IRVING, Texas – Charlotte and Rice boast a pair of specialty award winners as the 2016 Conference USA Women Soccer All-Conference honors were announced on Tuesday. Twelve different schools are represented on the All-Conference USA awards list as selected by a vote of the league’s head women’s soccer coaches.

Charlotte boasts the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year in junior forward Martha Thomas as well as the C-USA Freshman of the Year in Megan Greene. The duo helped guide the 49ers to a 9-8-1 overall record, 5-4-1 league mark and the No. 6 seed in the C-USA Women’s Soccer Championship. Thomas led the conference in points (26) and assists (8), while Greene tied for fourth in scoring in the conference with 22 points. Thomas is a repeat selection to the All-Conference USA first team, while Greene earned a spot on the second team in her rookie campaign.

Rice junior Samantha Chaiken was selected C-USA Midfielder of the Year. Chaiken, who started all 16 games for the Owls and logged 1,442 minutes, was joined on the All-Conference USA first-team squad by teammates Jenny Fichera, a senior defender, and junior forward Nia Stallings. Fichera also claimed the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year nod as she recorded seven assists to tie for second-most in the league, while also leading a defense that allowed the third-fewest amount of goals in the regular-season with 17. Stallings also registered seven assists on the year and had a team-high 17 points (ninth, C-USA).

Sydney Drinkwater of Florida Atlantic was tabbed the C-USA Goalkeeper of the Year following a stellar senior season. Drinkwater finished among the top-three in the league amongst all players in goals against the average (0.72, 2nd), save percentage (.843, 3rd) and shutouts (9, t-1st). Drinkwater earns her second-straight all-conference selection after being named to the third-team a year ago. FAU senior defender Erica Burt joins her teammate on the All-C-USA first team. Burt was named to the first-team for the second straight year and was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week twice this season. 

Rounding out the specialty awards is Coach of the Year Jason Neidell of WKU. Neidell improved the Lady Toppers by four regular season wins and three league victories from last year. WKU also went from a No. 8 seed in the C-USA Championship last year to a No. 3 seed this season.

WKU is represented by a pair of first-team honorees in senior defender Olivia Fitzgerald and midfielder sophomore Nicole Roseland. Fitzgerald and Roseland started 18 and 17 matches respectively, of the 18 games played by WKU. They guided a Lady Toppers squad that led the league in goals allowed (11) and shutouts (10). Both players were also tabbed C-USA Defensive Player of the Week this season.

UTEP placed midfielder Aleah Davis on the All-C-USA first team for the third time in as many years. Davis started 20 matches for the Miners, connecting on six goals and assisting on seven others for a total of 19 points. Davis also led the league in game-winning goals with five on the year.

Rounding out the All-Conference USA first-team honorees are seniors Kathryn Sloan of Louisiana Tech and Marshall’s Sydney Arnold. Sloan ranked in the top-10 in the league in most offensive categories this year including points (24, 2nd), goals (nine, t-2nd) and assists (six, 8th). The senior also set a program-record in career points (89) and career goals (36) this year. Arnold scored five goals on the season from her midfield position and was credited with six game-winners during her career. Both are making their third consecutive appearances on the all-conference honors list after being named on the second-team the previous two seasons.

Coaches also selected an All-Conference USA second and third team as well as an All-Freshman squad.

The 2016 Conference USA Women’s Soccer Championship kicks off Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Transamerica Field in Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, UTEP and WKU are set to compete in the eight-team, three-day tournament. All four quarterfinal matches and both semifinal games will be streamed on CUSA TV. The championship match is set for Sunday, Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. EST and will be aired on ESPN3.

2016 C-USA WOMEN’S SOCCER AWARDS
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Martha Thomas, Charlotte
 
Midfielder of the Year
Samantha Chaiken, Rice
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Jenny Fichera, Rice
 
Goalkeeper of the Year
Sydney Drinkwater, Florida Atlantic
 
Freshman of the Year
Megan Greene, Charlotte
 
Coach of the Year
Jason Neidell, WKU
 
All-Conference USA First Team
F: Martha Thomas, Charlotte
F: Kathryn Sloan, Louisiana Tech
F: Nia Stallings, Rice
MF: Sydney Arnold, Marshall
MF: Samantha Chaiken, Rice
MF: Aleah Davis, UTEP
MF: Nicole Roseland, WKU
D: Erica Burt, Florida Atlantic
D: Jenny Fichera, Rice
D: Olivia Fitzgerald, WKU 
GK: Sydney Drinkwater, Florida Atlantic
 
All-Conference USA Second Team
F: Megan Greene, Charlotte
F: Sammy Rowland, Florida Atlantic
F: Rachel Holden, North Texas
F: Iris Dunn, WKU
MF: Katie O’Neill, Charlotte
MF: Marchelle Davis, North Texas
MF: Kathryn Hill, Old Dominion
D: Nomvula Kgoale, Louisiana Tech
D: Jaclyn Stroud, Old Dominion
D: Jasmine Isokpunwu, Rice
GK: Allison Leone, WKU
 
All-Conference USA Third Team
F:  Jordan Sackaris, Marshall
F:  Iris Achterhof, Old Dominion
F:  Katie Richmond, Southern Miss
F: Chandler Backes, WKU
MF: Mary O’Hara, Florida Atlantic
MF: Asta Arnadottir, Florida Atlantic
MF: Becky McMullan, Southern Miss
D: Riley Orr, Charlotte
D: Sydney Navarro, Middle Tennessee
D: Carissa Sanders, North Texas
GK: Alyssa Palacios, UTEP
 
Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Megan Greene, F, Charlotte
Riley Orr, D, Charlotte
Mary O’Hara, MF, Florida Atlantic
Elisha Holmes, F, Florida Atlantic
Jaelyn Peeples, MF, Louisiana Tech
Jordan Sackaris, F, Marshall
Salera Jordan, F, Middle Tennessee
Erin Mikeska, MF, Rice
Samantha Colley, GK, Rice
Lauren Crenshaw, F, UTEP
Jordyn Lacy, F, UTSA
Chandler Backes, MF, WKU