IRVING, Texas – Middle Tennessee leads the pack with a pair of specialty award winners and five across the 2018 All-Conference USA teams. All 14 programs are represented in this year’s awards list, which features several repeat honorees as well as new faces from around the league. Awards are voted on by the conference’s 14 head coaches.

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Middle Tennessee sophomore Peyton DePriest, named last year’s Freshman of the Year and this year’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, earned Offensive Player of the Year. She is joined on first-team by teammate Hannah Tillett, who was tabbed the 2018 Freshman of the Year. Despite battling injury for much of the season, DePriest leads the conference in goals per game, averaging 1.00 in 11 games played. She’s tied for the league lead with Tillett for total goals (11). Tillett has had a breakout freshman season for the Blue Raiders and leads the conference with 30 points.
 
UAB senior goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty was tabbed Goalkeeper of the Year. The Kennesaw, Georgia, native became the Blazers’ all-time leader in saves in 2018 after toppling the previous record of 341 during the regular season. She is currently second in the conference with 89 this season.
 
North Texas’ Dominique James, who received three Defensive Player of the Week awards this campaign, was voted Defensive Player of the Year for her key role in the Mean Green’s stout backline. Her defensive unit allowed just 10 goals in the regular season and tallied 10 shutouts to secure the No. 1 seed in the conference championship.
 
Lianne Mananquil of Rice received Midfielder of the Year honors. The junior recorded 10 assists to lead the conference in total assists and assists per game. Her efforts helped propel the Owls to the No. 8 seed entering the conference championship.
 
Rounding out the specialty awards is Coach of the Year, Florida Atlantic’s Patrick Baker. Baker led the Owls to their best conference record in program history, 8-1-1, and their first share of the regular-season champion title.
 
Two of Baker’s student-athletes landed a first-team spot - defender Ebba Blomqvist and midfielder Mary O’Hara. Blomqvist played in all 19 games for the Owls and led them to seven shutouts. O’Hara totaled 12 points this season off four goals and four assists.
 
After taking 12^th in the preseason poll, Southern Miss earned a spot in the conference championship for the first time since 2007 and has one player on first-team. Ola Akinniyi played 1470 minutes this season, scoring one goal and tallying one assist for the Golden Eagles, pacing a defense that recorded nine shutouts.

Louisiana Tech’s Nomvula Kgoale repeats as a first-team honoree after tallying two goals and six assists at midfielder. Her efforts paced the Lady Techsters to the No. 4 seed in this year’s C-USA championship.
 
Megan Greene of Charlotte also returns as a first-team selection. Greene holds the conference lead in shots with 68, netting eight goals in her junior season.
 
Capping off the first-team honorees is WKU freshman Ambere Barnett. Barnett posted a stellar first season with the Lady Toppers, tallying seven goals to tie for eighth in the league and recording eight assists to tie for third.
 
The 2018 Air Force Reserve C-USA Women’s Soccer Championship begins Wednesday, Oct. 31 at Old Dominion’s Soccer Complex in Norfolk, Virginia. North Texas, Florida Atlantic, UAB, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee and Rice will battle it out in the eight-team, three day championship. All matches will be streamed on ESPN+. The championship match is slated for Sunday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. ET.
 
Coaches selected an All-Conference second and third team, and All-Freshman squad, as well.
 
2018 C-USA Women’s Soccer Superlative Awards Presented By Ready Nutrition
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Dominique James, North Texas
 
Midfielder of the Year
Lianne Mananquil, Rice
 
Goalkeeper of the Year
Kelsey Daugherty, UAB
 
Freshman of the Year
Hannah Tillett, Middle Tennessee
 
Coach of the Year
Patrick Baker, Florida Atlantic
 
All-Conference USA First Team
GK: Kelsey Daugherty, UAB
D: Ebba Blomqvist, Florida Atlantic
D: Dominique James, North Texas
D: Ola Akinniyi, Southern Miss
MF: Lianne Mananquil, Rice
MF: Mary O’Hara, Florida Atlantic
MF: Hannah Tillett, Middle Tennessee
MF: Nomvula Kgoale, Louisiana Tech
F: Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
F: Megan Greene, Charlotte
F: Ambere Barnett, WKU
 
All-Conference USA Second Team
GK: Jennifer Ocampo, Florida Atlantic
D: Sydney Navarro, Middle Tennessee
D: Riley Orr, Charlotte
D: Emily Roberts, Old Dominion
MF: Miah Zuazua, Southern Miss
MF: Nicole Roseland, WKU
MF: Sarah Gorham, WKU
F: Iris Achterhof, Old Dominion
F: Aaliyah Nolan, North Texas
F: Annie Walker, Rice
F: Marah Abu-Tayeh, Marshall
F: Kamilah Mustafa, UAB
 
All-Conference USA Third Team
GK: Kelsey Brann, North Texas
D: Carissa Sanders, North Texas
D: Ashley Seltzer, Marshall
D: Elizabeth Doll, Louisiana Tech
D: Alex Maxson, Florida Atlantic
MF: Erin Mikeska, Rice
MF: Amber Hoot, Middle Tennessee
MF: Carla Morich, Old Dominion
F: Taylor Torres, North Texas
F: Ellis Patterson, UTSA
F: Elisha Holmes, Florida Atlantic
F: Julia Grainda, Charlotte
F: Berklee Peters, North Texas
 
Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Ambere Barnett, F, WKU
Hannah Tillett, MF, Middle Tennessee
Hailey Landrus, D, Florida Atlantic
Kelsey Brann, GK, North Texas
Delaney Schultz, MF, Rice
Olivia Durham, MF, Southern Miss
Alexandra Augustyn, D, Louisiana Tech
Jojo Ngongo, F, UTEP
Sandra Geiselhart, MF, Charlotte
Lexi Bolton, F, UTSA
Kaydeen Jack, F, FIU