MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its all-conference team and major awards for the 2024 women's soccer season.
League champion Illinois Institute of Technology secured four of the five major honors as junior defender
Gabriella Baltes repeated as NACC Defensive Player of the Year, graduate forward
Caitie Chismarich was named NACC Offensive Player of the Year, rookie midfielder
Eva Narvarte was named NACC Freshman of the Year, and the Scarlet Hawks' coaching staff led by
Roshane Ellison was named NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
The NACC also bestowed its inaugural Goalkeeper of the Year award to Concordia University Wisconsin senior
Brooke Braga.
Offensive Player of the Year --- Caitie Chismarich, Illinois Institute of Technology
Chismarich has started all 21 games for Illinois Tech this season. She currently leads all NACC players in total points (41), total goals (17), goals per game (0.85), game-winning goals (7), points per game (2.05), shots per game (3.90), shots on goal per game (2.40), and ranks second in toatal assists (7) and third in shot accuracy (0.615).
Chismarich has recorded at least one point in 14 of 21 games with goals coming in 12 of those 14. She has five multiple-goal games, including a season-high three in a 6-0 Illinois Tech win over Edgewood on Sept. 18.
Chismarich is the second Illinois Tech student-athlete in three years to be named NACC Offensive Player of the Year, following Claudia Marti Fanlo in 2022.
Defensive Player of the Year --- Gabriella Baltes, Illinois Institute of Technology
Baltes was named NACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second year running. She started all 21 games (through Nov. 5) while leading a defense that conceded just four goals during league play.
Baltes, who rarely exits the field and has served as a consistent standout player for Illinois Tech this season, has also scored five goals and assisted on three others. She recorded a brace in the Scarlet Hawks' NACC quarterfinal win over Wisconsin Lutheran on Nov. 2.
Baltes is the fifth player in league history to be named NACC Defensive Player of the Year twice, joining Edgewood's
Ilana Bar-Av (2007-08), Aurora's
Cait Hartman (2009-10) and
Jenee Lang (2012-13), and Dominican's
Danielle Mason (2018-19).
Goalkeeper of the Year --- Brooke Braga, Concordia University Wisconsin
Braga started all 19 games for the Falcons this season, going the distance in all but four contests en route to an 11-5-3 record. She kept Concordia Wisconsin in nearly every game this season, conceding just eight goals while posting four shutouts in NACC play.
Overall, Braga contributed to seven shutouts - six solo efforts plus a combined effort against Rockford - and made 131 saves. She posted double-digit save totals on five occasions, including a season-high 16 in the Falcons' final contest - a 1-1 double-overtime draw with St. Norbert in the NACC Tournament quarterfinals.
Braga is the first CUW women's soccer student-athlete to capture a NACC major award since Selena Esten won the second of two consecutive Offensive Player of the Year in Fall 2021.
Freshman of the Year --- Eva Narvarte, Illinois Institute of Technology
Narvarte, a box-to-box midfielder, has played in 20 of 21 contests heading into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE. She has 19 points on seven goals and five assists, while registering 57 shot attempts. Narvarte currently ranks second on the team in shot attempts and fourth in goals, assists, and points.
After registering points in eight games during the regular season, Narvarte posted her best point total of the season in Tuesday's NACC semifinal win over St. Norbert with five points on two goals and an assist. She had the game-winning goal in that contest as well as in Illinois Tech's regular-season victory over Benedictine on Oct. 23.
Narvarte is the second Illinois Tech women's soccer student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year, joining Jamie Griggs in 2018.
Coaching Staff of the Year --- Illinois Institute of Technology (Roshane Ellison, head coach)
The Scarlet Hawks, led by 10th-year head coach
Roshane Ellison, posted an 11-0-1 mark in league play en route to a second consecutive NACC title and takes a 17-2-2 record into Saturday's NACC Tournament final. After conceding four goals to Calvin in the season opener, Illinois Tech has outscored 20 subsequent opponents by a 92-7 margin. In league play alone, the Scarlet Hawks outscored opponents by a 57-4 margin.
Illinois Tech sports one of the top offenses in NCAA Division III. Heading into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE, Illinois Tech ranks second nationally in shots on goal per game (13.05), third in scoring offense (4.20 goals per game), shots per game (25.45), total goals (84), and total points (222), fifth in points per game (11.10), and seventh in total assists (54).
Ellison is assisted by
Alan Garcia Pena,
Cinthya Osuna,
Roxanne Myers,
Julian Soto, and
Tom Paparounis.
This is the second consecutive year an Ellison-led Illinois Tech staff has been recognized its peers.
