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This year in Pac-12 women’s soccer

Dec 8, 2017

COMPLETE RELEASE

• STANFORD was crowned the 2017 NCAA Women’s Soccer Champions, capturing the national championship for the second time in program history. In the first-ever all-Pac-12 final, the Cardinal topped UCLA, 3-2, at the Orlando City Stadium, Orlando, Fla. Stanford’s title marked the fifth women’s soccer crown for the Pac-12 and the 502nd NCAA team national championship for the members of the Conference of Champions.

• Stanford and UCLA’s appearances marked the fourth time two Pac-12 programs reached the College Cup in the same season (2007, 2008, 2009, 2017). The Pac-12 is now one of three leagues to capture consecutive NCAA women’s soccer national titles (ACC, WCC) with USC claiming the 2016 championship.

• Seven Pac-12 teams earned berths to the NCAA Tournament with STANFORD earning a No. 1 overall seed for the fourth-straight year and joined in the field by No. 2-seeded UCLA, No. 3-seeded USC, ARIZONA, COLORADO, CALIFORNIA and WASHINGTON STATE. Six teams advanced to the second record and three making the Sweet Sixteen.

• The Pac-12 now holds an all-time record of 198-126-31 (.601) in the NCAA Women’s College Cup, with five national championships and five second-place finishes with the inclusion of 2017. The Conference finished the regular season with five teams ranked in the top-25 RPI, which was the second-most of any conference.

• Stanford’s Catarina Macario was voted both Pac-12 Forward and Freshman of the Year, Andi Sullivan was named Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year, and Tierna Davidson tabbed Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. California’s Emily Boyd was voted Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year. For the eighth time in the last 10 years, Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year.

• Arizona (11-5-4) was the surprise competitor this year, finishing fourth in the Conference with 23 points and a 7-2-2 record after being selected to finish tenth in the Pac-12 coaches preseason poll. Arizona went undefeated in its last seven league matches for the second-longest win streak in program history and most Conference wins with seven. Marquee victories included defeating then- No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 11 Cal as well as a draw with No. 1 UCLA. The team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament for the program’s fifth all-time trip to the postseason. The Wildcats beat TCU, 2-1, at home before falling to Florida State in the second round.

• ARIZONA STATE (5-11-3) started out the season 3-4-1 in non-conference play and went 2-7-2 in league play for 10th in the Conference. The Sun Devils tied then-No. 11 California (1-1) in double overtime. Freshman keeper Nikki Panas made 76, seventh in ASU history for a single season, for an average 5.43 saves per game, a mark that ranked 48th in the nation and second in the Pac-12.

• California (13-6-1) placed fifth in the Conference standings, finishing the regular season at 19 points (6-4-1). The Bears wrapped up regular-season play with a No. 25 RPI and went 2-2 against top-25 opponents. Cal earned an at-large bid for the program’s 25th overall postseason berth, tied for the fifth-most NCAA Tournament appearances by any Division I women’s soccer team. The Golden Bears hosted Santa Clara in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and lost, 2-1, as 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist Indigo Gibson was red carded for a foul in the third minute.

• Colorado (12-6-4, 5-4-2) closed out the regular season on a five-match winning streak, including three straight on the road, to finish sixth in the Conference with 17 points. The Buffs earned their 10th all-time NCAA Tournament berth and defeated in-state opponent and Summit League Champion Denver, 2-1, in the first round. For the first time in Conference history, Jalen Tompkins earned three straight Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week honors, for the most consecutive weekly awards.

• OREGON (8-11-0, 2-9-0) started the season strong going 6-2-0 in non-conference play, including wins over Big 12 opponents Oklahoma (1-0) and Kansas State (2-0). Forward Marissa Everett led the Ducks in goals (five), assists (four) and points (14) to earn all-Pac-12 third team. Hannah Taylor has been named one of six finalists for Canada Soccer Women’s U-20 Player of the Year as the freshman defender played on the U-20 Women’s National Team for the Three Nations Tournament in Australia.

• OREGON STATE (6-10-3, 3-7-1) started off the season going 3-3-2 and capped its campaign with a win over Civil War rival Oregon for the second year in a row. The Beavers led the Conference in saves with 112 stops, including 97 by senior Bella Geist, for 5.89 average saves per game. Oregon State had an impressive 14 players earn Pac-12 All-Academic honors, while redshirt senior Kathryn Baker and sophomore Nicole Nickerson both earned Pac-12 second-team recognition. Baker was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.

