CHICAGO — For the second year in a row, St. Ambrose University led the way on the field as well as the awards stand after the two-time defending regular-season and tournament champions came away toting the most postseason accolades when the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2024 women’s soccer honor roll on Thursday afternoon.

The Fighting Bees claimed a league-high seven of the 38 total awards presented, including three of the seven top individual honors.  University of St. Francis was next in line with five awards, followed by regular-season and tournament runner-up Olivet Nazarene University, Judson University and Trinity Christian College with four each.

Collecting three awards each were Indiana University Northwest, Holy Cross College, Saint Xavier University and Viterbo University, while Indiana University South Bend gained a pair.

St. Ambrose, Olivet Nazarene and Trinity Christian also secured the most all-conference selections with four spots each.  The former two had the most first-team choices (three), as well, while Trinity Christian and Viterbo gained the most second-team nods (three).

A total of 30 players were recognized on either the all-conference first or second team, which was split evenly between the two units, to go along with the seven top individual awards presented.  There was also one team award, which went to Indiana South Bend.  The Titans program was honored with the Karl Boeck Champions of Character Team award.

Named as the CCAC Player of the Year for the second year in a row and the first-time recipient of the newly-created Offensive Player of the Year award by the league was senior forward Kaitlyn Brunson (Marion, Iowa).  She again leads the conference in goals (15), points (37) and game-winning goals (six), while ranking tied for second with her seven assists.

Brunson was one of three players to also gain first-team all-conference status for the third time in her career, being joined by teammate Taylor DeSplinter (Geneseo, Ill.) and Trinity Christian’s Litzy Corona (Burbank, Ill.).  Garnering repeat honors were Olivet Nazarene’s Meegan Randall (Republic, Mo.) and St. Francis’ Zoe Villont (Woodstock, Ill.).

Judson senior midfielder Kelly Leon (Elgin, Ill.), the only player to earn first-team accolades in each of her four seasons, also shared the spotlight by claiming the first-ever CCAC Midfielder of the Year award.  Her eight goals on the season tied her for 11th in the league, while her six assists and 22 total points placed her in a tie for sixth and seventh, respectively.  She also recorded one game-winning goal.

Another two new awards went to a pair of defenders in Villont and Indiana Northwest’s Jocelyn Chang-Stroman (Crown Point, Ind.).  Villont was honored as the CCAC Defensive Player of the Year, while Chang-Stroman collected Newcomer of the Year honors from the league.

Villont was a key part of a USF defense that posted six shutouts and allowed only one goal in eight other contests.  She also recorded one goal and one assist.

Chang-Stroman helped the RedHawks register eight shutouts, while also supplying three goals.  Two of her goals were game-winners.

St. Francis’ second top individual award went to Ariadne Gonzalez (Round Lake, Ill.), who was recognized as the league’s Freshman of the Year.  The forward ranked right behind Brunson in goals (12) and game-winning goals (four), while placing third in total points (30) and tied for sixth in assists with six.

Honored as the CCAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season was St. Ambrose’s Jon Mannall, who directed the Fighting Bees to their second straight dual titles.

2024 WOMEN’S SOCCER POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year Kaitlyn Brunson – St. Ambrose
Offensive Player of the Year Kaitlyn Brunson – St. Ambrose
Midfielder of the Year Kelly Leon – Judson
Defensive Player of the Year Zoe Villont – St. Francis
Newcomer of the Year Jocelyn Chang-Stroman – Indiana Northwest
Freshman of the Year Ariadne Gonzalez – St. Francis
Coach of the Year Jon Mannall – St. Ambrose
Karl Boeck Champions of Character Team Indiana University South Bend

2024 WOMEN’S SOCCER POSTSEASON AWARDS
First Team All-Conference
GK Madeleine Agee Fr. Holy Cross Houston, Tex.
MF Alaina Bahr Sr. Olivet Nazarene Bourbonnais, Ill.
F Kaitlyn Brunson Sr. St. Ambrose Marion, Iowa
D Jocelyn Chang-Stroman Gr. Indiana Northwest Crown Point, Ind.
F Litzy Corona Gr. Trinity Christian Burbank, Ill.
MF Taylor DeSplinter Sr. St. Ambrose Geneseo, Ill.
MF Veronica Davila Jr. Saint Xavier Bourbonnais, Ill.
D Abigail Fouts So. Holy Cross Russiaville, Ind.
D Abigail Goff Sr. St. Ambrose Dixon, Ill.
F Ariadne Gonzalez Fr. St. Francis (Ill.) Round Lake, Ill.
MF Kelly Leon Sr. Judson Elgin, Ill.
MF Hope Lewis Jr. Saint Xavier Auburn, Ind.
F Melea Miller Jr. Olivet Nazarene Bloomington, Ind.
GK Meegan Randall So. Olivet Nazarene Republic, Mo.
D Zoe Villont Sr. St. Francis (Ill.) Woodstock, Ill.
Second Team All-Conference
MF Jenna Bennett Sr. Viterbo Madison, Wis.
F Brooke Clements Sr. Viterbo Kenosha, Wis.
D Hadley Dammer Jr. Viterbo Ramsey, Minn.
M Olivia Enyeart Fr. Indiana South Bend St. John, Ind.
D Emily Greene Sr. Olivet Nazarene St. Anne, Ill.
D Isabel Guzman Jr. Saint Xavier Burbank, Ill.
MF Olivia Hansen Gr. Indiana Northwest Valparaiso, Ind.
F Neyda Macias Jr. Holy Cross Ligonier, Ind.
F Yeyahs Macias Sr. Judson McHenry, Ill.
MF Jade Maldonado Sr. Trinity Christian Boise, Idaho
GK Eva Fernandez So. Judson Madrid, Spain
F Mia Ocana Jr. St. Francis (Ill.) Chicago, Ill.
GK Michelle Urribarri Jr. Trinity Christian Orlando, Fla.
F Kendall Wendt Sr. St. Ambrose Moline, Ill.
D Samantha Wind Jr. Trinity Christian Kuna, Idaho