All-Conference Team Announced
League champion Illinois Tech and third-place finisher Dominican each accounted for seven all-NACC picks, while runner-up MSOE had six and fourth-place finisher Concordia Wisconsin had four. Aurora, Edgewood, Marian, and St. Norbert had one all-league pick apiece.
Dominican had the most first-team picks with five, followed by Illinois Tech with four. Concordia Wisconsin and MSOE both landed two first-teamers, while Edgewood secured the final top-flight honor.
| 2024 All-NACC Women's Soccer Team |
| Offensive Player of the Year |
Caitie Chismarich, Illinois Tech |
| Defensive Player of the Year |
Gabriella Baltes, Illinois Tech |
| Goalkeeper of the Year |
Brooke Braga, Concordia Wisconsin |
| Freshman of the Year |
Eva Narvarte, Illinois Tech |
| Coaching Staff of the Year |
Illinois Tech (Roshane Ellison, head coach) |
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Brooke Braga |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
GK |
Belgium, Wis. |
| Carmen Rowe |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
D |
Copley, Ohio |
| Lauren Mark |
Dominican |
Gr. |
D |
Canton, Mich. |
| Sarah Matuszek |
Dominican |
Jr. |
D |
Lockport, Ill. |
| Grace Johnson |
Edgewood |
Gr. |
D |
Waunakee, Wis. |
| Gabriella Baltes |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
D |
Plymouth, Minn. |
| Natalia Lopez |
Dominican |
Jr. |
MF |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Eva Narvarte |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
MF |
Austin, Texas |
| Lucy Jorjorian |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
MF |
Henderson, Nev. |
| Addison Spilman |
MSOE |
Sr. |
MF |
Mundelein, Ill. |
| Maggie Thillman |
MSOE |
Jr. |
MF |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| Regan Coxon |
Dominican |
Gr. |
F |
Lowell, Mich. |
| Grace Larson |
Dominican |
Gr. |
F |
Brookfield, Ill. |
| Caitie Chismarich |
Illinois Tech |
Gr. |
F |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Sarah Grimmett |
Dominican |
Gr. |
GK |
Houston, Texas |
| Mary Frampton |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
D |
Seattle, Wash. |
| Alana Dwenger |
MSOE |
Sr. |
D |
Columbus, Ind. |
| Samantha Shaver |
MSOE |
Jr. |
D |
Rio Rancho, N.M. |
| Jacey Read |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
MF |
Carbondale, Colo. |
| Kamryn Klinger |
Dominican |
Jr. |
MF |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Emily Gordillo |
Marian |
So. |
MF |
Compton, Calif. |
| Elizabeth Kuhn |
MSOE |
Jr. |
MF |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Grace Quinn |
MSOE |
Gr. |
MF |
Coto de Caza, Calif. |
| Aleah Reesman |
St. Norbert |
So. |
MF |
Burlington, Wis. |
| Lauren Bliefernicht |
Aurora |
Sr. |
F |
Waunakee, Wis. |
| Sabrina Moore |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
F |
Park Ridge, Ill. |
| Kayla Smith |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
F |
Redmond, Wash. |
| Amelia Moseman |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
F |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Elle Wheelock |
Concordia Chicago |
Fr. |
D |
Holland, Mich. |
| Allie Brown |
Concordia Chicago |
Gr. |
MF |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Bella Rapp |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
MF |
Grafton, Wis. |
| Ashley Hoffner |
Dominican |
Sr. |
D |
Elk Grove, Calif. |
| Jillian Oligschlaeger |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
D |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Allison Murray |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
MF |
St. Charles, Mo. |
| Hannah Ramos |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
MF |
Tucson, Ariz. |
| Ingrid Steinbock |
Lakeland |
Fr. |
GK |
Sheboygan, Wis. |
| Chelsea King |
Marian |
Jr. |
GK |
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. |
| Breleigh Navis |
Marian |
So. |
D |
Oostburg, Wis. |
| Isabella Goodson |
Marian |
Sr. |
F |
Live Oak, Calif. |
| Page Sanchez |
MSOE |
Jr. |
GK |
Niwot, Colo. |
| Claire Bradford |
MSOE |
So. |
MF |
De Pere, Wis. |
| Faith Papazoglou |
MSOE |
Jr. |
F |
Commack, N.Y. |
| Mackenzie Schneider |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
D |
Appleton, Wis. |
| Abby Thompson |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
F |
Wausau, Wis. |
| Haley Leadingham |
St. Norbert |
Sr. |
F |
Kenosha, Wis. |
| Alaena Zastrow |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Fr. |
MF |
De Pere, Wis. |
| Ava Zarling |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
Fr. |
F |
Jackson, Wis. |