Brown Named Defender of the Year, 7 Mustangs Earn All-Big West Honors
10/28/2023 12:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Highlighted by junior Emma Brown being crowned Big West Defensive Player of the Year, seven Cal Poly women's soccer players received All-Big West honors Saturday — the program's most since 2014.
On top of being named Big West Defensive Player of the Year, Brown also garnered All-Big West First Team honors for the second straight year. Senior forward Kate Reedy, junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Samuel and freshman forward Annika Smith were all selected to the All-Big West Second Team, while sophomore defender Camryn Penn earned All-Big West Honorable Mention recognition. Smith also grabbed a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team, along with redshirt freshman midfielder Sophia Minnite and freshman midfielder Sophia Moness.
In total, the Mustangs secured nine All-Big West accolades after another impressive year in conference play, securing six or more Big West regular season victories for the third straight year — a program record.
Brown is the fifth Mustang in program history to be named Big West Defensive Player of the Year and the first since Julianne Grinstead in 2009. The award comes as no surprise for the stellar center back, who has been a key cog on Cal Poly's backline for the last three years.
This is the third straight season Brown has received All-Big West honors after earning a spot on the All-Freshman Team in 2021. The Clovis, Calif. native has started in 41 consecutive matches for Cal Poly and played every minute in 16 of 18 matches this season. Across her career, the two-time United Soccer Coaches All-West Region selection has appeared in 57 matches, starting in 54 of them and playing every minute in 47 without receiving a card.
For Reedy, this is her first time garnering All-Big West praise. The Pleasanton, Calif. native leads the Mustangs in goals (five) and points (13) and is the conference leader in game-winning goals this fall with three. Coming off the bench, Reedy has been an integral part of Cal Poly's attack this year. Across 51 career matches, she has tallied nine goals and three assists.
Samuel secured All-Conference accolades for the third consecutive season. Last year, she was named Big West Goalkeeper of the Year and selected to the All-Big West First Team, and in 2021 as a freshman she also earned All-Big West Second Team honors. The San Diego, Calif. native has started between the pipes in 27 consecutive matches for the Mustangs. This season, Samuel has recorded three shutouts, and owns a 1.187 goals against average (fourth in the Big West) and a .727 save percentage. Samuel has appeared in 43 matches during her career and earlier this season moved to No. 6 all-time in career shutouts (16) and No. 10 all-time in career saves (145). Last year, Samuel posted nine clean sheets — tied for the third most in a season in program history.
Smith has an incredible freshman campaign, so it's no surprise that she garnered not one, but two All-Big West honors from the conference's coaches. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native is the first Mustang since Megan Abutin in 2013 to be named to an All-Big West Team and the conference's All-Freshman Team in the same season.
Smith is second on the team in points this season with 11, netting four goals and tallying three assists. In a 3-1 home victory over UC Riverside on Oct. 1, Smith buried the eighth hat trick in program history in just over 46 minutes of game time. She has made 17 appearances this fall, earning a start in 16 of them.
For Penn, this is her second consecutive season snatching All-Big West praise as she earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team a year ago. The outside back from Foster City, Calif. is also a key piece to the Mustang backline, starting in all 17 matches she has appeared in this season. She recorded her third collegiate assist in a 1-1 home draw against then-No. 8 Santa Clara earlier this season. Penn has made 34 starts across 36 career appearances.
After redshirting last fall, Minnite has proven to be a vital part of the Cal Poly midfield this season. The Pleasanton, Calif. native recorded her first collegiate point in a 4-0 home victory over CSUN on Oct. 15, assisting on Jessie Halladay's goal in the 36th minute. She has appeared in 17 matches this season.
Moness has had quite the impact as a true freshman, tallying one goal and three assists — tied for the fourth most points on the team. She buried her first collegiate goal in the 1-1 draw with Santa Clara to earn Big West Freshman of the Week honors. The El Dorado Hills product has appeared in all 18 matches this season, starting in six of them.
