Conference champ Texas Tech leads all-Big 12 soccer awards
The first regular-season title in program history brought plenty of all-Big 12 accolades for the Texas Tech soccer team.
Tom Stone was the unanimous choice for coach of the year, the conference announced Thursday. This is the first COY award for Stone, who guided the Red Raiders to an undefeated regular season (14-0-4) and the league championship in his 17th season. The Red Raiders are currently ranked fifth nationally, the team's highest all-time ranking.
Graduate seniors Madison White and Hannah Anderson were named goalkeeper of the year and defender of the year, respectively. Forward Sam Courtwright was chosen the Big 12's freshman of the year.
Other awards went to Texas players Trinity Byars (forward of the year) and Lexi Missimo (midfielder of the year).
Ashleigh Williams (forward) and Macy Blackburn (defender) joined White, Anderson and Courtwirght on the all-Big 12 first. Alex Kerr was a second-team honoree. Chloe Soto and Courtwright were named to the conference's all-freshman team.
This marks Anderson's second first-team all-conference selection in a row and is the first Tech player to win defender of the year. Anderson led the Red Raider defense that limited opponents to four goals in Big 12 play and eight for the season.
More: Ashleigh Williams taking center stage in Texas Tech soccer's historic start to 2023 season
White added to her record-breaking year with 11 shutouts on the season, putting her at 37 for her career — a program record she set earlier this season. White previously earned freshman of the year from the conference in 2019.
Courtwright tallied five goals and six assist while playing the fourth-most minutes on the team this season.
Texas Tech heads into next week's Big 12 Championships at Round Rock as the top seed in the field. The Red Raiders will play the winner of No. 8 Baylor and No. 9 Cincinnati — which play Saturday — in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Monday.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big 12 champ Texas Tech leads all-conference soccer awards
