Fourteen from Women’s Soccer earn NAIA Scholar-Athlete Recognition

A record-breaking 14 members of the OLLU women’s soccer team have earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition, each of whom carry a cumulative 3.5 grade point average or higher.

Last season, 12 soccer players from the OLLU women’s team earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition.

This year’s recognized athletes are:

Senior Samantha Benne, a Business Marketing and Communications/Public Relations major, has been part of the team since 2020. She played in 10 games this season, four as a starter, and she took six shots, two on goal. She earned a 3.97 GPA.

Senior Ijayla Criswell, a Biology major, has been with the team since 2020. She played in 16 games, 15 as a starter. She scored one goal this year. She marked a 3.55 GPA.

Senior Rachel Dziuba, a Biomathematics/Science major, has been part of the team since 2020. She played and started in 12 games, and she took eight shots, three on goal. She earned a 4.00 GPA.

Sophomore Bethany Garr, a Biology major, has been part of the team since 2022. She played in nine games, and she took eight shots, five on goal. She marked a 3.74 GPA.

Sophomore Lilliana Martinez, a Psychology major, has been part of the team since 2022. She played in five games and scored two goals. She marked a 3.66 GPA.

Senior Samantha Nava, a Biology major, has been part of the team since 2020. She played in 14 games, four as a starter. She had three assists. She earned a 4.00 GPA.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Olivas, a Kinesiology major, has been part of the team since 2022. She earned 3.82 GPA.

Junior Haven Ortiz, a Psychology and Criminal Justice major, has been part of the team since 2021. She played in 16 games, 15 as a starter. She scored one goal. She marked a 3.80 GPA.

Sophomore Gabrielle Pace, a Kinesiology major, has been part of the team since 2022. She played in three games. She earned a 3.55 GPA.

Senior Tess Pitcher, a Business Management major, has been part of the team since 2020. She played in 16 games, all as a starter. She recorded 66 saves and had a 9-4-2 record. She marked a 3.82 GPA.

Junior Lyndee Rheinberger, an Education major, has been part of the team since 2021. She played in 15 games, four as a starter. She scored three goals and had two assists. She earned a 3.90 GPA.

Graduate student Jaylin Seto, who is pursuing a master’s in Organizational Leadership, has been part of the team since 2018. She played in 14 games, 12 as a starter. She scored four goals and had five assists. She marked 36 shots, 20 on goal, and she scored a penalty kick. She earned a 4.00 GPA.

Senior Deanna Tarango, a Visual and New Media Arts major, has been part of the team since 2020. She started and played in 14 games. She marked a 3.86 GPA.

Senior Ez Valles, a Psychology and Social Work major, has been part of the team since 2020. She played in 15 games, 11 as a starter. She scored three goals and took six shots, five on goal. She earned a 3.52 GPA.

Offense Lifts Women’s Soccer to 5-0 Victory Over WBU

The OLLU women’s soccer team defeated Wayland Baptist University (WBU) 5-0 on Saturday for the first win of the 2023 season. The Saints improve to 1-1 while the Pioneers fall to 1-1-2.

History

The Saints were 5-1 against the Pioneers prior to the match.

Basics

The Saints’ offense shined in a 5-0 victory over WBU on Saturday in the home opener. The Saints scored twice in the first half and three times in the second frame. OLLU had an impressive 24 shots with 18 on goal. Tess Pitcher played all 90 minutes in net and made five saves to earn the win.

Scoring overview

23′ – OLLU – Ez Valles

32′ – OLLU – Sara Garza (assisted by Leah Tapia)

50′ – OLLU – Katelyn Brandao

67′ – OLLU – Emerson Weiler

73′ – OLLU – Lyndee Rheinberger

Four Saints join San Antonio Athenians for Summer Competitions

The OLLU women’s soccer team has four players representing the university with the San Antonio Athenians Soccer Club this summer. Rachel Dziuba, Madison Herrera, Tess Pitcher and Jaylin Seto will be playing for the Athenians in three matches over the next month.

The club will face the San Antonio Runners on June 24 and finish up play with a match against Luxoria on July 1. The squad fell to ATX Blues 1-0 on June 2 in the season opener. OLLU’s Interim Head Coach Max Cruz is on the Athenians staff as an assistant coach. The group is an elite women’s soccer team that develops players and showcases local talent. They compete in the United Women’s Soccer (UWS) League and host home games and international friendlies at Soccer Central. The UWS is a second-division pro-am women’s soccer league.

Cruz commented, “Coaching with the Athenians team has been a great experience in terms of professional development and educational purposes. Seeing our OLLU players compete at this level is not only beneficial to the program but to our players. It is providing our players a professional environment along with competition level that is challenging them. Dziuba, Herrera, Pitcher and Seto are putting OLLU on the map, and I am proud of how they have been p