MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its major award winners and all-conference team for the 2025 women's soccer season.
Illinois Institute of Technology, which won its third-straight NACC title, secured four major awards as graduate student
Kelly Hitchcock was named NACC Midfielder of the Year, seniors
Kayla Smith and
Gabriella Baltes were named NACC Forward of the Year and NACC Defender of the Year, and the Scarlet Hawk coaching staff led by head coach
Roshane Ellison was recognized as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year. Additionally, Milwaukee School of Engineering senior
Page Sanchez was named NACC Goalkeeper of the Year and Concordia Wisconsin forward
Koffy'e Chappel earned NACC Freshman of the Year.
NACC Forward of the Year - Kayla Smith, sr., Illinois Institute of Technology
Smith, a senior, has participated in 19 of Illinois Tech's 20 fixtures headed into the NACC Tournament final on Saturday, totaling 37 points on 13 goals and 11 assists - leading all NACC players in all three categories. Three of Smith's goals were game-winners and one came off a penalty kick.
She recorded three multiple-goal games, scoring two goals each against North Park in the season opener and Concordia Wisconsin in late October and a season-high three goals against Lakeland in early October. Smith also posted a NACC season-high three assists in the regular-season finale at Rockford.
Smith is the NACC leader in assists per game (0.50) and points per game (1.94), and ranks second in goals per game (0.72) and third in game-winning goals, shots per game (3.61), shots on goal per game (2.06).
This is the third time in four years that an Illinois Tech student-athlete has been recognized as one of the NACC's top offensive players. Caitie Chismarich (2024) and Claudia Marti Fanlo (2022) were recognized by the league's coaches under the previous NACC Offensive Player of the Year designation.
NACC Midfielder of the Year - Kelly Hitchcock, gr., Illinois Institute of Technology
Hitchcock is the inaugural NACC Women's Soccer Midfielder of the Year. She has participated in 16 of Illinois Tech's 20 games heading into Saturday's NACC Tournament final, recording 29 points on 12 goals and five assists.
She has four multiple-goal games this season, registering two goals each against St. Norbert, Edgewood, and Dominican during the regular season before erupting for six points on two goals and two assists in a 5-1 NACC Tournament quarterfinal win over Wisconsin Lutheran.
Hitchcock leads all NACC players in goals per game (0.80), while also ranking second in points per game (1.93) and total goals, third in total points and game-winning goals (3), fourth in shots per game (3.27), fifth in shots on goal per game (1.80), seventh in assists per game (0.33), and eighth in total assists.
This is the first year the NACC has named a Midfielder of the Year in women's soccer.
NACC Defender of the Year - Gabriella Baltes, sr., Illinois Institute of Technology
Baltes, a senior, is the team captain and anchor of a Scarlet Hawk defense that allowed just one goal during regular-season NACC play.
She has played in all 20 of Illinois Tech's games heading into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE, recording six goals on 12 shots. Baltes converted a penalty kick in a win over Rose-Hulman in mid-September and notched the game-winning goals in 1-0 victories over both North Central (Ill.) and Concordia Chicago.
This is the third consecutive year that Baltes has been recognized by the league's coaches. The past two seasons, she was recognized under the NACC Defensive Player of the Year designation.
NACC Goalkeeper of the Year - Page Sanchez, sr., Milwaukee School of Engineering
Sanchez has started all 21 fixtures for MSOE headed into Saturday's NACC Tournament championship match, compiling a 14-5-2 record with a 1.053 goals-against average and 97 saves in just over 1700 minutes of play. She has also posted nine clean sheets and an .829 save percentage. Six of Sanchez's shutouts came in regular-season NACC play with two more coming in the NACC Tournament.
Sanchez recorded at least seven saves in seven contests, including the first five games of the season. She posted a season-high 10 saves in a 1-0 win over UW-La Crosse in mid-October. She leads all NACC goalkeepers in shutouts, and ranks second in goalie minutes played, third in save percentage and goals-against average, and sixth in total saves and saves per game.
Sanchez is the first MSOE goalkeeper to be recognized as NACC Goalkeeper of the Year. Two Raiders - Nicole Robb (Spring 2021) and Shelby Namen (2016) - were named NACC Defensive Player of the Year prior to the goalkeeper award begin split off into a separate award last season.
NACC Freshman of the Year - Koffy'e Chappel, F, Concordia University Wisconsin
Chappel, a forward, played in 19 of Concordia Wisconsin's 20 games this season, finishing with 22 points on nine goals and four assists.
A consistent threat with the ball on her feet, she finished with a team-high 52 shots and 34 shots on goal. Chappel recorded multiple goals on two occasions, registering a hat trick for her first three collegiate goals against UW-Stevens Point in mid-September, and recording two goals - including the game-winner - in CUW's 2-1 win over Lakeland in late October.
Chappel currently ranks in the top-10 among NACC players in a number of offensive categories - game-winning goals (third, 3), shot accuracy (fourth, 0.654), total points (fifth), goals (fifth), shots on goal per game (sixth, 1.79), and goals per game (eighth, 0.47).
Chappel is the fourth CUW student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year and the first since Karoline Haugland in 2019.
NACC Coaching Staff of the Year - Illinois Institute of Technology (Roshane Ellison, head coach)
Behind one of the top offenses in NCAA Division III, the Scarlet Hawks captured their third consecutive NACC women's soccer title with a perfect 12-0-0 mark in conference play and take an 18-1-1 mark into Saturday's NACC Tournament final against MSOE. The only blemishes on Illinois Tech's list of fixtures this season are an early-season 2-2 draw against Hope and a 5-1 loss to the University of Chicago in early October.
