Calderon, Evans and Sanchez take top All-Independent honors
ORANGE, Calif. – Not only did the Chapman University women’s soccer team have a player score a hat trick during a game this season, the team captured one in its own right as the All-Independent teams were announced this week by the Association of Division III Independents. The Panthers took home three of the Association’s top honors as it named sophomore F Aimee Evans Co-Offensive Player of the Year, sophomore Carly Sanchez Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Courtney Calderon Co-Coach of the Year for leading the Panthers to their first postseason appearance since 2004.
This is the first time that a member of the women’s soccer team has been selected as either All-Independent Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year or Coach of the Year.
Overall, six Chapman players - three first team, three second team – were selected to this year’s All-Independent team. Evans and Sanchez were named to the first-team along with senior M Bridget Thomson who was third on the team with six goals and started 18 games during her final campaign in a Chapman uniform.
Evans who was Co-Offensive Player of the Year along with Ally Brown of Lancaster Bible College led the Panthers with 12 goals, four game-winning goals and a shots-on-goal percentage of .592. The Hailey, Idaho native also tied freshman F Val Sobol for the team-lead in points with 26. Sanchez led the Panthers in minutes played for a defense that recorded nine shutouts and held opponents to 1.3 goals per game.
Sobol along with a pair of midfielders in sophomore Karina Cisneros and junior Bree Sasaki were named to the second team. Cisneros was second on the team with four assists while Sasaki had two assists.
by Chris Watts
Sports Information Assistant