WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU Soccer earned some well-deserved hardware at the GAC women's soccer awards banquet. Four out of the five specialty awards were given to Bulldog players or coaches. 10 were also named to All-GAC teams.
 
Alimata Rabo took home GAC Offensive Player of the Year. This is the third time in her illustrious SWOSU career to earn this honor. She was unanimously named to the All-GAC First Team, which is also the fourth time in her career she has been named to this team. She is now one of six players in GAC women's soccer history to be a four-time All-GAC First Team player. She ended the regular season with 13 goals, two assists, 28 points scored, as well as setting numerous SWOSU soccer records along the way.
 
Tianna Watkins claimed the GAC Defensive Player of the Year. This is her first player of the year honor in her four-year Bulldog career. Watkins made All-GAC First Team in addition to winning this award. Her impact on the backline of the best defense in the conference couldn't be measured on the stat sheet. The SWOSU defense gave up a league best 18 goals in 18 games this season. What makes this award even more impressive is that she was classified as a forward up to this season. She even made All-GAC Honorable Mention as a forward in 2021.
 
Reece Gudelj-Cox was the GAC Newcomer of the Year. The Albuquerque native played well from her defender position as a freshman. Her consistent presence as a tough defender helped plague opposing offenses all season. This is the first of hopefully many GAC awards to come in her Bulldog tenure.
 
Coach Mark Persson won GAC Coach of the Year. Under his direction, SWOSU won the GAC regular season title for the third time in four years. This is the fourth time in his Bulldog career to win GAC Coach of the Year (2012, 2016, 2019).
 
Rabo and Watkins were joined by Sola Tsuruta, Desiree Rodriguez, and Ashley Hughes on All-GAC First Team. Micaella Swain and Claire Torry were named to All-GAC Second Team. Brianna Benitez, Laura Jorgensen, and Lilly Zeppenfeld made the All-GAC Honorable Mention Team. Kirstyn Dill and Brenna McGuirk also took home GAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete awards.
 
The Dawgs will start the postseason tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 pm when they take on Northwestern Oklahoma State at the SWOSU Athletic Complex.
 
2022 All-Great American Conference Women's Soccer Awards (PDF)
 
GAC Offensive Player of the Year:
Alimata Rabo, Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
GAC Midfielder of the Year:
Jaymee Dotson, Ouachita Baptist
 
GAC Defensive Player of the Year:
Tianna Watkins, Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
GAC Newcomer of the Year:
Reece Gudelj-Cox, Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
GAC Coach of the Year:
Mark Persson, Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
GAC Elite Scholar Athlete:
Felicia Bueno, Northwestern Oklahoma State
 
GAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes:
Sydne Edmiston, Northwestern Oklahoma State
Callie Haneborg, Northwestern Oklahoma State
Maggie Koster, Northwestern Oklahoma State
Faith Nino, Northwestern Oklahoma State
Katie Fowler, Oklahoma Baptist
Maddison Williams, Oklahoma Baptist
Jaymee Dotson, Ouachita Baptist
Sydni Perry, Ouachita Baptist
Fernanda Valencia, Ouachita Baptist
Kirstyn Dill, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Brenna McGuirk, Southwestern Oklahoma State
 
2022 ALL-GAC WOMEN'S SOCCER FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
 * F Alimata Rabo Southwestern Oklahoma State Sr. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
F Jamie Fowler Ouachita Baptist Sr. Mesquite, Texas
F Katie Fowler Oklahoma Baptist Sr. Norman, Oklahoma
* M Jaymee Dotson Ouachita Baptist Sr. Princeton, Texas
M Abbie Morris East Central So. London, England
M Kaylee Swaner Oklahoma Baptist Jr. Rockwall, Texas
M Sola Tsuruta Southwestern Oklahoma State So. Nelson, New Zealand
D Tanja Bauböck East Central So. Munderfing, Austria
D Abbey Moore Ouachita Baptist So. Maumelle, Arkansas
D Desiree Rodriguez Southwestern Oklahoma State Jr. Forney, Texas
D Tianna Watkins Southwestern Oklahoma State Jr. Arlington, Texas
D Maddison Williams Oklahoma Baptist Sr. Allen, Texas
GK Ashley Hughes Southwestern Oklahoma State So. Sydney, Australia
 
2022 ALL-GAC WOMEN'S SOCCER SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
F Briley-Anne Brown Harding Jr. Bartlesville, Oklahoma
F Tiara Campbell Northwestern Oklahoma State So. Apple Valley, California
F Micaella Swain Southwestern Oklahoma State Jr. McKinney, Texas
F Gracen Turner Ouachita Baptist Sr. Cabot, Arkansas
M Kailani Kealoha Northwestern Oklahoma State Sr. Pa'ia, Hawaii
M Sydni Perry Ouachita Baptist Jr. McKinney, Texas
M Caitlann Potter Harding So. Cabot, Arkansas
M Claire Torry Southwestern Oklahoma State Jr. Chatham, Illinois
D Kim Barcenas Harding So. Carrolton, Texas
D Abbey Inman Ouachita Baptist So. Bryant, Arkansas
D Kaitlyn Morphy Northwestern Oklahoma State Sr. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
D Taylor Songster Northwestern Oklahoma State Jr. Elkhorn, Nebraska
GK Michele Snow Ouachita Baptist Jr. North Richland Hills, Texas
 
2022 ALL-GAC WOMEN'S SOCCER HONORABLE MENTION TEAM
Pos. Name School Year Hometown
F Kaylee Bruce East Central Jr. Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
F Abby Nunez Northwestern Oklahoma State Sr. Las Vegas, Nevada
F Paige Owens Ouachita Baptist Fr. Mansfield, Texas
F Josie Van Pelt Southern Nazarene Fr. Mansfield, Texas
F Melissa Ventura Harding Sr. Hoschton, Georgia
F Fallon Weatherford Southern Nazarene Fr. Forney, Texas
M Brianna Benitez Southwestern Oklahoma State Jr. Irving, Texas
M Jocelyn Caracheo East Central Sr. Royse City, Texas
M Laura Jorgensen Southwestern Oklahoma State Fr. Odense, Denmark
M Karla Ramirez Southern Nazarene So. Dallas, Texas
M Hayley Wolfe Ouachita Baptist So. Murphy, Texas
D Aaliyah Acevedo Northwestern Oklahoma State Jr. Aurora, Colorado
D McKenna Moore Harding Sr. Sherwood, Arkansas
D Avery Pyle Southern Nazarene Fr. League City, Texas
D Sophia Valencia Ouachita Baptist So. Lawton, Oklahoma
D Lilly Zeppenfeld Southwestern Oklahoma State Fr. Heimfeld, Germany
GK McKenna Leveling East Central So. Ft. Worth, Texas