Soccer Hands Out 2020* Awards
BOULDER— The Colorado soccer season hosted its annual year-end banquet this past Sunday, putting an end to a crazy 2020 season. The team gathered atop Folsom Field to hand out awards and turn attention to the 2021 season.
Colorado finished the unusual season with a 9-6-2 overall record. CU beat three ranked opponents in the same season for the first time and was one of 48 teams to be included in the shrunk-down NCAA Tournament field. The tournament selection CU's fourth in the last five seasons and 12th overall.
2020* Team Awards
MVP – Shanade Hopcroft
Offensive MVP – Shyra James
Defensive MVP – Hannah Sharts
Herbst Academic Award – Libby Geraghty
Strength & Conditioning Award – Haileigh Adams
Newcomer of the Year – Dani Hansen
Buff Cup# – Kayleigh Webb
#Buff Cup award is given to the player with the most accumulated points from competitions amongst the team during the spring season
Hopcroft, a senior transfer from UCCS, arrived on the scene in a big way last season. Playing in her first Division I program, Hopcroft finished third on the team with eight points (3 G, 2 A). She cracked the starting lineup in her first game against Denver and earned 16 total starts. Hopcroft scored her first DI goal, the game-winner, at No. 10 California. She had her first multi-point game with one goal and one assist in CU's 2-1 win over Utah. She was one of three Buffs to lead the team with two game-winning goals on the season.
James made a major impact in her first season, leading the team in both goals (5) and points (11). She was selected to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team and finished the year in Top Drawer Soccer's Top 100. James scored her first career goal in her second collegiate game against Northern Colorado. She also added her first assist against the Bears. One of James' top highlights of the season came with her overtime-winner against No. 14 USC.
Sharts, CU's lone First Team All-Conference selection, helped lead CU's backline. Voted a team captain at the start of the year, she started all 17 matches and helped the Buffs to eight shutouts on the season. Sharts was also an early offensive threat for CU, scoring four goals in CU's first seven matches. She finished the season second on the team with nine points (4 G, 1 A). Sharts picked up a list of awards this season, including Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week, Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll, Top Drawer Soccer Top 100, United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Pacific Region and a plethora of academic honors highlighted by United Soccer Coaches Second Team Scholar All-America and CoSIDA First Team Academic All-America.
Geraghty was one of 10 soccer representatives on the Pac-12's Academic Honor Roll. The junior, playing her final season, started eight of the 15 matches she played in. Geraghty scored her first goal of the season against No. 14 USC. She also got on the scoresheet with a goal in CU's 2-1 win over Utah.
Adams started seven of the 16 matches she played in. She was a consistent contributor to CU's defensive core, helping the Buffs in their eight shutouts. She played 90 or minutes in five matches, including CU's NCAA Tournament game against South Alabama.
Hansen started all but one of CU's matches in net in her first year. The Washington transfer totaled eight wins and seven shutouts. She was voted Third Team All-Conference, finished second in the Pac-12 in shutouts (11th NCAA). Hansen was a three-time Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week. She twice made 11 saves and finished the season with 92 saves (5th NCAA). Hansen was also 12th in the NCAA in save percentage (.876) and 30th in saves per game (5.75).
Webb started every match for CU, handing out two assists on the season. She played in 83 minutes in CU's NCAA Tournament match against South Alabama. She fired off 26 shots on the season, landing five on net.
The Buffs will officially report for the season on Aug. 2 and begin practice on Aug. 3. CU's will then open the Colorado Cup on Aug. 14 with an exhibition match at Air Force.