CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After an excellent regular season, the Western Michigan women's soccer team was able to land six players on the Mid-American Conference Women's Soccer All-MAC Teams, along with three individuals earning specialty awards. The MAC announced the league awards Tuesday afternoon. 

WMU hasn't had six players land on the All-MAC Teams since the 2015 season. That year, the Brown and Gold won 16 games, claimed the MAC Tournament Championship and made the NCAA Tournament. 

The Broncos finished MAC play with an undefeated record, becoming the fifth team in league history to accomplish that feat. With that, head coach Lewis Robinson was named the conference's Coach of the Year. Robinson took the Broncos from just five wins last season to a 12-3-3 record in 2023. He is just the second WMU head coach to earn the award (Nate Norman, 2015). 

Along with Robinson, Mira Pierre-Webster and Lauren Boafo were recognized for their exceptional talent on the field this season. Pierre-Webster was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, while Boafo was honored as the league's Goalkeeper of the Year. Pierre-Webster doesn't show up much on the stat sheet, finishing the season with one assist. However, her presence on defense helped stabilize the best back line in the conference.

The junior defender helped the Broncos limit opponents to just 63 shots (33 on goal) in 11 MAC games this season. Additionally, the Broncos allowed just six goals in league action. Pierre-Webster is the first Defensive Player of the Year selection in program history and she has made the All-MAC Team in back-to-back seasons.  

Boafo was stellar in net all season, posting an 8-0-3 record, 0.55 goals against average and .818 save percentage to go along with six shutouts. Boafo led the league in clean sheets and wins, while tying for the conference lead in goals against average. Boafo is the first Bronco to win the league's Goalkeeper of the Year Award in program history. 

Thanks to winning the league, Western Michigan was also well represented on the All-MAC First and Second Teams. Joining Boafo and Pierre-Webster on the First Team were Abby Werthman and Jen Blitchok. Blitchok led the team in each offensive category during league play. She finished the league season with 17 points on six goals and five assists. During the 11-game MAC season, she tallied 38 shots, including 20 on frame. She had three-game winning goals, which includes the final game of the season to clinch the championship for the Broncos. 

Werthman was another special player this season, collecting nine points on three goals and three assists in the midfield. Her biggest goal came in the closing minutes against Miami, which helped the Broncos remain undefeated in conference play in the middle of October. Werthman ended the league season with 14 shots (five on goal). 

A pair of Broncos were also on the Second Team, as Jenna Blackburn and Brielle Gomez were selected for their strong play during the season. Blackburn had a tremendous MAC campaign, netting five goals and dishing out five assists up top for the Broncos. She finished with 31 shots (15 on goal) and one game-winning goal. She has now made the All-MAC Team in back-to-back seasons. 

Like Pierre-Webster, Gomez was a strong force on the back line for the Broncos, helping lead the conference's top defense. She played nearly 1,000 minutes during the conference season and limited opponents to just 16 total points (six goals and four assists) over 11 games. Additionally, Gomez helped spearhead a defensive unit that led the conference in shutouts with six. 

Western Michigan has earned the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament and will host the semifinals and finals this upcoming weekend. Semifinal play is on Thursday, Nov. 2, and WMU will play Kent State at 2 p.m at the WMU Soccer Complex. Bowling Green will square off with Ohio at 11 a.m. The two winners will then battle on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. at the WMU Soccer Complex. The winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

MAC SPECIALTY AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Lewis Robinson, Western Michigan

Offensive Player of the Year: Lexi Fraley, Ball State

Defensive Player of the Year: Mira Pierre-Webster, Western Michigan

Goalkeeper of the Year: Lauren Boafo, Western Michigan

Freshman of the Year: Kate Robinson, Eastern Michigan


ALL-MAC FIRST TEAM
Forward: Lexi Fraley, Ball State

Forward: Avery Fenchel, Ball State

Forward: Brynn Gardner, Bowling Green

Forward: Jen Blitchok, Western Michigan

Midfielder: Katie Krohn, Buffalo

Midfielder: Alisa Arthur, Kent State

Midfielder: Abby Werthman, Western Michigan

Defender: Isabelle Gilmore, Bowling Green

Defender: Kelsey Salopek, Kent State

Defender: Mira Pierre-Webster, Western Michigan

Goalkeeper: Lauren Boafo, Western Michigan


ALL-MAC SECOND TEAM

Forward: Arianna Zumpano, Buffalo

Forward: Shae Robertson, Ohio

Forward: Jenna Blackburn, Western Michigan

Midfielder: Delaney Caldwell, Ball State

Midfielder: Leah Wengender, Buffalo

Midfielder: Camber Hayes, Miami

Defender: Lea Gruennagel, Northern Illinois 

Defender: Aubrey Robertson, Northern Illinois

Defender: Quintin Tostevin, Ohio

Defender: Brielle Gomez, Western Michigan

Goalkeeper: Celeste Sloma, Ohio


ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Audrey Goodyear, Ball State

Emma Stransky, Bowling Green

Taylor Green, Bowling Green

Maya Galko, Buffalo

Kate Robinson, Eastern Michigan

Olivia Sipsock, Eastern Michigan

Alanna Raimondo, Kent State

Josie Morgan, Kent State

Dominique Popa, Miami

Morhea Hoefen, Miami

Tyra King, Northern Illinois

Jaimason Brooker, Ohio