Photo by: Emmy Scherer
Six Cal Poly Women's Soccer Players Earn Academic All-District Honors
11/21/2023 2:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Six student-athletes on the Cal Poly women's soccer team earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors on Tuesday.
Peja Balanon, Emma Brown, Aynsley Conner, Emily Lieber, Sophia Minnite and Emily Nedom were all recognized for their exceptional performance and dedication in the classroom and on the pitch. All six advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot with honorees set to be announced on Dec. 20.
The Academic All-District Women's Soccer Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes and to qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.50 GPA, be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have participated in at least 50 percent of their team's games this season and be a starter or key reserve player. Each women's soccer program is only allowed to nominate up to six players for recognition.
This is the second straight year Balanon and Brown have received the honor, and the first time for Conner, Lieber, Minnite and Nedom.
During her junior season this fall, Balanon played in 20 matches for the Mustangs, starting in 10 of them and recording two goals and an assist. The biological sciences major buried the game-winner in Cal Poly's 2-1 victory over sixth-seeded Hawai'i in the first round of the Big West Championship.
Brown, a junior Kinesiology major, was crowned the Big West Defensive Player of the Year this season and secured All-Big West First Team praise for the second straight year, racking up 1,837 minutes and starting in all 21 matches for the Mustangs, playing every minute in 19 of them.
Conner, a junior psychology major, anchored a Cal Poly backline that posted four shutouts this season, totaling 1,565 minutes and starting in all 19 matches she appeared in. She registered her second career assist in a 3-1 home victory over UC Riverside on Oct. 1.
Lieber, a sophomore aerospace engineering major, tallied three assists this season — tied for second most on the team — and started in all 21 matches. She scored the fourth quickest goal to open a match in program history (39 seconds) in the Mustangs' Big West Championship First Round victory over Hawai'i.
Minnite, a redshirt freshman Kinesiology major, secured a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team thanks to her play this fall. She appeared in 20 matches, starting in two of them and recording two assists.
Nedom, a communication studies major, had quite the junior campaign, finishing fourth on the team in points with three goals and one assist. Nedom, who started in all 17 matches she appeared in, registered her first collegiate point, goal and game-winner in a 2-0 win at Loyola Marymount on Aug. 27.
Peja Balanon, Emma Brown, Aynsley Conner, Emily Lieber, Sophia Minnite and Emily Nedom were all recognized for their exceptional performance and dedication in the classroom and on the pitch. All six advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot with honorees set to be announced on Dec. 20.
The Academic All-District Women's Soccer Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes and to qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.50 GPA, be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have participated in at least 50 percent of their team's games this season and be a starter or key reserve player. Each women's soccer program is only allowed to nominate up to six players for recognition.
This is the second straight year Balanon and Brown have received the honor, and the first time for Conner, Lieber, Minnite and Nedom.
During her junior season this fall, Balanon played in 20 matches for the Mustangs, starting in 10 of them and recording two goals and an assist. The biological sciences major buried the game-winner in Cal Poly's 2-1 victory over sixth-seeded Hawai'i in the first round of the Big West Championship.
Brown, a junior Kinesiology major, was crowned the Big West Defensive Player of the Year this season and secured All-Big West First Team praise for the second straight year, racking up 1,837 minutes and starting in all 21 matches for the Mustangs, playing every minute in 19 of them.
Conner, a junior psychology major, anchored a Cal Poly backline that posted four shutouts this season, totaling 1,565 minutes and starting in all 19 matches she appeared in. She registered her second career assist in a 3-1 home victory over UC Riverside on Oct. 1.
Lieber, a sophomore aerospace engineering major, tallied three assists this season — tied for second most on the team — and started in all 21 matches. She scored the fourth quickest goal to open a match in program history (39 seconds) in the Mustangs' Big West Championship First Round victory over Hawai'i.
Minnite, a redshirt freshman Kinesiology major, secured a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team thanks to her play this fall. She appeared in 20 matches, starting in two of them and recording two assists.
Nedom, a communication studies major, had quite the junior campaign, finishing fourth on the team in points with three goals and one assist. Nedom, who started in all 17 matches she appeared in, registered her first collegiate point, goal and game-winner in a 2-0 win at Loyola Marymount on Aug. 27.
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