Six Mustangs Receive Big West Praise, Crozier Named Coach of the Year
10/29/2022 4:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Senior Camille Lafaix was named Big West Midfielder of the Year for the second consecutive season, sophomore Mackenzie Samuel was crowned Big West Goalkeeper of the Year and four other Mustangs received all-conference praise Saturday.
Alex Crozier also earned his sixth Big West Coach of the Year honor and second straight.
Sophomore defender Emma Brown joined Lafaix and Samuel on the All-Big West first team, while senior midfielder Megan Hansen secured Big West honorable mention recognition. Forward Emily Lieber and defender Camryn Penn both grabbed spots on the Big West All-Freshman Team.
Under the direction of Crozier, Cal Poly secured its first outright conference regular season title since 2013 on Thursday night and earned the No. 1 seed in The Big West Championships. This is the second straight season the Mustangs (9-6-3 overall) have nabbed at least a share of the Big West regular season title and the ninth time in the history of the program.
Tied for the most game-winning goals in the conference this season with three, Lafaix leads the Mustangs in points (11) and goals (five). A 23rd-minute strike in a 2-0 victory over UC Irvine on Oct. 23 allowed Lafaix, a member of the Preseason All-Conference Team, to reach 42 career points, the 15th-most in program history. She is the first athlete to receive back-to-back Big West Midfielder of the Year honors since the award began in 2004.
This is Lafaix's third time receiving all-conference honors and second All-Big West first team selection. Prior to this season, the 2021 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region first team selection became the first player in program history to be named to the Preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.
This is Samuel's first All-Big West first team selection and the recognition is well deserved after she posted nine clean sheets during the regular season, including seven in conference play. She is currently tied with two other Cal Poly goalkeepers for the third most shutouts in a single season in program history.
Across 15 starts this season, Samuel has faced 180 shots, recording 63 saves, a .788 save percentage and 1.07 goals against average. Samuel, who earned All-Big West second team honors a year ago, leads the conference in shutouts per match and had a 416-minute stretch this season without allowing a goal. She is the third Mustang to receive the Big West Goalkeeper of the Year award, joining Coral Hoover (2009) and Greta Shirdon (2003).
Brown anchors a Cal Poly defense that's suffocated its opponents this fall, posting 10 shutouts and only allowing one goal over its last seven matches. She has started in every match and leads the team in total minutes with 1,615. She's only stepped off the pitch for five minutes this season.
Last year, Brown grabbed a spot on The Big West All-Freshman Team and earned a United Soccer Coaches All-West Region second team selection.
This is the second straight year Hansen has garnered All-Big West honorable mention praise. Hansen is second on the team in goals this season with four, burying three by way of penalty kick.
Across her Cal Poly career, Hansen has made 67 starts, tied with two others for the 11th-most in program history. She has eight goals during her time as a Mustang and is a perfect six-for-six on penalty kick attempts.
Starting in 17 matches, Lieber has made an immediate impact in her first season as a Mustang. Her four assists this season are tied for the fourth most among Big West players. She assisted on game-winning goals in 1-0 road victories over Minnesota and Sacramento State and buried her first collegiate goal in a 1-0 home win over San Diego on Sept. 22.
As a freshman, Penn has proven to be a key piece on the Cal Poly backline, starting in 16 matches and racking up 1,332 minutes. She notched her first collegiate point on Sept. 15, assisting on Camille Lafaix's game-winning goal in a 4-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara.
Penn also assisted on Olivia Ortiz's game-winning goal in Thursday's victory at UC San Diego that allowed the Mustangs to secure their first outright Big West regular season title since 2013 and the No. 1 seed in The Big West Championships.
