FRISCO, Texas - As Lamar University's soccer squad is set to defend their Southland Conference tournament title, they have been reminded of what a remarkable season they have had to this point. The SLC have unveiled their all-conference awards and 10 of the Cardinals plus their head coach were honored. The 10 all-conference honors were not only the most in the SLC this season, but this sets a new school record for most all-conference honors and tied the conference record along with the 2021 Northwestern State women's soccer team.

Big Red earned five of the eight superlative awards from the SLC and leading this honor was Hollie Massey. Tabbed as SLC player of the year and a season removed from playing just two games, the Chesire, England native was LU's top point scorer with 22 points while tallying six goals and dishing out a conference best 10 assists and average 2.0 shots per game. Among her top performances was a five-point night (two goals, one assist) against Nicholls in which she scored one of her three game-winners for the season. Massey would earn two offensive player of the week awards.

For the second straight year, Nicole Panis (Opmeer, Netherlands) was tabbed as the goalkeeper of the year. Starting in all 18 games this year, Panis conceded a conference low nine goals for an an SLC-best .509 goals against average and ranks second in overall save percentage. Along the way, she did so while posting 10 clean sheets tying the all-time school record. Speaking of school records, Panis recorded 59 saves this season, which broke LU's all-time school record for saves previously set at 328. A season-high 13 saves came against then #17 Xavier where Panis would help ignite a 1-0 upset victory. This would garner her one of two SLC goalkeeper of the week honors and national recognition as Top Drawer Soccer's player and national team of the week.

Another repeat winner came from Arely Alaniz, who for the second consecutive season was tabbed as defender of the year. Helping LU to a program best 11 shutouts, the Deer Park native scored one goal against Houston Christian while dishing out three assists. Her defense has not only helped keep opponents to just over half a goal per game, but did give her an SLC defensive player of the week award on Sep. 19th following LU's upset win over XU.  

Alana Clark became LU's third ever Midfielder of the Year joining Juliana Ocampo (2018), and Madison Ledet (2020). This season, the Austin junior scored twice with a goal against HCU and Texas A&M-Commerce all while appearing in nearly 1500 minutes.

Together, Massey (two-time), Panis (three-time), Alaniz (two-time), and Alana Clark were four of the seven Cardinal members named to the SLC All-Conference First Team. The other three were Cariel Ellis, Isela Ramirez, and Kaisa Juvonen.

Ellis was LU's leading goal scorer with seven while she led the conference with five game-winning goals. One of those game-winners came against XU for which she earned College Soccer News Team of the Week recognition. The graduate student from Madison, Miss., earned two SLC offensive player of the week honors this season.

Ramirez (Pflugerville) tied for second on LU with six goals and picked up an assist against Tarleton (9/3/23) and Southeastern Louisiana (10/27/23). Two of those goals were game-winners and were made among 19 shots.

Juvonen is the only four-time all-conference selection for LU and one of two for the conference. The Finn from Tampere helped contribute to nine of LU's 11 shutouts while also scoring a goal and recording an assist against SLU (10/27/23).

The Cardinals also have three second team members including Caragan Childs, Trinity Clark, and Maddie Janolo. In her first season at Beaumont, Childs (Sumrall, Miss.) spent 1545 minutes helping LU's defense to 11 shutouts. She would collect an assist against Southern (9/7/23) on a goal scored by Ramirez while also taking two shots on goal herself.

Trinity Clark collected her second straight second team honor from the SLC. The Austin resident collected two assists and scored a game-winning goal at McNeese (10/8/23). Along the way, nine of her 13 shots were on goal. Janolo, who hails from Denton, received her first career SLC all-conference honor after scoring three times and also dishing out an assist against SU (9/7.23) on Ellis' goal.

Head coach Nathan Kogut became the first coach to win back-to-back SLC Coach of the Year honors since Wally Crittenden of Stephen F. Austin won three straight honors between 2013 and 2015. This season, he has coached LU to a 14-2-2 record and a 9-0-1 conference to secure 28 out of 30 points in SLC play. Under Kogut, the Cardinals scored 23 goals while conceding six in the conference, which were league totals.

The Cardinals will wait until Friday to start their conference tournament. At 7:00 pm, they will take on the winner of Northwestern State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 

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