GLIAC – The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced the women's soccer postseason awards for 2023, as voted on by the league's coaches.
Northern Michigan sophomore forward Molly Pistorius was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year. Molly Pistorius followed up her 2022 GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors with another spectacular season, earning the 2023 GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year award. Pistorius paced all GLIAC athletes in goals and points with 10 goals and 24 points in the regular season. Molly opened the season earning her first career hat trick, then two games later scored another three goals. Most recently, she scored twice in a 2023 GLIAC quarterfinal match against Purdue Northwest, moving her goal total to 12. Pistorius has started in all 19 matches for the ‘Cats this season, recording 12 goals and four assists for 28 points with 1,254 minutes played.
GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors went to Northern Michigan junior midfielder Maria Storm. A mainstay on the back line for the Wildcats, Maria Storm has been a quality defender for the Green and Gold and a major contributing factor to the defensive success throughout the season. A starter in all 19 matches for the ‘Cats, Storm amassed 1,665 minutes of playing time, second-most on the outside of the goalkeeper, including recording 83+ minutes in 17 of 19 matches played with 87+ minutes in the final 13 straight matches. She made an impact on the offense along with her defensive success as she recorded two goals on the season, both of which came as game-winning goals.
Michigan Tech senior Gracie VanLangevelde earned GLIAC Goalkeeper of the Year recognition. VanLangevelde has been vital to the Huskies success this season. She is currently ranked in the top-five in five GLIAC statistical categories. She is third in goals-against average (0.72), second in wins (6), third in shutouts (6), fourth in saves (47) and fourth in save percentage (.825). She was a two-time GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week coming in week four and nine. This marks the first Goalkeeper of the Year award for the Huskies since the 2016 season when Kirsen Hudak earned the honor. The Spring Lake, Michigan, native is now a two-time All-GLIAC First Team honoree, with her first coming a season ago.
GLIAC Freshman of the Year was awarded to Ferris State forward Katherine Welch. Welch has helped lead the Bulldogs to the GLIAC Tournament Semifinals this season. The rookie standout has produced a team-high eight goals to date this year and is tied for the squad lead with 17 total points this season. She's produced two game-winners and tallied a team-best 45 shots with 19 on goal to date. Welch had a season-best four goals in FSU's 5-0 home win over Purdue Northwest on Oct. 13, which is tied for the second-best single-game effort in program history. Overall, as a freshman, she ranked second in total goals and tied for third in total points among the GLIAC's leaders this season.
Jon Sandoval of Northern Michigan was named 2023 GLIAC Coach of the Year. Sandoval is in his fourth year as head coach for the Wildcats, and has improved the team's record each season he has been at the helm. Sandoval has guided the ‘Cats to a program-first GLIAC regular season title with a 14-1-4 overall record, surpassing his mark of 13 wins last season, and now the most wins in a season since 2006. The ‘Cats 9-1-4 conference record is also the most conference wins since 2011 and it surpassed the eight-win mark he reached in both 2022 and 2021. The ‘Cats were previously ranked 23rd nationally last season under Sandoval, the first time being ranked in program history. Under Sandoval this season, Northern has been ranked in the national poll for nine consecutive weeks, most recently moving up three spots from 11th to 8th in the most recent United Soccer Coaches D2 Women’s Soccer Poll. In his four years as the head coach, Sandoval holds a 46-15-11 record and became the second-winningest coach in NMU women’s soccer history, including an ultra-impressive 26-1-7 record at home.
Listed below are the complete 2023 All-GLIAC women's soccer teams:
First Team All-GLIAC
Molly Pistorius, Forward, Northern Michigan
Stephanie Strong, Forward, Saginaw Valley State
Taylor Reid, Forward, Grand Valley State
Brooke Pietila, Midfielder, Northern Michigan
Mackenzie Jones, Midfielder, Grand Valley State
Seulgi Lee, Midfielder, Michigan Tech
Solana Kelly, Defender, Saginaw Valley State
Maria Storm, Defender, Northern Michigan
Daan Louwerse, Defender, Grand Valley State
Alexis Baker, At-Large, Parkside
Gracie VanLangevelde, Goalkeeper, Michigan Tech
Second Team All-GLIAC
Katherine Welch, Forward, Ferris State
Julia Pietila, Forward, Michigan Tech
Haley Diekevers, Forward, Davenport
Madi Bajis, Midfielder, Saginaw Valley State
Emma Chudik, Midfielder, Grand Valley State
Stephanie Trujillo, Midfielder, Northern Michigan
Cassie Bonifas, Defender, Michigan Tech
Kacy Lauer, Defender, Grand Valley State
Isabelle Brusilow, Defender, Northern Michigan
Gwen Kiilunen, At-Large, Northern Michigan
Jillian Thompson, Goalkeeper, Northern Michigan
All-GLIAC Honorable Mention
Gabby Scholten, Davenport
Lindsay Cole, Ferris State
Stephanie Sturgeon, Grand Valley State
Jordan Noble, Michigan Tech
Hannah Kastamo, Northern Michigan
Abigail Canfield, Parkside
Brinley Hefty, Purdue Northwest
Sarah Fredrick, Saginaw Valley State
