BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's soccer team has announced its end of the year team awards.
Third-year head coach Jim Wojtkun recognized 36 participating student-athletes for their efforts during the 2019 campaign, while five players were honored with varsity awards for their performances.
The five top honorees were senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference midfielder Kenna Poptic (Dublin/Jerome), sophomore All-OAC and Academic All-OAC midfielder Maddie Farrell (Macomb, Mich./Dakota), junior All-OAC defender Morgan Gray (Dublin/Scioto), freshman forward Brandi Filippi (Pickerington/North), and senior defender Courtney Cofer (Norton).
Poptic was named the team's Most Valuable Player Award recipient. In 2019, she garnered an All-OAC first team selection, United Soccer Coaches All-Great Lakes Region third team selection, and Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association (OCSA) All-Ohio second team selection for the first time in her career. Poptic led her team with career-highs of 10 assists and 16 points. She also scored a career-best three goals, two of which being game-winners. Her assists total also tied her for second in the OAC. She completes her four-year career at BW with six goals and 15 assists, for 27 points in 74 games played. The senior pre-physical therapy major earned her fourth varsity letter this fall.
Farrell was named the team's Offensive Player of the Year Award recipient. In 2019, she garnered an All-OAC second team selection, Academic All-OAC selection, and OCSA All-Ohio third team selection for the first time in her career. Farrell led her team with a career-high five goals, and was second on the squad with a career-best ten points. She also took a career and team-high 38 shots, including 22 on-goal. Furthermore, Farrell's game-winning goal against Nazareth (N.Y.) College with 15 seconds remaining in the Herb Lauffer Memorial Tournament Championship Game propelled her to being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. The Dean's List student and business major earned her second varsity letter this fall.
Gray was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year Award recipient. In 2019, she garnered her second career All-OAC honorable mention selection, and first career OCSA All-Ohio third team selection. Gray accumulated career-highs of 21 games played, and seven shots on goal, and also matched her career-best totals of three goals and six points. Gray helped anchor a BW defense that earned seven shutouts, and limited opponents to 1.76 goals and 12.3 shots per game. The junior criminal justice major earned her third varsity letter this fall.
Filippi was named the team's Newcomer of the Year Award recipient. In her first collegiate season, she appeared in 19 games and made ten starts. She led all newcomers on the team with three goals, one assist, seven points, and 17 shots. The public health major earned her first varsity letter this fall.
Cofer was named the team's Miranda Bennett Player's Player Award recipient. In 2019, she appeared in six games and made one start. She completes her four-year career at BW with one goal, two points, and four shots. The Dean's List student and psychology and criminal justice double major earned her second varsity letter this fall.
BW finished the 2019 campaign with an 11-9-1 record and a 4-4-1 mark in conference play, advancing to the OAC Tournament for the seventh consecutive season.
