Soccer is so strange in that it’s season is so short. Would make sense to start when they do and finish in April-May like they do in Europe. Help American players get used to the same training that the rest of the world does.
In a ceremony attended by coaches, student-athletes, parents and donors, awards voted on by the team and coaching staff were awarded to players. The team also celebrated its academic achievements after earning the highest semester GPA in program history (3.41), having seven players earn 4.0’s, and 18 student-athletes on the dean’s list.
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This season’s Newcomer of the Year award was given to freshman midfielder Reid Morrison. Morrison tallied up 10 shots this season, five of which were on-target. She also logged a career-high 102 minutes against ECU and was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Rookie team at the conclusion of the season.
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Offensive Player of the Year was awarded to junior forward Desiree Bowen who led the team in scoring with 14 points this season off of seven goals. Bowen finished the season fourth all-time in goals at Houston with 18, earning First-Team All-Conference honors.
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Julissa DePaoli earned Defensive Player of the Year honors after anchoring a backline that posted four shutouts this season. The junior defender appeared in 16 games with 16 starts in the 2018 season, posting a career-high of seven shots during the season.
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Sevie Cole and Morgan Goode were the co-recipients of the Most Improved Player honors. Cole, a senior defender participated in 19 matches with 18 starts this season, nine more than the 10 matches in which she participated in the previous season. Cole also recorded a career-high four shots, all of which were on-target. Goode, a freshman defender, appeared in 15 games with one start and helped Houston record four shutouts.
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Teammate of the Year was awarded to junior Katelyn Bub. Bub is known as a leader on and off the field for the Cougars. Bub appeared in 18 matches and recorded eight shots this season, two of which were on-target.
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Lauren Holtzclaw received Humanitarian of the Year honors for the second consecutive year after being an active part of the Houston community. Holtzclaw has shown her strengths on and odd the field for the Cougars in her humanitarian actions.
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Most Valuable Player for the 2018 season was awarded to sophomore midfielder Mia Brascia. Appearing in 19 matches and making 18 starts, Brascia finished the season with a program-best eight assists and notched two goals this season, one at ECU and one at Cincinnati. Brascia was named to the TopDrawerSoccer team of the week on Oct. 2 after posting a goal and an assist against ECU. She also led the Cougars with 44 shots this season and was ranked second on the team in points scored with 12.
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Last, but not least, senior Georgi Dolence was tabbed Champion for Life. Dolence is a two-time Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President and Co-Chair of the American Athletic Conference SAAC. The MBA candidate is in her second year of studies towards her Master’s degree and plans on pursuing a career in athletics. Dolence appeared in 17 matches, making seven starts and recording one shot against Incarnate Word.