KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The United Soccer Coaches named four BYU women's soccer players to the NCAA Division I All-Midwest Region Team on Tuesday afternoon. Laveni Vaka, Olivia Wade-Katoa and Brecken Mozingo were First Team selections, with midfielder Jamie Shepherd named to the Third Team.
The Cougars are currently 20-2-3 as they head to Cary, North Carolina for the 2023 NCAA College Cup for the second time in program history. The women’s soccer team went undefeated in Big 12 Conference play, 7-0-3 in its first year in the conference.
Ranked No. 34 in the Top Drawer Soccer Midseason Top 100, Vaka has been selected for the First Team All-Region for the third year in a row. Her strong presence on BYU’s backline contributed to seven shutouts during the 2023 season, five against Big 12 opponents. With a team-high 2,182 minutes on the pitch this season, the Sandy, Utah native has proven to be a consistent defender, with several crucial defensive stops. She was also selected as a member of the All-Big 12 First Team and was a MAC Hermann Trophy Watchlist candidate.
Wade-Katoa, being named First Team All-Region for the first time, helped lead the Cougars to their second College Cup berth in the last three seasons. With 12 goals and eight assists on the season, the senior captain was a major part of BYU’s offensive success this season.With two assists and three goals during the Big 12 Tournament, Wade-Katoa was also named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and the Big 12 All-Tournament Team
Mozingo, leading the team in goals (14), assists (15) and shots (83), has been named First Team All-Region in back-to-back seasons. The Sandy, Utah native has contributed five goals and five assists through the first four rounds of the NCAA Tournament, helping BYU advance to its second College Cup in program history.
Holding BYU’s new record for most games played by a women’s soccer player at 107, Shepherd has been named to the Third Team All-Region. The senior midfielder has played more career minutes than anyone else on the BYU roster, also tallying one goal and five assists this season. Shepherd’s control at the center of the field has allowed the Cougars to maintain possession of the ball and find opportunities to shoot against some of the greatest soccer programs in the nation, including UNC and UCLA.