• Stanford (24-1-0) the 2017 NCAA National Champions, also captured its third-straight Pac-12 crown with an undefeated 11-0-0 league record for the program’s 12th all-time Conference title. The Cardinal finished a late-August loss at Florida shy of a perfect season (24-1-0), closing the campaign with 22 consecutive wins, tying for the 15th-longest win streak in NCAA DI women’s soccer history.

• The Cardinal was the national leader in scoring offense (3.67), goals (88), assists (87) and winning percentage (0.960). In 2017 Stanford won its second NCAA title in its fourth-ever championship match and eighth appearance in the College Cup, now owning6-5-1 record in the Final Four. The Cardinal joined North Carolina (21 titles), Notre Dame (3), Portland (3) and USC (2) as the only multiple winners of the College Cup.

• Catarina Macario flourished during her freshman year as honors rolled in highlighted by being named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and ESPNW National Player of the Year. Macario was the key distributor for the Cardinal’s success this year as she led the nation in assists (16) including on all three goals in the NCAA final. The MAC Hermann Trophy voting panel named Macario, Tierna Davidson and Andi Sullivan as semifinalists with the winner being announced in January.

• UCLA (19-3-3) earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament in its 20th all-time appearance, reaching the College Cup Finals for the fourth time. The Bruins knocked off No.1-seeded Duke in penalty kicks in the semifinals before falling to Stanford, 3-2, in the final. UCLA now holds a 61-17-6 all-time NCAA Tournament record. In the United Soccer Coaches poll the Bruins ranked in top-10 all season, including the No. 1 spot for six straight weeks. UCLA defeated USC, 3-2, in the regular-season finale to tie the Trojans for second place in the Conference with 25 points and an 8-2-1 record. Forward Hailie Mace and midfielder Jessie Fleming were named United Soccer Coaches first-team All-Americans. UCLA has produced at least two first-team All-Americans for the fifth time in school history.

• USC (15-4-1) earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round before bowing out to Baylor in penalties. The Trojans have now posted a 20-11-6 all-time record in the postseason with two NCAA titles, two third-round appearances and seven second-round finishes in 17 trips. The Trojans tied for second in the Pac-12 standings (8-2-1). Senior midfielder Nicole Molen is the first Trojan women’s soccer player to be selected as the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

• UTAH (5-11-3) started off the season 5-2-1 in non-conference play, highlighted by a win over intra-state rival Utah State (2-0). The Utes ranked No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll and peaked at No. 17 over a span of six weeks. Junior Paola van der Veen was named to the Pac-12 second team. The Netherlands native earned her second Pac-12 postseason honor after being named to the All-Freshman team in 2015.

• WASHINGTON (9-8-3) went 7-2-0 in non-conference play before finishing ninth in the Conference at (2-6-3). The Huskies recorded their third winning season in the last four years. Washington allowed only 15 goals all year for the second-fewest in program history, trailing only the 12 goals against in 2001. Kimberly Keever made her fourth consecutive appearance on the All-Pac-12 teams with a Third Team selection and Jessica Udovich was named to the All-Region team.

• Washington State (10-8-4, 4-6-1) earned its 11th NCAA Tournament berth with an at-large bid, its sixth appearance in the last seven years. The Cougars upset No. 8 ranked and second-seeded UCF, 1-0, in the first found and beat No. 20 Tennessee in penalty kicks to advance to the third round for the first time in program history. The team finished seventh in the Pac-12 Conference standings and went 4-4-2 against ranked opponents, knocking off No. 1 UCLA and No. 14 Nebraska this season.

• Stanford’s Andi Sullivan won the Senior CLASS Award while USC’s Alex Anthony was named to the second team and UCLA’s Zoey Goralski was named to the award watch list. CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, honors the attributes of NCAA Division I senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition.

• The MAC Hermann Trophy named two Pac-12 student-athletes as finalists, Stanford’s Andi Sullivan and UCLA’s Jessie Fleming. The Pac-12 had six semifinalists, Stanford’s Catarina Macario, Tierna Davidson and Andi Sullivan, UCLA’s Hailie Mace and Jessie Fleming and California’s Indigo Gibson. The Pac-12 had the most representatives on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List with seven, the most from the Conference since seven in 2010. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer, presented annually to one male and one female athlete. The Conference is represented by Jemma Purfield, Arizona State; Taylor Kornieck, COLORADO; Andi Sullivan and Tierna Davidson, Stanford; Jessie Fleming, UCLA; Ally Prisock, USC; and Hailey Skolmoski, Utah