Aggies Well Represented on All-Mountain West Soccer Teams

LOGAN, Utah — After a historic and record-setting regular season, Utah State soccer has earned a program record number of all-Mountain West accolades, as announced by the league Monday afternoon.

Seven Utah State players earned spots on the league’s first and second teams, while senior defender Kaitlyn Richins was named the MW Defensive Player of the Year, graduate goalkeeper Cora Brendle was named the MW Newcomer of the Year and head coach Manny Martins, for the second-straight season, was named the MW Coach of the Year. Additionally, USU placed four players on the league’s all-newcomer team.

Mountain West Coach of the Year: Manny Martins

Martins has led the Utah State program to new heights to earn his second-straight Mountain West Coach of the Year honor. This year, USU has set program records for wins (16), goals (58), assists (59), points (175), shutouts (13) and shots on goal (176), while ranking second all-time in goals allowed average (0.55). He led the team to an undefeated non-conference slate, which included four wins over in-state opponents and three wins over Big 12 teams, then through conference play with just a single loss to earn the 2-seed for the second-straight year. After having never been ranked before this season, the Aggies have spent eight weeks ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25, peaking as high as No. 7, which was tied for the highest ranking by any team in Utah State history. Martins is just the third coach in league history to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons.

Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year: Kaitlyn Richins, Sr., D

Richins, a native of Layton, Utah, moved this season from the midfield to the defensive back line, where she has started all 21 games and played nearly 1,800 minutes this season. With Richins anchoring the Aggies as a center back, the team has earned a program record 13 shutouts this season and allowed just 13 total goals. USUs suffocating defense has allowed opponents just 7.7 shots and just 3.2 shots on goal per game. Additionally, Richins has scored two goals with one assist, including the game-winner at Utah Valley. Richins was also named to the all-Mountain West first team, the first all-conference accolade of her career.

Mountain West Newcomer of the Year: Cora Brendle, Gr., GK

Brendle, a native of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, joined USU prior to this season as a graduate transfer from USC Upstate and has played a major role in one of the nation’s top defenses. Brendle has played 16 matches and started 14 in net, including the team’s full conference slate. She has a 10-1-4 keeper record with nine shutouts, currently tied for third in program history for a single season. With 1,350 minutes on the pitch, Brendle has recorded 34 saves with a 0.53 goals against average, second-best in program history and 18th in the NCAA this year. Brendle was also a member of the all-Mountain West second team and all-newcomer team.

All-Mountain West First and Second Teams

Seven players earned spots on all-conference teams, including five first team members and two second team members. First teamers include senior forward Bizzy Arevalo, graduate midfielder Alex Day, graduate defender Kylie Olsen, senior defender Kaitlyn Richins and junior forward Tess Werts. Second teamers include graduate goalkeeper Cora Brendle and sophomore midfielder Summer Diamond. This is a program record for most all-MW honorees, with the previous high mark being four in 2016 and 2023. It also ties a program record for most all-league accolades in any conference, joining the team’s seven all-WAC honorees in both 2008 and 2011.

Mountain West All-Newcomer Team

Four USU players were named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer Team, including graduate keeper Cora Brendle and the freshman forward trio of Ellie Hendrix, Austin Miller and Mia Mullenmeister. This is the first time in program history USU has had more than one player on the league’s all-newcomer team, and is tied for the most by any single program since the MW started naming an all-newcomer team in 2016.