Women's Soccer | 11/7/2023 1:53:18 PM
Empire 8 Champion Nazareth University earned four individual awards, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2023 Women’s Soccer All-Conference selections on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Sophomore forward Tatum Overton of Nazareth was named the 2023 Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate Grace Palczewski earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. Nazareth junior Annika Monfort earned Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year honors. Nazareth’s coaching staff, led by head coach Gail Mann, was named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year. Houghton University first-year standout Karryne Mims was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year.
Overton helped lead the Golden Flyers to their 13th Empire 8 Championship in 2023. Overton leads all Empire 8 student-athletes in scoring with 10 goals and 21 points this season. She saved her best for the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, scoring four goals in the two games to earn Tournament Most Valuable Player honors, Overton, who was also named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year last season, is Nazareth’s fifth E8 Player of the Year in program history.
Palczewski led a stout Nazareth defense that allowed just one goals in eight Empire 8 regular season games. Including the postseason, the Golden Flyers did not allow a goal over their final nine games against conference opponents. Palczewski is Nazareth’s seventh Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year.
Monfort has enjoyed an incredible season in net for Nazareth, recording an .899 save percentage with 10 shutouts in 18 games. She was even better in league play, allowing just one goals in eight games with seven shutouts and a .973 save percentage. Monfort stopped an incredible 36-of-37 shots in Empire 8 play this season. She has now backstopped the Golden Flyers to three straight Empire 8 Championships and has never allowed an E8 postseason goal in her collegiate career, spanning six games.
Mims helped lead Houghton to a berth in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament after recording nine goals and 19 points in 2023. She was a two-time E8 Player of the Week. Mims is the first Houghton student-athlete to earn Empire 8 Rookie of the Year accolades.
Mann led the Golden Flyers to their third consecutive Empire 8 Championship after also finishing unbeaten in league play during the regular season, while earning the top seed in the league tournament. Nazareth went 5-0-3 in Empire 8 regular season play, allowing just one goals in eight league games, while recording two more shutouts in the E8 Tournament. In addition, six Golden Flyers student-athletes earned 2023 All-E8 honors. It is Mann and her staff’s sixth Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year honor.
The Golden Flyers had a league-high five first team members, while a pair of Alfred, Russell Sage and St. John Fisher student-athletes were honored. Overall, Nazareth, Russell Sage and St. John Fisher each had six student-athletes earn All-E8 honors. Monfort, Overton and Kayla Rhude of St. John Fisher earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades for the second team apiece.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2023 E8 Women's Soccer Sportswoman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2023 Empire 8 Women’s Soccer All-Conference Selections
Offensive Player of the Year: Tatum Overton, So., F, Nazareth
Defensive Player of the Year: Grace Palczewski, Jr., D, Nazareth
Goalkeeper of the Year: Annika Monfort, Jr., GK, Nazareth
Rookie of the Year: Karryne Mims, Fr., F, Houghton
Coaching Staff of the Year: Nazareth, led by Head Coach Gail Mann
Empire 8 First Team
Abby Scanlan, So., F, Alfred
Tatum Overton, So., F, Nazareth
Emma Spelman, Jr., F, St. John Fisher
Olivia Foley, Sr., M, Nazareth
Marissa Key, Sr., M, Russell Sage
Kayla Rhude, Sr., M, St. John Fisher
Nyah Solly, Jr., D, Alfred
Grace Lanzetta, Sr., D, Nazareth
Grace Palczewski, Jr., D, Nazareth
Courtney Bush, So., D, Russell Sage
Annika Monfort, Jr., GK, Nazareth
Empire 8 Second Team
Gianna Cacciola, Sr., F, Hartwick
Kennedy Jones, Sr., F, Russell Sage
Jenn Kirker, Gr., F, St. John Fisher
Rylee Lamphere, So., F, Utica
Madi McGuire, Sr., M, Hartwick
Natalie Milne, Jr., M, Houghton
Tori Cruz, Sr., M, St. John Fisher
Gabriella Daumont, Sr., M, Utica
Ryann Dauksza, So., D, St. John Fisher
Jackie Gervais, So., D, St. John Fisher
Jenna Keeman, Gr., D, Utica
Nevaeh Winston, Jr., GK, Elmira
Empire 8 Third Team
Karryne Mims, Fr., F, Houghton
Gianna Viscusi, So., F, Russell Sage
Julianna Beaulieu, Sr., F, Utica
Olivia Gilbert., Sr, M, Alfred
Alyssa Smith, Jr., M, Alfred
Lauren Obey, So., M, Nazareth
Jaclyn Bendetti, Fr., M., Russell Sage
Kaela Mochak, Sr., M, Utica
Jenna Mierek, So., D, Hartwick
Rileigh Studley, Jr., D, Houghton
Cora Kraft, Fr., D, Utica
Olivia Horan, Fr., GK, Russell Sage
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Julia Flaitz, So., F, Alfred
Neveah Winston, Jr., GK, Elmira
Riley Miner, Jr., M/F, Hartwick
Chesnie Waddingham, So., GK, Houghton
Teagan Carter, Jr., D, Keuka
Shayla Scully, Sr., D, Nazareth
Maria Stewart, So., M, Russell Sage
Kayla Rhude, Sr., M, St. John Fisher
Kaela Mochak, Sr., M, Utica
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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