Horizon League Unveils 2024 #HLWSOC Awards

November 01

Rachel White

INDIANAPOLIS (November 1, 2024) – The Horizon League announced our 2024 #HLWSOC awards on Friday. All-League awards were voted on by the League’s head coaches.

Milwaukee midfielder Lainey Higgins was named the Horizon League Player of the Year while teammate Kayla Rollins earned Offensive Player of the Year and fellow Panther Parker Donahugh collected Goalkeeper of the Year. Northern Kentucky’s Lydia Self picked up Defensive Player of the Year and Green Bay’s Senah Hanes was voted Freshman of the Year. RMU’s Brenna Murray won the League’s Sportsmanship Award and Detroit Mercy’s Steve Shelton was tabbed Coach of the Year.

Dig Deeper:

Higgins totaled 11 points in #HLWSOC play with four goals and three assists, helping the Panthers to another regular season crown.
Rollins led the League with 10 goals and 22 points in #HLWSOC contests, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight year.
Donahugh allowed just two goals in League play with eight shutouts and 34 saves with a .944 save percentage.
Self anchored an NKU defense that allowed just seven goals in #HLWSOC action, adding four goals for the Norse on offense and earning her second straight Defensive Player of the Year award.
Hanes led the Phoenix with five goals in #HLWSOC play during her first season in Green Bay.
The Sportsmanship Award recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Sportsmanship is defined as behavior exhibited during competition by student-athletes based on values, respect and integrity.
- Murray in a captain at RMU, working on her Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership.
- She traveled to Tanzania this past summer to help Coaches across Continents and is a Ted Ex Speaker on Athletes and Mental Health and an NCAA Woman of the Year nominee.
Steve Shelton picked up his first #HLWSOC Coach of the Year award after leading Detroit Mercy to the No. 3 seed and a 7-1-2 League record.
Regular season champion Milwaukee paced the League with six All-League First Team selections.
Detroit Mercy and Northern Kentucky posted two student-athletes each on the All-League Second Team.
RMU is represented by three student-athletes on the All-League Second Team.
The Horizon League Women’s Soccer Championship kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. ET with two quarterfinal contests.
- No. 3 seed Detroit Mercy hosts No. 6 seed Purdue Fort Wayne while No. 4 seed RMU will welcome No. 5 seed IU Indianapolis.
On Thursday, Nov. 7, the championship will move to Engelmann Stadium on the campus of Milwaukee.
- The first semifinal will see No. 1 seed Milwaukee square off against the lowest remaining seed at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT with No. 2 seed Northern Kentucky taking on the highest remaining seed at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT.
- The championship is set for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Every match of the 2024 Horizon League Women’s Soccer Championship will be streamed live on ESPN+ and fans can also follow all the action on social media by following @HorizonLeague and the hashtags #HLWSOC and #OurHorizon.
For complete championship information visit the #HLWSOC Championship Central page.

2024 Horizon League Women’s Soccer Award Winners

Player of the Year: Lainey Higgins, Milwaukee

Goalkeeper of the Year: Parker Donahugh, Milwaukee

Offensive Player of the Year: Kayla Rollins, Milwaukee

Defensive Player of the Year: Lydia Self, Northern Kentucky

Freshman of the Year: Senah Hanes, Green Bay

Sportsmanship Award: Brenna Murray, RMU

Coach of the Year: Steve Shelton, Detroit Mercy

All-League First Team
Abbey Lodato, Detroit Mercy, Midfielder
Joyelle Washington, Detroit Mercy, Forward
Emma Frey, IU Indianapolis, Midfielder
Anna Champine, Milwaukee, Defender
Parker Donahugh, Milwaukee, Goalkeeper
Lainey Higgins, Milwaukee, Midfielder
Senya Meurer, Milwaukee, Midfielder
Elizabeth Reece, Milwaukee, Defender
Kayla Rollins, Milwaukee, Forward
Lydia Self, Northern Kentucky, Defender
Lilly Yordy, Northern Kentucky, Forward

All-League Second Team
Leila Lanier, Detroit Mercy, Defender
Senah Hanes, Green Bay, Forward
Caroline Kelley, IU Indianapolis, Forward
Ashton Kudlo, IU Indianapolis, Goalkeeper
Ellie Rebmann, Milwaukee, Defender
Kaya Vogt, Northern Kentucky, Midfielder
Malia Velker, Purdue Fort Wayne, Defender
Haleigh Finale, RMU, Forward
Paloma Swankler, RMU, Forward
Ava Trethewey, RMU, Midfielder
Elise Canter, Wright State, Midfielder

All-Freshman Team
Sam Sickenger, Detroit Mercy
Senah Hanes, Green Bay
Laney Stark, Green Bay
Keilah Muldrow, IU Indianapolis
Natalie Zodrow, Milwaukee
Caitlin Evans, Northern Kentucky
Kimee Liu, Oakland
Madi Hurst, RMU
Olivia Stroud, Wright State
Sara Felder, Youngstown State
Maya Naimoli, Youngstown State

Sportsmanship Award Finalists
Maria Bashardoust, Cleveland State
Hanna Arvay, Green Bay
Hannah Roberson, IU Indianapolis
Savannah Sievert, Milwaukee
Lydia Self, Northern Kentucky
Frankie Mudd, Oakland
Lizzie Haub, Purdue Fort Wayne
Brenna Murray, RMU*