ATLANTA, Ga. (November 1, 2024) - Maryville’s senior forward Sierra Lee and Covenant’s sophomore defender Gretchen Caswell have been voted the 2024 CCS Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, by the conference’s head coaches, announced today by the league office. Covenant’s sophomore goalkeeper Bronwyn Kickasola earned Goalkeeper of the Year honors, while Huntingdon’s freshman forward Shaylinn McFarland was awarded Rookie of the Year. Asbury’s head coach Zach Welch was named Coach of the Year.
Offensive Player of the Year | Sierra Lee, Maryville
Senior forward Sierra Lee has been a dynamic offensive force for the Scots, ranking second in the CCS with 14 goals (averaging 0.82 per game) and 1.82 points per game. Earning her second Offensive Player of the Year title, Lee is the third Maryville player in as many years to capture this top honor. The Tennessee native scored in every conference match this season, achieving a career-high 14 goals and three assists for 31 points, and led the Scots to a 3.24 scoring average and a regular season title.
Defensive Player of the Year | Gretchen Caswell, Covenant
Gretchen Caswell played a vital role in Covenant’s strong defense, starting 13 of her 14 matches and logging 1,110 minutes. Caswell anchored a backline that allowed only 1.13 goals per game, with nine shutouts over the season. Notably, she finished the season without a single yellow card, a testament to her disciplined and effective play at center-back. The Florida native made history as the first Covenant defender to receive the Defensive Player of the Year honor.
Goalkeeper of the Year | Bronwyn Kickasola, Covenant
Starting all 15 games, Bronwyn Kickasola recorded a 9-5-1 record, seven shutouts, and a CCS-leading .802 save percentage. The sophomore goalkeeper’s impressive 1.12 goals-against average and 65 total saves made her a reliable last line of defense for the Scots. Kickasola becomes the second consecutive Covenant player to earn the Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Rookie of the Year | Shaylinn McFarland, Huntingdon
Huntingdon’s freshman forward is the first Huntingdon player to earn Rookie of the Year honors after leading the CCS in nearly every offensive category in her first year with the Hawks. The Alabama native scored 14 goals, with 34 points on the season, averaging 5.44 shots, 3.19 shots on goal, and 2.13 points per game. McFarland’s immediate impact as a freshman, combined with her record-breaking performance in goals and points for the program has made her an essential asset to the Hawk’s offense.
Coach of the Year | Zach Welch, Asbury
Welch’s first year in the CCS brought him his first Coach of the Year award as he guided Asbury to a remarkable turnaround. Under his leadership, the Eagles posted a 7-5-5 record and earned a fifth seed in the CCS Tournament, an impressive feat for a program coming off a 2-9-4 season. Welch’s strategic guidance and dedication have laid a solid foundation for Asbury’s continued success in the league.
Maryville and Covenant each led with six selections, followed by Belhaven with five selections, and Asbury with four selections. Piedmont had three players recognized, while Huntingdon and LaGrange each had one player honored.
The 2024 CCS Women’s Soccer Championship kicks off today with quarterfinal action as No. 3 Belhaven faces No. 6 LaGrange. The action continues tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 2, as No. 4 Covenant takes on No. 5 Asbury. Winners will advance to Wednesday’s semifinals, where No. 1 Maryville and No. 2 Piedmont await, eager to face the competition. The tournament concludes on Saturday, November 9, with the final showdown set to crown this season’s champion.
2024 CCS WOMEN’S SOCCER SUPERLATIVE AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year: Sierra Lee, Maryville
Defensive Player of the Year: Gretchen Caswell, Covenant
Goalkeeper of the Year: Bronwyn Kickasola, Covenant
Rookie of the Year: Shaylinn McFarland, Huntingdon
Coach of the Year: Zach Welch, Asbury
2024 CCS WOMEN’S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team
| Hannah Smoot |
Maryville |
Forward |
| Sierra Lee |
Maryville |
Forward |
| Emma Antonoplos |
Belhaven |
Forward |
| Shaylinn McFarland |
Huntingdon |
Forward |
| Hannah Muncie |
Asbury |
Midfielder |
| Sierra Judson |
Piedmont |
Midfielder |
| Anabelle Procter |
Maryville |
Midfielder |
| Gretchen Caswell |
Covenant |
Defender |
| Elle Fair |
Maryville |
Defender |
| Sophie Wells |
Piedmont |
Defender |
| Hadleigh Watson |
Belhaven |
Defender |
| Lauren Davis |
Asbury |
Defender |
| Bronwyn Kickasola |
Covenant |
Goalkeeper |
Second Team
| Kaci Craft |
Belhaven |
Forward |
| Anna Sparks |
Asbury |
Forward |
| Mae Pierce |
Covenant |
Forward |
| Kaia King |
LaGrange |
Forward |
| Rachel Wall |
Covenant |
Midfielder |
| Macy Mathers |
Belhaven |
Midfielder |
| Emma Riggs |
Covenant |
Midfielder |
| Maggie Perry |
Asbury |
Defender |
| Paige Kluba |
Piedmont |
Defender |
| Erin Hudson |
Maryville |
Defender |
| Caelin Cole |
Maryville |
Defender |
| Autumn Biancamano |
Covenant |
Defender |
| Julianne Wilson |
Belhaven |
Goalkeeper |
2024 CCS WOMEN’S SOCCER ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
| Viv Felso |
Agnes Scott |
| Reese Bolton |
Asbury |
| Ally Davis |
Belhaven |
| Annabella Goehring |
Covenant |
| Calista Sweet |
Huntingdon |
| Kennedi Vowell |
LaGrange |
| Olivia Norris |
Maryville |
| Ayndi Wimmer |
Piedmont |
| Alana Woods |
Wesleyan |
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH (CCS)
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.
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