senior, Defender, Stillwater, Minn. (Mahtomedi)
Ella Kemp, Stout, Junior, Defender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cedar Falls)
Valerie Leonard, River Falls, Sophomore, Defender, Mankato, Minn. (West)
Sophie Pope, La Crosse, Senior, Defender, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson)
Rosie Rojewski, Oshkosh, Senior, Defender, Cary, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Emma Sauriol, Oshkosh, Senior, Goalkeeper, New Lenox, Ill. (Lincoln-Way Central)
Lexi Ward, Platteville, Sophomore, Defender, Eldridge, Iowa (North Scott)
Jasmine Wilson, Whitewater, Freshman, Midfielder, Sussex, Wis. (Sussex-Hamilton)
All-Sportsmanship Team
Jessica Camarato, Stevens Point, Senior, Midfielder, DeForest, Wis. (DeForest)
Lauren Chukel, Stout, Senior, Midfielder, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson)
Josie Ellingson, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, Apple Valley, Minn. (Eastview)
Lizzy Hanstedt, La Crosse, Senior, Defender, Racine, Wis. (Horlick)
Payton Navis, Whitewater, Senior, Defender, Cedar Grove, Wis. (Cedar Grove-Belgium)
Regan Schweitzer, River Falls, Senior, Midfielder, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Shannon Walsh, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Defender, Des Plaines, Ill. (Maine West)
Samantha Yexley, Platteville, Senior, Defender, Jesup, Iowa (Jesup)
Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year: Ellie Arndt – La Crosse
Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year: Alexis McMahon – La Crosse
Kwik Trip Tri-Goalkeepers of the Year: Erika Panella – Stevens Point and Madison Way – Platteville and Grace Zellmer – River Falls
Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year: Ryley Meenk – Oshkosh
Kwik Trip Coaching Staff of the Year: La Crosse
Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete: Ellie Arndt – La Crosse
Comments