FRISCO, Texas – The Southland Conference release its 2019 all-conference soccer teams, and the Wildcats led the way with eight total selections. ACU, who finished the season as 12-4-2 and 8-2-1 in league play, placed four on the first team, one on the second team, and three on the third team. Senior
Shay Johnson was also named the Midfielder of the Year in the league, while
Natalie Jones was named ACU's fourth consecutive Freshman of the Year.
Johnson and Jones were joined by
Christina Arteaga and
Michelle Mulrooney on the first team, while freshman
Caylen Wright earned second team honors. The 2018 Freshman of the Year
Alyssia Anuat joined
Brooke Lenz and
Rachel Johnson on the third team.
ACU is riding a four-game winning streak heading into the conference tournament, which begins Wednesday, Nov. 6 in Conway, Ark. The Wildcats, the No. 3 seed, will square off with the McNeese Cowgirls in the quarterfinals for the third consecutive season. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
Freshman of the Year – Natalie Jones
One of the many outstanding traditions at ACU: find good young talent.
Natalie Jones certainly qualifies. Jones is ACU's fourth consecutive Freshman of the Year, joining a run that includes
Shay Johnson,
Christina Arteaga, and
Alyssia Anuat. That has never been done before in this league. Jones tallied 13 total points in league play, and overall in 2019 tallied 21 points with seven goals and seven assists. Jones' seven helpers rank second in the Southland Conference, and her points (13) are tied for sixth in the league. Jones did it all despite missing a pair of league games in the middle of the season, at home against Central Arkansas and on the road at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Jones earned a spot on the first team as well.
Midfielder of the Year – Shay Johnson
The heart and soul of the Wildcats will be missed when she graduates.
Shay Johnson is the key to the transition game for ACU, including guiding a defense that ranks third in the league in goals allowed. Johnson also adds an incredible offensive ability to the team, scoring three goals in league play, with two of them being game-winners. Johnson has recorded six goals for the year, and added a pair of helpers as well. She only needed 21 shot attempts to be as efficient as she is. Johnson earns her second consecutive spot on the first team, and is a three-time all-conference selection.
First Team (Joining Jones and Johnson)
Christina Arteaga
Christina Arteaga ranks third in the league in goals with nine (SLC games) and total points (SLC games) with 22, and set a new single-season best with 12 total goals this season. This is the third consecutive year on the first team for Arteaga, the first time that has been done by a Wildcat. The Pflugerville, Texas native added four assists in league games, ranking seventh in the league. Her 61 total shots in the conference games rank second in the conference. Arteaga's 86 shot attempts this season are the second-most in a single campaign in ACU history. She is currently in the most impressive stretch of her career, scoring a goal in seven of her last eight games and eight of her last 10 games. Arteaga continues to be a staple in this program that will play in the conference tournament for the third consecutive season. Arteaga tallied two multi-score games in 2019.
Michelle Mulrooney
Senior
Michelle Mulrooney makes her second straight first team, and is a three-time all-league selection. Mulrooney continues to make her statement as one of the best defenders in the conference. Mulrooney guided a defense that allowed just 13 goals in conference games. ACU's defense allowed 13.8 shots per game with just 41% of those shots placed on frame. Mulrooney added five shot attempts as well, placing one on frame.
Second Team
Caylen Wright
Freshman
Caylen Wright has recorded six goals in league play, ranking second on the team and tying for fifth in the league. Her 13 total points are tied with fellow freshman
Natalie Jones for sixth in the conference. Wright has made an immediate impact as a rookie, starting the final 12 games of the season and every league game. She worked her way into the lineup after coming off the bench the first few games of the non-conference. Wright has scored two game-winners in league play.
Third Team
Alyssia Anuat
The reigning Southland Freshman of the Year started all 11 league games and tallied an assist in the win against McNeese. It is the first all-league selection for Anuat, who tallied 14 shot attempts, placing seven on frame. Anuat has been huge defensively, being named Southland Defender of the Week on Oct. 29. Anuat helps anchor a backline that has allowed just 13 goals in league play, ranking third in the Southland.
Brooke Lenz
Senior
Brooke Lenz made her second straight all-conference team after being named honorable mention a season ago. Lenz never leaves the field, tallying 1,025 minutes played in conference games. Lenz was key to a defense that allowed just 13 goals in conference games. ACU's defense allowed 13.8 shots per game with just 41% of those shots placed on frame. Lenz added a pair of shot attempts.
Rachel Johnson
After missing the first few games coming back from an injury, redshirt senior
Rachel Johnson put together an outstanding final year in net for the Wildcats, earning all-league honors for the second consecutive season. Johnson started all 11 league games and allowed 13 goals, ranking third in the league. Her 1.14 goals against average ranks fifth in the conference, while her 48 saves ranks third in the league. Johnson tallied five shutouts in 2019 and became ACU's all-time leader in that category with 14 on the season. Johnson was named the Southland Goalkeeper of the Week after posting a pair of shutouts against SFA and Sam Houston State, a pair of tournament teams. Johnson finished 8-2-2 on the year with 56 total saves.
