PROVO -- The women's soccer team was honored as the Women's Team of the Year at the annual Y Awards dinner last week, sponsored by the Cougar Club with freshman Claire Thomas and senior All-American Aleisha Rose also receiving recognition.
After advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in school history, the women's soccer team beat out the women's cross-country team that finished second at nationals, the women's indoor track and field team that placed ninth at nationals and the women's gymnastics team that finished third at regionals.
Freshman Claire Thomas was named the Cougar Club's Rookie of the Year after her strong defensive contributions throughout the Cougars' season and NCAA Tournament run. Thomas, at the age of 16, was the youngest player in Division I athletics and started in 24 of 26 games for BYU (two games were missed due to injury).
Senior All-American Aleisha Rose ended her storied career as a Cougar by leading the Cougars to their best showing the NCAA Tournament and was honored as both the Cougar Club's winner of the Lu Wallace Outstanding Female Athlete Award and the Deseret News Female Athlete of the Year.
Other Cougars who were also nominated for awards include: senior Lydia Ojuka (Crowd Pleaser Award), senior Aydree Soffe (Leona Holbrook Spirit Of Sport Award), Coach Jennifer Rockwood (Coach of the Year) and freshman Nicole Jensen's penalty kick against Villanova that sent the Cougars to the Elite Eight was nominated for Play of the Year.