ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Grand Valley junior midfielder Riko Sagara has been named the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Midwest Region Player of the Year, headlining a group of 26 players named to the All-Midwest Region teams. The D2CCA Player of the Year award and all-region teams are nominated and selected by the region’s sports information directors.
Sagra was the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-GLIAC first team. Her 20 assists lead the entire nation which, combined with nine goals, gives her 38 points from her attacking midfielder position; the second most in the GLIAC this season. Sagara had four assists in the Lakers 10-0 win over Purdue Northwest, matching the program single-game record. She helped GVSU to a league-best 82 and 88 goals on the year, helping the nationally top-ranked Lakers to be one of the top offenses in Division II.
Joining Sagara on the D2CCA All-Midwest Region first team are Grand Valley’s Ava Cook (F), Madeline Becker (F); Tara Lierman (MF), Claudia Steinwascher (D) and Madz Ham (D); Bellarmine’s Audrey Van Der Elst (MF); Ferris State’s Tia Van Suilichem (D); McKendree’s Zoe Brochu (GK); Ohio Valley’s Fernada Araya (F); Rockhurst’s Stephanie Ostrander (F); Saginaw Valley’s Molly Vanderhoff (MF); and Southern Indiana’s Madelyne Juenger (D).
The All-Midwest Region second team is comprised of Ohio Valley’s Laura Acosta (D); Paula Valbuena (F) and Kimberly Mora (GK); Trevecca Nazarene’s Leah Hoffman (D), Makena Schlosser (F) and Claire Brothen (D); Ferris State’s Pia Nagel (F) and Bri Rogers (MF); Truman State’s Laura Ney (D) and Hanna Burke (MF); Findlay’s Shannon Marsh (MF); Northern Michigan’s Caroline Halonen (MF); and Saginaw Valley’s Valentina Giambanco (F).
The 13 members of the All-Midwest Region first team will now be placed on the national ballot for All-America consideration. The All-America teams will be released on Friday, Nov. 30. The complete All-Midwest region teams follow.