The third-seeded Mustangs (8-7-3, 6-3-1 Big West) host No. 6 seed Hawai'i (5-7-3, 4-5-1 BW) at 2 p.m. Sunday in the first round of the Big West Championships. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
On top of being named Big West Defensive Player of the Year, Brown also garnered All-Big West First Team honors for the second straight year. Senior forward Kate Reedy, junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Samuel and freshman forward Annika Smith were all selected to the All-Big West Second Team, while sophomore defender Camryn Penn earned All-Big West Honorable Mention recognition. Smith also grabbed a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team, along with redshirt freshman midfielder Sophia Minnite and freshman midfielder Sophia Moness.
In total, the Mustangs secured nine All-Big West accolades after another impressive year in conference play, securing six or more Big West regular season victories for the third straight year — a program record.
Brown is the fifth Mustang in program history to be named Big West Defensive Player of the Year and the first since Julianne Grinstead in 2009. The award comes as no surprise for the stellar center back, who has been a key cog on Cal Poly's backline for the last three years.
This is the third straight season Brown has received All-Big West honors after earning a spot on the All-Freshman Team in 2021. The Clovis, Calif. native has started in 41 consecutive matches for Cal Poly and played every minute in 16 of 18 matches this season. Across her career, the two-time United Soccer Coaches All-West Region selection has appeared in 57 matches, starting in 54 of them and playing every minute in 47 without receiving a card.
For Reedy, this is her first time garnering All-Big West praise. The Pleasanton, Calif. native leads the Mustangs in goals (five) and points (13) and is the conference leader in game-winning goals this fall with three. Coming off the bench, Reedy has been an integral part of Cal Poly's attack this year. Across 51 career matches, she has tallied nine goals and three assists.
Samuel secured All-Conference accolades for the third consecutive season. Last year, she was named Big West Goalkeeper of the Year and selected to the All-Big West First Team, and in 2021 as a freshman she also earned All-Big West Second Team honors. The San Diego, Calif. native has started between the pipes in 27 consecutive matches for the Mustangs. This season, Samuel has recorded three shutouts, and owns a 1.187 goals against average (fourth in the Big West) and a .727 save percentage. Samuel has appeared in 43 matches during her career and earlier this season moved to No. 6 all-time in career shutouts (16) and No. 10 all-time in career saves (145). Last year, Samuel posted nine clean sheets — tied for the third most in a season in program history.
Smith has an incredible freshman campaign, so it's no surprise that she garnered not one, but two All-Big West honors from the conference's coaches. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native is the first Mustang since Megan Abutin in 2013 to be named to an All-Big West Team and the conference's All-Freshman Team in the same season.
Smith is second on the team in points this season with 11, netting four goals and tallying three assists. In a 3-1 home victory over UC Riverside on Oct. 1, Smith buried the eighth hat trick in program history in just over 46 minutes of game time. She has made 17 appearances this fall, earning a start in 16 of them.
For Penn, this is her second consecutive season snatching All-Big West praise as she earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team a year ago. The outside back from Foster City, Calif. is also a key piece to the Mustang backline, starting in all 17 matches she has appeared in this season. She recorded her third collegiate assist in a 1-1 home draw against then-No. 8 Santa Clara earlier this season. Penn has made 34 starts across 36 career appearances.
After redshirting last fall, Minnite has proven to be a vital part of the Cal Poly midfield this season. The Pleasanton, Calif. native recorded her first collegiate point in a 4-0 home victory over CSUN on Oct. 15, assisting on Jessie Halladay's goal in the 36th minute. She has appeared in 17 matches this season.
Moness has had quite the impact as a true freshman, tallying one goal and three assists — tied for the fourth most points on the team. She buried her first collegiate goal in the 1-1 draw with Santa Clara to earn Big West Freshman of the Week honors. The El Dorado Hills product has appeared in all 18 matches this season, starting in six of them.
The third-seeded Mustangs (8-7-3, 6-3-1 Big West) host No. 6 seed Hawai'i (5-7-3, 4-5-1 BW) at 2 p.m. Sunday in the first round of the Big West Championships. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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