Stephen F. Austin Doyle Named Player of the Year
FRISCO, Texas – Stephen F. Austin junior midfielder Amanda Doyle was named the 2015 Southland Conference Soccer Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Tuesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference soccer teams.
A native of Carrollton, Texas (Hebron H.S.), Doyle ended the year ranked third in the Southland Conference in goals (7), fourth in points (17) and game-winning goals (2), and fifth in assists (3) during league play. She either scored or assisted on SFA's first seven goals of the conference season and led the Ladyjacks to its fifth straight league regular season title. Her game-winners came in big wins over Houston Baptist and Southeastern Louisiana. She scored twice against HBU and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in back-to-back games and was named the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 29 as a result.
Doyle is the third player in school history to earn player of the year after Zuri Prince claimed the honor in 2014 and Kylie Louw earned the award three consecutive seasons (2011-13). Doyle helped her team to a 8-1-2 league record as Stephen F. Austin claimed its fifth consecutive regular-season title, earning the No. 1 seed leading into the conference tournament. The Ladyjacks finished undefeated at home in league action for the fourth time in the last five years (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015).
Central Arkansas freshman forward Camille Bassett was named freshman of the year after completing the regular season tied for third in goals (11), fourth in points (22) and seventh in shots (45). The Vista, Calif. (Rancho Buena Vista H.S.), native scored three game-winning goals for her team, tying for third best in the conference. Bassett started 14 games for the Bears scoring nine goals in 18 games played.
McNeese State junior midfielder Bettina Brulhart was named newcomer of the year for the league. The Zurich, Switzerland native started 16 games for the Cowgirls scoring three goals and picking up three assists.
Wally Crittenden was voted as coach of the year by his peers and the league’s sports information directors. Crittenden has earned the honors three years in a row after taking over the program for the 2013 season. SFA ended its regular season with its fifth consecutive regular-season title and 10th in program history.
The Ladyjacks, who enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed after earning the regular season title, led all teams with six all-conference selections for the second consecutive year. SFA placed two student-athletes on the first team and four on the second team. Houston Baptist and Southeastern Louisiana each claimed three all-conference selections. Abilene Christian, Northwestern State and Sam Houston State each had two players voted to all-conference teams with the Bearkats filling two spots on the first team. Central Arkansas, Lamar, McNeese state and Nicholls each had one student-athlete represented on the all-conference teams.
Headlining first-team all-conference was Nicholls senior forward Spencer Valdespino, who claimed player of the year honors in 2013. Spencer led the league in points (30), shots, (93) and goals (14) and is a third-time all-conference selection. Three freshman claimed spots on the first team with Lamar forward Jordan Mulnix, Houston Baptist forward Sabriah Spencer and Central Arkansas at-large forward Camille Bassett. Joining Spencer from Houston Baptist is senior defender Blake Martin.
Sam Houston State’s duo was combined of sophomore defender Caitlin Schwartz and senior midfielder Mariah Titus, a two-time all-conference selection. Stephen F. Austin junior defender Broke Dunnigan and junior midfielder Amanda Doyle are two-time all-conference selections for the Ladyjacks. Southeastern Louisiana also claimed two spots on the first team with senior midfielder Gisenia Utreras and two-time selection junior goalkeeper Hope Sabadash,
Stephen F. Austin’s representation on the second team include sophomore forward Hanna Barker, senior defender Chantal Curry, senior midfielder Rachel Owens and sophomore goalkeeper Lillie Ehlert. Abilene Christian freshman forward Dylan Owens and junior defender Kelsie Roberts claimed two spots on the second team. Also filling two slots on the second team were Northwestern State sophomore forward Esdeina Gonzalez and senior midfielder Cassandra Briscoe.
Senior defender Maddie Allen represented Southeastern Louisiana while sophomore midfielder Gabi D’Alesandro represented McNeese State. Houston Baptist junior filled the at-large selections with junior Elizabeth Adams.
