CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- For the second time in three seasons, head coach Gavin McKinney and senior defender Maggie Shaw earned top honors from the Southern Conference Coaches.
 
McKinney was named the Southern Conference Coach of the year for the second time in his career at Chattanooga. His first was the COVID season (spring 2021) when the Mocs finished third in the league standings, its best in program history at that time. This season, he guided the Mocs to it's first-ever Southern Conference title with a 5-1-3 league mark.
 
Shaw is also a repeat award winner as the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Her first came in the spring 2021 season as well when UTC held opponents to just five goals on the year. This season, the Mocs held it's SoCon opponents to just five goals and recorded five shutouts.
 
Shaw earned a spot on the first team alongside fellow captain Mackenzie Smith. Smith led the Mocs in scoring this season with five goals, two game-winners, and one assist. She scored the game winner against Western Carolina with just three seconds left in the match and headed home the game-tying goal at Furman to secure Chattanooga's first-ever Southern Conference title.
 
Second Team members include senior Avery Catlett, freshmen Clarissa Salinas and Caroline Ekern along with transfer Birna Johannsdottir. Catlett and Ekern helped Chattanooga to six shutouts on the year and allowed opponents just 17 goals that included then-11^th ranked Alabama. Salinas led the Mocs in scoring for a good part of the season and is second on the team in scoring with eight points on three goals and two assists. Johannsdottir, in her first season at UTC is third on the team in scoring and has a team-best four assists.
 
Ekern and Salinas were also named to the All-Freshman Team along with Zoey Mize and Caroline Richvalsky. Mize had the assist from the corner on Smith's game-tying goal to secure the SoCon title. Richvalsky was fourth in scoring for the Mocs this season and second on the team in assists.
 
Chattanooga earned the No. 1 seed for the Southern Conference Tournament and will host a quarterfinal and semifinal round at the UTC Sports Complex this weekend. Chattanooga will play in Game 2 Friday against eighth-seeded Wofford at 6:30 p.m. Follow all the action online at GoMocs.com or SoConSports.com.
 
Admission to the matches are free and concessions will be offered. No food or drink is allowed on the playing surface. Bring your chairs and blankets as bleacher seating will be limited.
 
SCHEDULE
Friday, October 28
4:00 p.m.             #4 UNCG vs. #5 Western Carolina
                6:30 p.m.             #1 Chattanooga vs. #8 Wofford
Sunday, October 30
                2:00 p.m.             Winner game 1 vs. Winner game 2
 
Championship game will be hosted Nov. 6/7 by the highest remaining seed.
 
2022 Women's Soccer All-Conference Team
  
Player of the Year – Shu Ohba, GK, ETSU
Defensive Player of the Year – Maggie Shaw, Chattanooga
Coach of the Year – Gavin McKinney, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year – Jada Moorman, Mercer
 

First Team
F – Suzuka Yosue, The Citadel
F – Jada Moorman, Mercer
F – Taylor Yount, Samford
F – Isabella Demarco, Western Carolina
M – Nieva Gaither, Furman
M – Gabi Santora, UNCG
M – Mackenzie Smith, Chattanooga
D – Parker Sikora, UNCG
D – Kylie Gazza, Samford
D – Maggie Shaw, Chattanooga
GK – Shu Ohba, ETSU
 
Second Team
F – Nicole Icen, Mercer
F – Clarissa Salinas, Chattanooga
F – Maggie Lloyd, Western Carolina
M – Shania Diaz, Furman
M – Ciara Whitely, Mercer
M – Whitaker Buchanan, Samford
M – Birna Jóhannsdóttir, Chattanooga
D – Kylie Buchanan, Mercer
D – Chloe Lausell, UNCG
D – Avery Catlett, Chattanooga
GK – Caroline Ekern, Chattanooga
 
All-Freshman Team
Elisa Fuentes, The Citadel
Celeste Nader, The Citadel
Lindsay Bell, Mercer
Jada Moorman, Mercer
Emma Malone, UNCG
Caroline Ekern, Chattanooga
Zoey Mize, Chattanooga
Caroline Richvalsky, Chattanooga
Clarissa Salinas, Chattanooga
Isabella Demarco, Western Carolina
Ava Robitaille, Western Carolina
Ansley Elizalde, Wofford