WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Sun Conference handed out its women’s soccer honors for the 2016 season Thursday at the Sun Conference Championship banquet hosted by regular-season champion Keiser.
The banquet was held on the eve of Friday’s championship matchup between the top-seeded Seahawks and No. 2 seed Southeastern, who tied atop the regular-season standings. Keiser was named the regular-season champion and the top seed in the tournament by virtue of a 2-1 win over the Fire in the regular season.
The Seahawks placed five players on the All-Sun Conference first team, along with three players each from Southeastern and Thomas and one each from USCB and St. Thomas.
Keiser took home two of the top honors, as sophomore midfielder Ebba Blomqvist was named the Player of the Year and Matthew Dunn earned Coach of the Year accolades. Blomqvist, who last year was named the Newcomer of the Year, was rock solid in the midfield all season for the Seahawks and contributed five goals and two assists, including three game-winning goals.
Southeastern freshman Uchenna Kanu was named Newcomer of the Year after joining the team in mid-October and racking up 13 goals and four assists in just nine contests. The forward from Abia, Nigeria, has scored at least one goal in every game of her collegiate career.
The Champions of Character Award went to Thomas’ Dara Propst, a former walk-on who has fought through numerous injuries to become a two-year team captain and emotional leader.
“Dara is the heart and soul of our program,” Night Hawks coach Julie Orlowski said. “She is far from the most talented player on our team, but what sets her apart is her character, leadership and work ethic.”
The winner of Friday’s championship game will earn an automatic berth in the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and live stats and video will be available through Stretch Internet.
2016 Sun Conference Women’s Soccer Honor Roll
Player of the Year: Ebba Blomqvist, Keiser
Newcomer of the Year: Uchenna Kanu, SEU
Coach of the Year: Matthew Dunn, Keiser
Champions of Character Award: Dara Propst, Thomas
First Team All-Conference
GK: Kara Houston, Thomas
D: Konya Plummer, SEU
D: Milene Anstett, Thomas
D: Kiera Heslam, Keiser
D: Olivia White, Keiser
MF: Ebba Blomqvist, Keiser
MF: Olivia Taylor, Thomas
MF: Bania Duran, SEU
MF: Ana Parra, STU
F: Uchenna Kanu, SEU
F: Johanna Engberg, Keiser
F: Filippa Millqvist, Keiser
F: Hayley Pina, USCB
Second Team All-Conference
GK: Elsa Netz, Keiser
D: Mariah McKinney, Thomas
D: Heidi Ruth, SEU
D: Emma Bergsel, Keiser
MF: Matilda Nilsson, Keiser
MF: Kelly McKay, SCAD
MF: Sara Lundberg, Keiser
F: Kayla Folse, Thomas
F: Alyssa Kaminski, SEU
F: Linnea Roivas, Thomas
Honorable Mention All-Conference
GK: Olivia Waller, STU
D: Gabrielle Garbe, SCAD
D: Andreina Sifontes, STU
D: Elin Sturesson, USCB
MF: Katy Hanscomb, Thomas
MF: Rebecca Reynolds, SEU
MF: Annie Sullivan, SCAD
MF: Sarah Lyppert Thomsson, STU
F: Bailee Abrahamoff, JWU
F: Amyah Banks, STU
F: Renee Brown, Keiser
F: Soleil Duplain, JWU
All-Academic Team
Bernadette Hartney, Ave Maria
Sarah McBride, Ave Maria
Genevieve Riley, Ave Maria
Caitlin Doughty, Ave Maria
Alice Manu, Florida Memorial
Nina Torres, Florida Memorial
Alicia Torres, Florida Memorial
Maria Victoria Kecskemeti, Florida Memorial
Fiorella Pellegrini Boaglio, Florida Memorial
Johana Salcedo, Florida Memorial
Camila Scobino, Florida Memorial
Hohebeth Vega, Florida Memorial
Cindy Rosero, Florida Memorial
Jenna Boersma, Johnson & Wales
Monica Martinez, Johnson & Wales
Desiree Rudnick, Johnson & Wales
Sydney Smedley, Johnson & Wales
Amanda Blixt, Keiser
Ebba Blomquist, Keiser
Emma Larsson, Keiser
Sara Lundberg, Keiser
Elin Olsson, Keiser
Johanna Engberg, Keiser
Saralie Sernhede, Keiser
Meghan Grable, SCAD Savannah
Macy Jarvis, SCAD Savannah
Mackenzie Kastner, SCAD Savannah
Julia Mangione, SCAD Savannah
Kelly McKay, SCAD Savannah
Thorhanna Omarsdottir, SCAD Savannah
Alyssa Rodemsky, SCAD Savannah
Theresa Stevens, SCAD Savannah
Autumn Morrell, Southeastern
Bethany Gannon, Southeastern
Kaitlyn Romero, Southeastern
Courtney Copeland, Southeastern
Melissa Corrie, Southeastern
Sydni Brookhouser, Southeastern
Karly Palmar, Southeastern
Cristina Garwacki, St. Thomas
Andreina Sifontes, St. Thomas
Kylie Braeseke, St. Thomas
Zelda Jagryd, St. Thomas
Sarah Lyppert Thomsson, St. Thomas
Claudia Avila, St. Thomas
Taylor Malone, St. Thomas
Olivia Taylor, Thomas
Rachel Lopez, Thomas
Linnea Roivas, Thomas
Brittney Neser, USCB
Claudia Doll, USCB
Brittany Lorentz, USCB
Bridgette Noonan, USCB
Taylor Superior, USCB
Ashley T. Cole, Warner
Kristin Isabelle, Warner
Tiffany Methot, Warner
Krystina Miles, Warner
Faith Rewis, Warner
Kristen Wilder, Warner
Janel Ebanks, Webber