The 2024 CCAA Women's Soccer all-conference and individual awards were announced on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Cal Poly Pomona's
Vanessa Cruz earned CCAA Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year, while the Broncos'
Jay Mason was named CCAA Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Cal State LA's
Taesja Paopao repeated as the CCAA Goalkeeper of the Year and Cal State Monterey Bay's
Jennifer Limon was selected as the Defender of the Year. Midfielder of the Year honors went to Stanislaus State's
Aliah Avila and Cal Poly Humboldt's
Heidie Munoz was chosen as the Freshman of the Year.
In her first season in Pomona,
Vanessa Cruz helped elevate a team coming off last year's conference title to the No. 2 spot in the national rankings. The transfer from Saint Katherine led the conference in goals (10) and points (22) and was second in game-winning goals (five). She scored a hat-trick in a critical 3-2 win over Cal State East Bay, and the team was 9-0-0 in matches where she scored or had an assist. Cruz's efforts also helped the Broncos pace the CCAA in points by over two per match (6.28) and in goals by nearly 0.7 per match. The Oceanside native is the first student-athlete to earn CCAA Player of the Year and CCAA Newcomer of the Year in the same season.
Stanislaus State's
Aliah Avila added a CCAA honor to her mantle piece for the second consecutive season. After capturing CCAA Freshman of the Year honors in 2023, the Madera native was named the CCAA Midfielder of the Year. Avila leads the conference and ranks second in the country with seven game-winning goals. She is second in total goals (eight) and points (20) and tied for fifth in assists (four). Avila scored in all six matches during the Warriors' six-game winning streak, and the team was 8-0-0 overall in matches where she scored.
Taejsa Paopao is the first student-athlete to earn CCAA Goalkeeper of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons since the award began in 2018. The Cal State LA keeper led the CCAA in goals against average (.604) and save percentage (.867) while ranking second in shutouts (nine). Her efforts also aided the defense of Cal State LA, which was one of the CCAA's best, leading the conference in goals against average and save percentage.
Jennifer Limon anchored the Cal State Monterey Bay defense, one of the best defensive units in the west region. The Otters began the season with only two goals allowed in their first seven matches. They would go on to allow only 11 in 18 games, with Limon getting the start in each one. As a team, CSUMB tied for the conference lead in goals against average (.604) and was second in save percentage (.820).
Heidie Munoz is the first Lumberjack to win CCAA Freshman of the Year honors since the award was started in 2001. The Los Angeles native scored three goals and added an assist to help Cal Poly Humboldt reach the CCAA Women's Soccer Tournament presented by FloCollege as the No. 5 seed.
Jay Mason led Cal Poly Pomona to CCAA titles in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history. The Broncos were the preseason favorites in the coaches poll, but no one could have seen how well CPP would do in coach Mason's eighth season. Cal Poly Pomona went unbeaten in their first 14 matches, including defeating defending national champions and No. 1 ranked Point Loma in the third game of the season. The Broncos would lose just once all season, going 15-1-2 (8-1-2 CCAA) en route to winning the CCAA regular season Championship and rising as high as No. 2 in the national rankings.
Mason guided six Broncos to All-CCAA first or second team honors, the most in the conference. Vanessa Cruz was joined on the first team by midfielder
Tara Oper and defender
Liberty Ortiz, as the Broncos had a first-teamer at every level. Goalkeeper
Bella Hara earned second team all-conference honors for the second consecutive season. She was joined on the second team by midfielders
Auburn Burnett and
Marisa Salazar.
Paopao, Avila, and Limon joined the trio of Broncos on the first team. Cal State LA was the only other school with multiple first team selections with Paopao and
Jassmin Ortiz (MF). Joining Cruz at the forward position are
Bella Cervantes of Cal State San Bernardino and
Frida Duran Arellano of Cal Poly Humboldt. Cal State East Bay's
Mika Sayfurahman earned first team All-CCAA honors for the second consecutive year. She joined Oper, J. Ortiz, and Avila in the midfield.
Danielle Paulson from Cal State San Marcos filled out the backline with Limon and L. Ortiz.
