ARLINGTON, Texas - The Western Athletic Conference announced its postseason all-conference women's soccer teams and major awards as selected by the league's eight head coaches. Utah Valley’s Faith Webber was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year, Seattle U’s Kait Raffensperger and Utah Valley’s Haley Funn earned WAC Co-Defensive Players of the Year honors. Grand Canyon’s DeAira Jackson took home WAC Goalkeeper of the Year and Utah Valley’s Kate Shirts was selected WAC Freshman of the Year. Utah Valley head coach Chris Lemay was chosen as WAC Coach of the Year.
 
Webber, a senior forward, cemented her legacy in the WAC and at Utah Valley by leading the nation in multiple statistics in the regular season including goals (18), goals per game (1.00), shots (110), shots per game (6.11), shots on goals per game (3.11), and tied for second in points (38). Webber scored 10 conference goals, seven more than the next highest goal-scorer in WAC play. Webber scored seven goals in the last three matches, including her third career hat trick, against California Baptist (Oct. 17).
 
Raffensperger, a senior defender, anchored the Seattle U defense that tallied three WAC shutouts and allowed only six goals in conference play, leading the conference in both statistics. Raffensperger played every single minute of all 17 Seattle U games this season, totaling 1530 minutes on the pitch for the Redhawks. Raffensperger also scored two goals in conference play.
 
Funn, a redshirt junior, helped lead the Wolverines defense to its third consecutive regular season title. Utah Valley picked up five shutouts on the year including two in conference play. Funn recorded two goals and two assists this season and was on the pitch for 96 percent of the 2024 Wolverine regular season.
 
Jackson, a senior goalkeeper, tallied eight clean sheets for Grand Canyon this year and held WAC opponents scoreless in three matches, both being the best total in the conference. Jackson also led the WAC in goals against average (0.79) and allowed only 14 goals in 18 matches. Jackson totaled 60 saves this season and recorded a season-high of seven saves against Arizona (Aug. 15) and Nevada (Sept. 15).
 
Shirts, a freshman midfielder, was a key component in Utah Valley’s offensive attack as she picked up eight assists this season, the second most in the WAC. Shirts recorded two assists against Gonzaga (Sept. 15) and California Baptist (Oct. 17) and scored her first career goal against Abilene Christian (Oct. 12). Shirts’ 10 points this season were tied for the most points in this year’s WAC freshman class.
 
Lemay collected his second WAC Coach of the Year award after leading Utah Valley to a third straight WAC regular season championship. Lemay and the Wolverines compiled an overall record of 12-4-2 and a conference record of 6-0-1 to secure the first seed in the WAC 2024 Women’s Soccer Tournament. Lemay’s 2024 squad finished the regular season with the sixth best scoring offense in the country.
 
2024 WAC Women’s Soccer Awards
 
2024 WAC Offensive Player of the Year 
Faith Webber, Sr., F, Utah Valley
 
2024 WAC Co-Defensive Players of the Year
Kait Raffensperger, Sr, Seattle U 
Haley Funn, R-Jr., Utah Valley 
 
2024 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year
DeAira Jackson, Sr., Grand Canyon
 
2024 WAC Freshman of the Year
Kate Shirts, MF, Utah Valley
 
2024 WAC Coach of the Year
Chris Lemay, Utah Valley
 
2024 All-WAC First Team  
DeAira Jackson, Sr., GK, Grand Canyon
Jana Heinen, Sr., D, California Baptist
Sidney Roberts, R-Sr., D, Grand Canyon
Kait Raffensperger, Sr., D, Seattle U
Haley Funn, R-Jr., D, Utah Valley
Jayden Ramirez, R-Sr., MF, California Baptist
Bella Piete, Sr., MF, Grand Canyon
Manthy Brady, R-Sr., MF, Utah Valley
Caroline Penner, Jr., F, Seattle U
Faith Webber, Sr., F, Utah Valley
Ruby Hladek, Jr., F, Utah Valley
 
2024 All-WAC Second Team  
Mikayla Kendall, Jr., GK, Tarleton State
Destinee Duran-Wise, Sr., D, Grand Canyon
Alana Lamb, Jr., D, Seattle U
Kaitlyn Flanagan, Jr., D, Tarleton State
Gracie Knutzen, Gr., D, Utah Tech
Taylor Nelson, Jr., D, Utah Valley
AJ Loera, Jr., MF, Grand Canyon
Kailee Wilson, So., MF, Seattle U
U’I Kaaihue, Jr., MF, Seattle U
Kate Shirts, Fr., MF, Utah Valley
Hallie Bergford, Gr., F, Seattle U
Lacy Fox, Jr., F, Utah Tech
Nixan Jackson, So., F, Utah Valley
 
2024 WAC All-Freshman Team 
Ava Lopez, D, California Baptist
Sydnee Smith, D, Seattle U
Kyla Schuster, MF, Seattle U
Chelsea Loeser, MF, Southern Utah
Kimberley Hjalmarsdottir, M/D, Tarleton State
Adelaide Wyrzynski, M/F, Tarleton State
Bre Koscielski, MF, Utah Tech
Adele Faller, D, Utah Tech
Sarah Oyler, F, Utah Valley
Kate Shirts, MF, Utah Valley
Cortney Cobabe, MF, Utah Valley