Through 20 games, Illinois Tech has outscored its opponents by a 90-9 margin, including 67-1 in NACC regular-season play. For all of their offensive firepower, the Scarlet Hawks have also posted 16 shutouts, conceding goals only to Hope, Chicago, and Dominican in the regular season, and one to Wisconsin Lutheran in the waning seconds of their NACC Tournament quarterfinal matchup last Saturday.
The Scarlet Hawks currently rank in the top-20 in NCAA Division III in a host of offensive categores, including total goals (90), scoring offense (4.5), total points (231), shutout percentage (0.80), points per game (11.55), total assists (51), and assists per game (2.55).
The Scarlet Hawks are led by 11th-year head coach
Roshane Ellison. He is assisted by
Alan Garcia Pena,
Julian Soto,
Tom Paparounis,
Lucy Jorjorian,
Sarah Thomas, and
Jillian Oligschlaeger.
This is the third consecutive year that an Ellison-led staff has been recognized by the league's coaches.
All-Conference Team Announced
Illinois Tech dominiated this year's all-NACC list, scoring a NACC-best 12 selections across the two 14-member all-conference teams, including five first-teamers. MSOE scored five all-league picks with four landing on the first team, while Concordia Wisconsin (two first-teamers), Dominican (one first-teamer), and Edgewood (one first-teamer) had three selections, and Marian (one first-teamer) had two.
| 2025 All-NACC Women's Soccer Team |
| Forward of the Year |
Kayla Smith, sr., Illinois Tech |
| Midfielder of the Year |
Kelly Hitchcock, gr., Illinois Tech |
| Defender of the Year |
Gabriella Baltes, sr., Illinois Tech |
| Goalkeeper of the Year |
Page Sanchez, sr., MSOE |
| Freshman of the Year |
Koffy'e Chappel, F, Concordia Wisconsin |
| Coaching Staff of the Year |
Illinois Tech (Roshane Ellison, head coach) |
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Page Sanchez |
MSOE |
Sr. |
GK |
Niwot, Colo. |
| Lanie Czerkies |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
D |
Joliet, Ill. |
| Sarah Matuszek |
Dominican |
Sr. |
D |
Lockport, Ill. |
| Gabriella Baltes |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
D |
Plymouth, Minn. |
| Grace Yager |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
D |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Samantha Shaver |
MSOE |
Sr. |
D |
Rio Rancho, N.M. |
| Kelly Hitchcock |
Illinois Tech |
Gr. |
MF |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Allison Murray |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
MF |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Emily Gordillo |
Marian |
Jr. |
MF |
Compton, Calif. |
| Faith Papazoglou |
MSOE |
Sr. |
MF |
Commack, N.Y. |
| Koffy'e Chappel |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
F |
Oakland, Calif. |
| Greta Blau |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
F |
McFarland, Wis. |
| Kayla Smith |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
F |
Redmond, Wash. |
| Elizabeth Kuhn |
MSOE |
Sr. |
F |
Aurora, Ill. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Kayla Hampton |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
GK |
Duvall, Wash. |
| Madi Johnson |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
D |
Madison, Wis. |
| Leyna Yonehara |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
D |
Geneva, Ill. |
| Liliana Schuth |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
D |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Kit Gormley |
MSOE |
So. |
D |
Tinley Park, Ill. |
| Brei Rozmiarek |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
MF |
West De Pere, Wis. |
| Kamryn Klinger |
Dominican |
Sr. |
MF |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Kamy Luecke |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
MF |
Sheboygan Falls, Wis. |
| Hannah Ramos |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
MF |
Tucson, Ariz. |
| Mia Dosen |
Dominican |
Sr. |
F |
Palos Hills, Ill. |
| Taylor Hernandez |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
F |
San Clemente, Calif. |
| Kayla Thomas |
Illinois Tech |
Sr. |
F |
Helsingborg, Sweden |
| Tvesa Vathulya |
Illinois Tech |
Fr. |
F |
Saratoga, Calif. |
| Brianna Guelig |
Marian |
Sr. |
F |
Mount Calvary, Wis. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Jacey Read |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
MF |
Carbondale, Colo. |
| Natalia Lopez |
Dominican |
Sr. |
MF |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Gianna Stanek |
Dominican |
So. |
GK |
Henderson, Nev. |
| Madeline Brown |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
GK |
Kenosha, Wis. |
| Rylee Brotz |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
F |
Sheboygan, Wis. |
| Malaya Sperber |
Lakeland |
So. |
MF |
Cedar Grove, Wis. |
| Kendall Graves |
Marian |
Fr. |
D |
Fort Thomas, Ky. |
| Chelsea King |
Marian |
Sr. |
GK |
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. |
| Samantha Fleischman |
MSOE |
Sr. |
MF |
Union Grove, Wis. |
| Rosario Etcheverria Abuin |
MSOE |
Sr. |
F |
La Coruna, Spain |
| Taylor Wilson |
St. Norbert |
Jr. |
GK |
River Hills, Wis. |
| Ginny Shade |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
So. |
D |
Thornton, Colo. |
| Aubrey Koch |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
So. |
D |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Alaena Zastrow |
Wisconsin Lutheran |
So. |
MF |
De Pere, Wis. |