The all-conference awards are announced on the brink of the CCAA Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals presented by FloCollege. The first round was held last Sunday, and the winners advanced to the final site in Arcata. The semifinal games will start Friday, Nov. 15 at 11 a.m. Follow along with the competition at
GoCCAA.org/FloCollege.
| 2024 CCAA Women's Soccer All-Conference Team [Full Team PDF] |
| Player of the Year: Vanessa Cruz, Cal Poly Pomona |
| Forward of the Year: Vanessa Cruz, Cal Poly Pomona |
| Midfielder of the Year: Aliah Avila, Stanislaus State |
| Defender of the Year: Jennifer Limon, Cal State Monterey Bay |
| Goalkeeper of the Year: Taesja Paopao, Cal State LA |
| Newcomer of the Year: Vanessa Cruz, Cal Poly Pomona |
| Freshman of the Year: Heidie Munoz, Cal Poly Humboldt |
| Coach of the Year: Jay Mason, Cal Poly Pomona |
| All-CCAA First Team |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| Taesja Paopao# |
Sr. |
GK |
Cal State LA |
Oceanside |
| Bella Cervantes |
Jr. |
F |
Cal State San Bernardino |
Anaheim |
| Vanessa Cruz |
Jr. |
F |
Cal Poly Pomona |
Oceanside |
| Frida Duran Arellano^+ |
Jr. |
F |
Cal Poly Humboldt |
San Diego |
| Aliah Avila! |
So. |
MF |
Stanislaus State |
Madera |
| Tara Oper^# |
Sr. |
MF |
Cal Poly Pomona |
Riverside |
| Jassmin Ortiz! |
Sr. |
MF |
Cal State LA |
Wilmington |
| Mika Sayfurahman# |
Jr. |
MF |
Cal State East Bay |
Livermore |
| Jennifer Limon |
Sr. |
D |
Cal State Monterey Bay |
San Jose |
| Liberty Ortiz&# |
Jr. |
D |
Cal Poly Pomona |
Chino Hills |
| Danielle Paulson+ |
Jr. |
D |
Cal State San Marcos |
Long Beach |
|
|
|
|
|
| All-CCAA Second Team |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| Bella Hara! |
Sr. |
GK |
Cal Poly Pomona |
San Diego |
| Abigail Kern |
Jr. |
F |
Cal State East Bay |
Stockton |
| Avery Pieri+ |
Sr. |
F |
Chico State |
Orangevale |
| Alyssa Villalobos |
Sr. |
F |
Cal State Dominguez Hills |
Lakewood |
| Auburn Burnett# |
Sr. |
MF |
Cal Poly Pomona |
Placentia |
| Danielle Castro |
Jr. |
MF |
Cal State Monterey Bay |
Livermore |
| Shelby Melin# |
Sr. |
MF |
Cal State LA |
Pasadena |
| Marisa Salazar*+ |
Jr. |
MF |
Cal Poly Pomona |
Long Beach |
| Yohanna Limon+ |
Sr. |
D |
Cal State Monterey Bay |
San Jose |
| Kaila Tone |
So. |
D |
Cal State Dominguez Hills |
Huntington Beach |
| Jaclyn Orozco*! |
Sr. |
D |
Cal State LA |
Ontario |
|
| HONORABLE MENTIONS: GK - Ashley Levi (CSUEB), Allison Marcure^+ (CSUSM), Nylah Mirshafiei (CSUMB), Leila Peregrina+ (CSUSB); F – Kayleigh Acree (SSU), Delia Bocanegra (CSLA), Alyssa Edwards (CSUDH), Alexis Macias (CPP), Kaley Miller (STAN), Audrey Reyna (CSUMB), Angelina Rivas (CPP); M – Liliana Gonzalez (CSLA), Brynn Howard&+ (CHICO), Natalia Huntington (CSUSM), Mari Ige (HUM), Shauna Johnston (STAN), Hannah Pieri (CHICO), Tiger Rendon (CSUMB), Jocelin Roa (STAN), Gabby Rodil (CSUEB), Evelyn Sandoval (CSUMB), Samantha Shim^+ (SFSU), Emilie Wallin (HUM), Isabelle Walsh (CSUSM); D – Bella Anderson+ (CPP), Julia Betti^+ (SSU), Megan Jankowski! (HUM), Destiny Moedano+ (CSLA), Jaeden Nelson (CSUEB), Natalie Paulson# (CSUSM), Makeila Yancey+ (STAN). |
# - 2023 All-CCAA first team selection; ! - 2023 All-CCAA second team selection; + - 2023 All-CCAA Honorable Mention;
* - 2022 All-CCAA first team selection; & - 2022 All-CCAA second team selection; ^ - 2022 All-CCAA Honorable Mention |