Nine Hilltoppers earn All-CUSA honors
Western Kentucky sophomore forward Makenna Egan controls the ball during the Hilltoppers’ 0-0 tie against Missouri on Aug. 13 at the WKU Soccer Complex.
(SAVANNAH PHILPOT/WKU Athletics)
Western Kentucky’s women’s soccer team had nine players earn All-CUSA honors, the league announced Friday.
Seven were named to an All-Conference team, while two earned spots on the All-Freshman team. The nine selections mark the most in program history since WKU joined Conference USA in 2014.
WKU’s Makenna Egan and Abby Wiedermann highlight the selections as First Team All-CUSA, while Danielle Lewin and Mia Riddick were named to the Second Team. Georgia Liapis, Alyvia Walls and Maggie Bellair secured Third Team honors. Raegan Thompson and Tyler Roth round out the selections on the All-Freshman team.
As the reigning CUSA Freshman of the Year, Egan has been an offensive powerhouse for WKU this season, leading the Hilltoppers in goals (8), points (19) and shots (43). The sophomore forward ranks second in CUSA in goals, while her four game-winning goals rank second in the conference and 27th nationally. In CUSA play, she leads the conference in points (11) and shots on goal (11) while tying for first in goals (4). She has added three assists and recorded two braces against SEMO and Sam Houston. A one-time CUSA Offensive Player of the Week, Egan has started every conference match and ranks fourth in WKU single-season history in game-winning goals and 10th in goals.
Junior defender Wiedermann has anchored one of the top defenses in CUSA and the NCAA, helping WKU rank first in the conference in goals-against average, goal differential and shutout percentage. The Hilltoppers rank 10th nationally in GAA (0.556). She has played the full 90 minutes nine times and helped limit 13 of 17 opponents to fewer than 10 shots. Her defensive efforts earned her CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors once this season. Wiedermann earns First Team All-CUSA honors for the second consecutive year and the third All-CUSA selection of her career.
Graduate forward Lewin has been a major offensive contributor for the Hilltoppers, recording three goals and seven assists while ranking second on the team in points (13). She leads CUSA in overall assists and ranks fifth in WKU single-season history. She recorded a career-best performance against Jax State with two goals and two assists in WKU’s seven-goal victory. She has appeared in 17 matches, making 13 starts, including all but one CUSA match.
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In goal, Riddick has been a cornerstone of one of the top defenses in the conference. She leads CUSA with a .889 save percentage, 0.42 goals-against average and just six goals allowed in 17 matches. She ranks ninth nationally in both categories while recording seven shutouts and maintaining an undefeated 9-0-5 record. Riddick posted a career-high seven saves against Liberty and leads the conference with three Goalkeeper of the Week honors. She also ranks second in WKU single-season history in GAA and eighth in shutouts.
Liapis earns Third Team honors after serving as a consistent presence in the midfield, appearing in all 17 matches and making 16 starts. She has contributed two goals and four assists, ranking second in CUSA and on the WKU roster in assists. The reigning CUSA Midfielder of the Year continues to be a key playmaker for the Hilltoppers and ranks among the top 10 in points in conference matches.
Junior midfielder Walls has scored all four of her goals in the last six matches, all coming in CUSA play, while adding two assists. Her three game-winning goals against Missouri State, Jax State and New Mexico State are tied for third in CUSA, making her the highest-ranked midfielder in the category. In CUSA matches, she is tied for first in goals (4), ranks first in game-winning goals (3) and second in points (9).
Bellair rounds out the Third Team selections after serving as a consistent force for WKU all season. The wing back appeared in all 18 matches, making 16 starts while contributing two goals and three assists. She was the first Hilltopper and CUSA player to record multiple goals and assists this season.
Roth, the freshman midfielder, has made an immediate impact in her first collegiate season, appearing in all 18 matches and making three starts while logging 578 minutes. She recorded the game-winning goal in WKU’s 1-0 victory over UIC, marking her first collegiate goal. She also added an assist in the Hilltoppers’ 4-1 win over SEMO.
Freshman center back Thompson has been a key part of WKU’s defensive success, appearing in all but one match and making seven starts. She recorded her first collegiate assist on a long pass from near midfield that led to a headed goal. Thompson has logged 792 minutes this season, including a career-high 77 minutes in WKU’s draw with Missouri.
