OKLAHOMA CITY (August 9, 2023) – The Women’s Premier Soccer League has announced the 2023 Best of the WPSL All-Conference awards in the Central Region. The accolades include Best XI, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Franchise of the Year.
The Northern Conference awards feature six players from Salvo SC, four players from Minnesota Thunder and one player from Sioux Falls City FC. These honorees represent collegiate programs including Wake Forest University, University of Minnesota, University of Michigan, and Penn State University.
NORTHERN CONFERENCE ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Khyah Harper, F, Salvo SC, Minnesota
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Payton Cahill, GK, Salvo SC, Wake Forest
COACH OF THE YEAR: Greg Wheaton, Salvo SC
FRANCHISE OF THE YEAR: Sioux Falls City FC
BEST XI SELECTION
Position |
Player |
WPSL Team |
School |
Year |
Repeat |
GK |
Payton Cahill |
Salvo SC |
Wake Forest |
Soph. |
|
D |
Ansley Atkinson |
Salvo SC |
Creighton |
2022 |
‘19 |
D |
Lauren Eckerle |
Salvo SC |
South Dakota State |
Soph. |
|
D |
Jordy Rothwell |
Minnesota Thunder |
Creighton |
2022 |
|
MF |
Meredith Haakenson |
Salvo SC |
Michigan |
2022 |
|
MF |
Emily Heslin |
Salvo SC |
Minnesota |
2018 |
’22, ’21, ‘19 |
MF |
Paige Kalal |
Minnesota Thunder |
Minnesota |
Fr. |
‘22 |
MF |
Taylor Thomas |
Sioux Falls City FC |
Dayton |
Jr. |
|
F |
Khyah Harper |
Salvo SC |
Minnesota |
Jr. |
’22, ‘21 |
F |
Paige Peltier |
Minnesota Thunder |
Notre Dame |
Sr. |
|
F |
Kaitlyn MacBean |
Minnesota Thunder |
Penn State |
R-Jr. |
‘22 |