It’s déjà vu all over again, as Texas Tech’s Janine Beckie (Offensive Player of the Year) and West Virginia’s Kadeisha Buchanan (Defensive Player of the Year) earned the top two Big 12 soccer accolades for the second straight season. Buchanan is actually named top defender for the third year in a row, while Mountaineer mentor Nikki Izzo-Brown earned Big 12 Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive campaign. Lauren Piercy of Baylor and Bianca St. Georges of West Virginia shared the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award.
Beckie tied for the Big 12 lead in points (24) and goals (10) while placing second with 86 shots. In conference play, she topped the Big 12 in all three categories with seven goals, 14 points and 52 shots.
Buchanan is the first player in Big 12 history to win three straight defensive honors. The junior anchored a WVU defense that recorded 13 shutouts, five more than the next-closest league squad.
Piercy tied for fifth in the Big 12 with six goals, a total that matched the most for any league freshmen. St. Georges was part of the stout Mountaineer defense that surrendered only three total goals in seven conference matches and posted four shutouts.
Izzo-Brown is the first mentor in Big 12 history to win coaching accolades in four straight years. The Mountaineers won their fourth consecutive Big 12 regular season championship, the first squad in league history to win four outright crowns in a row.
The Conference also announced its All-Big 12 First and Second Team selections, as well as the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. There were six repeat first team choices from a year ago, while two student-athletes were unanimous selections.
Offensive Player of the Year
Janine Beckie, Texas Tech
Defensive Player of the Year
Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia**
Freshmen of the Year
Lauren Piercy, Baylor
Bianca St. Georges, West Virginia
Coach of the Year
Nikki Izzo-Brown, West Virginia
All-Big 12 First Team
GK - Abby Smith, Texas, Sr.
D - Bobbi Clemmer, TCU, Sr.
D - Maggie Bedillion, West Virginia, Sr.
D - Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia, Jr.**
MF - Liana Salazar, Kansas, Sr.
MF - Allie Stephenson, Oklahoma State, Sr.
MF - Ashley Lawrence, West Virginia, Jr.
F - Janine Beckie, Texas Tech, Sr.**
F - Michaela Abam, West Virginia, So.
F - Kailey Utley, West Virginia, Sr.
U - Koree Willer, Iowa State, Jr.
All-Big 12 Second Team
GK - Hannah Steadman, West Virginia, Sr.
D - Rachel Ressler, Oklahoma, Jr.
D - Natalie Calhoun, Oklahoma State, Jr.
D - Bianca St. Georges, West Virginia, Fr.
MF - Michelle Prokof, TCU, Jr.
MF - Alli Murphy, Texas Tech, Sr.
MF - Amanda Hill, West Virginia, Sr.
F - Lauren Piercy, Baylor, Fr.
F - Courtney Dike, Oklahoma State, Jr.
F - Emma Heckendorn, TCU, So.
F - Alexa Adams, Texas, Fr.
U - Carla Portillo, West Virginia, So.
Big 12 All-Freshman Team
Amanda Hoglund, Baylor, F, Fr.
Julie James, Baylor, MF, Fr.
Sarah King, Baylor, F, Fr.
Lauren Piercy, Baylor, F, Fr.
Parker Roberts, Kansas, MF, Fr.
Kaylee Dao, Oklahoma, MF, Fr.
Marlo Zoller, Oklahoma State, F, Fr.
Alexa Adams, Texas, F, Fr.
Mikayla Flores, Texas, F, Fr.
Nia Gordon, West Virginia, F, Fr.
Bianca St. Georges, West Virginia, D, Fr.
** - Unanimous selection
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes
A tie in the voting created an additional Freshman of the Year and forward position on the second team