Women’s Soccer Collects Nine Big Ten Postseason Awards
10/27/2023 12:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The back-to-back Big Ten champion Michigan State women's soccer team earned nine Big Ten postseason awards, as announced by the conference Friday.
The Spartans collected a pair of individual Player of the Year awards as voted on by the league's 14 coaches, with senior Justina Gaynor collecting the program's first Midfielder of the Year honor and rookie sensation Bella Najera earning the league's Freshman of the Year award. With Gaynor and Najera's selections, the Spartans have now collected all six individual accolades over the last two seasons after earning the Coach, Forward, Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year awards in 2022.
Gaynor, who also earned a spot on the All-Big Ten First Team for the second-straight year, has put together a dominant season in the Spartan midfield, totaling a team-leading 19 points from four goals and 11 assists. Her assist total ranks third in the Big Ten and in a tie for sixth in the NCAA.
The Shelby Township, Michigan native has started in every contest for the Spartans this season, playing a team-high 1,410 minutes. She has contributed at least a point in all but five of the Spartans' 18 games this season.
Najera is the second Spartan in program history to earn the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award, following MSU Hall of Famer and All-American Laura Heyboer's selection in 2008. She was also named to the All-Big Ten Third Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team. A native of St. Charles, Illinois, Najera has had a historic freshman season, earning four Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors to tie the conference record, while leading all freshmen in the B1G in total points (18) and goals (7). She scored her first collegiate goal in MSU's 6-0 win against Eastern Michigan before going on to score four more goals in a six-game stretch, including the game-winner in a crucial 1-0 win at Wisconsin. She has also scored at least a point in each of MSU's last five games.
The midfielder has made 13 starts this season and is the only Spartan freshman to appear in all 18 games. Her seven goals are the most by an MSU freshman since Camryn Evans in 2018.
Spartan graduate defenders Celia Gaynor and Raegan Cox joined Justina Gaynor on the All-Big Ten First Team, with Cox earning her second career All-B1G nod after being named to the All-Big Ten Second Team in 2022, while Celia Gaynor collected her first career All-B1G honor. Cox, who has started in all 18 games this season for the Spartans, has totaled five points from a pair of goals and an assist while helping lead MSU to seven shutouts this season. Celia Gaynor has also been a crucial piece of the Spartan back line 2023, playing and starting in 16 games this season as a center back after spending the majority of her collegiate career as a midfielder. The Shelby Township, Michigan native has tallied a pair of goals this season.
Sophomore Emerson Sargeant was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team, collecting her second all-conference honor after being named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team last season. A native of Hartland, Michigan, Sargeant ranks fourth on the team this season in total points (12) from three goals and six assists and has made 17 starts in 18 contests. One of the most versatile players in the Big Ten, Sargeant began the season as MSU's starting left back before playing the remainder of the regular season as a forward.
The Big Ten also recognized 14 Sportsmanship Award honorees, with one representative from each institution. Each student-athlete chosen has distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Each student-athlete must also be in good academic standing and demonstrate good citizenship outside of the competition field. Michigan State selected junior forward Jordyn Wickes for the award. The Brunswick, Ohio native ranks third on the team in scoring this season with 14 points, all from a team-leading seven goals.
Top-seeded Michigan State hosts eighth-seeded Iowa at DeMartin Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 29 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with streaming on B1G+.