The 2015 Southland Soccer All-Conference teams are comprised of 11 first-team members and 11 second-team members and are chosen by vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. The recipients are grouped by position and are placed by the number of votes received.
2015 All-Southland Conference Soccer Teams
First Team
| Name |
School |
Position |
Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Spencer Valdespino3 |
Nicholls |
Forward |
Sr. |
Spring Hill, Fla./Bishop McLaughlin |
| Jordan Mulnix |
Lamar |
Forward |
Fr. |
Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound |
| Sabriah Spencer |
Houston Baptist |
Forward |
Fr. |
Brampton, Ontario, Canada/St. Edmund Campion |
| Brooke Dunnigan2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Defender |
Jr. |
Round Rock, Texas/Vista Ridge |
| Blake Martin |
Houston Baptist |
Defender |
Sr. |
College Station, Texas/A&M Consolidated |
| Caitlin Schwartz |
Sam Houston State |
Defender |
So. |
San Antonio, Texas/Johnson |
| Gisenia Utreras |
Southeastern La. |
Midfielder |
Sr. |
Brampton, Ontario, Canada/St. Marguerite |
| Amanda Doyle2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Midfielder |
Jr. |
Carrollton, Texas/Hebron |
| Mariah Titus2 |
Sam Houston State |
Midfielder |
Sr. |
Bedford, Texas/Bell |
| Hope Sabadash2 |
Southeastern La. |
Goalkeeper |
Jr. |
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada/Our Lady of Mt. Carmel |
| Camille Bassett1 |
Central Arkansas |
At-Large |
Fr. |
Vista, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista |
Second Team
| Name |
School |
Position |
Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Hanna Barker |
Stephen F. Austin |
Forward |
So. |
Farmers Brach, Texas/R. L. Turner |
| Esdeina Gonzalez |
Northwestern State |
Forward |
So. |
Humble, Texas/Kingwood |
| Dylan Owens |
Abilene Christian |
Forward |
Fr. |
Willard, Mo./Willard |
| Chantal Curry |
Stephen F. Austin |
Defender |
Sr. |
Austin, Texas/McNeil |
| Maddie Allen |
Southeastern La. |
Defender |
Sr. |
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada/Colonel By |
| Kelsie Roberts |
Abilene Christian |
Defender |
Jr. |
Lucas, Texas/Lovejoy |
| Gabi D’Alesandro |
McNeese State |
Midfielder |
So. |
Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound |
| Rachel Owens |
Stephen F. Austin |
Midfielder |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas/Memorial |
| Cassandra Briscoe |
Northwestern State |
Midfielder |
Sr. |
Caledon East, Ontario, Canada/Robert F. Hall |
| Lillie Ehlert |
Stephen F. Austin |
Goalkeeper |
So. |
Pflugerville, Texas/Pflugerville |
| Elizabeth Adams1 |
Houston Baptist |
At-Large |
Jr. |
Tulsa, Okla./Jenks |
1At-large selection
2Two-time first-team selection
3Three-time first-team selection
Honorable mention: Christina Cutura, SLU; Maddie Kresevic, SLU; Stacia Carroll, UCA; Chantal Kinsey, ACU; Cheyenne Maxwell, SLU; Kelly Ann Craig, SFA; Kristi O’Brien HBU; Patry Carrion, NWST; Alexus Aviles, LU; Mari Olastuen, LU; Allie Johnson, SHSU; Ellee Hall, HBU; Bri Singh, SLU; Sophie Standifer, ACU; Maria Gomez, ACU; Bettina Brulhart, MCN; Allie Coleman, UCA; Shelby Wilson, UCA; Shelby McDaniel, SHSU; Rebekah Tovar, HBU; Ana Zadro, SLU; Madison Hall, SFA; Sofia Olsson, SLU; Hannah Savoie, NICH;
Player of the Year – Amanda Doyle, Stephen F. Austin
Freshman of the Year – Camille Bassett, Central Arkansas
Newcomer of the Year – Bettina Brulhart, McNeese State
Coach of the Year – Wally Crittenden, Stephen F. Austin