IRVING, Texas — After making it to the championship match of the 2023 Sprouts Farmers Market Big 12 Tournament, Kendell Petersen, Olivia Wade-Katoa, Brecken Mozingo and Elllie Walbruch were named to the All-Tournament Team, the league announced Sunday afternoon.
BYU went undefeated in its inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference, 7-0-3. The Cougars beat Oklahoma (6-0) and UCF (4-1) in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the Big 12 Tournament, earning a spot in the championship game against Texas Saturday evening, where the Cougars fell, 3-1.
Throughout the tournament, Petersen proved to be a crucial part of BYU’s offensive attack and defensive pressure. She recorded her 11th assist of the season in the win against Oklahoma, and took four shots in the victory over UCF.
After two huge performances for the Cougars against Oklahoma and UCF in the tournament, Wade-Katoa earned NCAA Player of the Week. In the quarterfinals against the Sooners, she tallied a goal and an assist. She then scored her first brace of the season against the Knights on Wednesday evening. In the championship match, Wade-Katoa recorded the only assist on Mozingo’s lone goal for BYU.
Now leading the Cougars in assists (12) and goals (11), Mozingo notched two assists and two goals during the Big 12 Tournament. With a team-high 12 shots throughout the tournament, Mozingo tallied at least one point in every game.
Walbruch’s offensive press off the bench proved to be key for BYU during the conference tournament. Recording goals in back-to-back matches against OU and UCF, Walbruch is now one of five Cougars with more than 10 goals on the season.
The Big 12 All-Tournament Team was voted on by the head coach and one media representative for each institution in the conference.
2023 Big 12 All-Tournament Team
GK: Mia Justus (UT)
D: Hannah Anderson (TTU)
D: Lauren Lapomarda (UT)
D: Kendell Petersen (BYU)
MF: Lexi Missimo (UT)
MF: Olivia Wade-Katoa (BYU)
MF: Brecken Mozingo (BYU)
F: Trinity Byars (UT)
F: Chloe Netzel (UCF)
F: Ellie Walbruch (BYU)
F: Holly Ward (UT)