NJCAA Women's Soccer All-Americans Announced
The NJCAA released the Spring 2021 All-Americans for Women's Soccer on Thursday, with seven athletes from the ICCAC showing up on the lists.
Division I saw three individuals on All-American teams. Two came from Iowa Western, and the other from Indian Hills, both of which reached the NJCAA National Tournament.
The ICCAC's Division I Women's Soccer Player of the Year Laura Linares earned top-team recognition. The First Team selection led Iowa Western to their fifth consecutive Region XI Championship. Offensively she posted the third-most points in the ICCAC with 26 on eight goals and 10 assists. Her 10 assists were tied for sixth-most in Division I and best in the ICCAC, along with Indian Hills Bailey Wiemann.
Iowa Western's keeper, Judit Gonzalez had the nation's best save percentage at .927. In 13 games she allowed just three goals on her way to a 11-1 record. She collected eight shutouts and had 38 saves. Gonzalez was a Second Team selection.
On Third Team was Indian Hills' goalie Elani Mears. Mears helped lead the Warriors to their first-ever NJCAA National Tournament appearance finishing with a record of 11-2-1 with five shutouts. She had 79 saves, 11th most, in 16 games in net.
In Division II, Northeast placed three players to All-American teams after an outstanding season. The Hawks won the inaugural Division II Region XI Championship on their way to their first-ever national tournament appearance. ICCAC Division II Women's Soccer Player of the Year Naomi Pedroza and Hawks' defender Jessica Clinton were First Team selections. Pedroza had a huge season with 16 goals and 10 assists, both tops in the ICCAC. Her 42 points were sixth-most in the NJCAA Division II.
Clinton was the anchor to a defense that allowed 16 goals in 18 games.
Northeast's goalkeeper, Mackenzie Byrnes was selected as a Third Team All-American. She was first in Division II games played (18), minutes played (1625), wins (13) and shutouts (9). Byrnes had a .89 goal-against average with a .787 save percentage and 59 saves.
Joining the three Hawks as All-American's was Hawkeye forward Lauren Wagner. A Second Team choice, Wagner was the ICCAC's second-most productive offensive player in Division II behind Pedroza. Wagner scored nine goals and had four assists for the RedTails who reached the Region XI final this spring, where she scored the team's lone goal in the game.