CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the 2024 Women’s Soccer All-Conference and marquee awards winners on Thursday.
The 2024 HCAC Regular Season Champion, Mount St. Joseph University's forward,
Ella Pittman (Harrison, Ohio) earned the title of Offensive Player of the Year after a dominant fall that saw the senior become two-time HCAC Offensive Athlete of the Week. Pittman's dominant performance during league play lead her to the top of the HCAC with 10 and for goals game winning goals (5), averaging .400 per game. Her successful season helped lead the Lions to the regular season and HCAC Championship title while remaining unbeaten in conference play.
Pittman was not the only Lion to be honored for HCAC special awards. For the second year in a row,
Vivian Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) was voted as the Defensive Player of the Year, while teammate
Mckenzie Schneeman (Cincinnati, Ohio) earned the Midfield Player of the Year award. Willis helped lead the Lions backline, only allowing 2 goals during HCAC play, which helped lead to the team's regular season title and HCAC conference championship.
Each year, the HCAC recognizes a Midfield Player of the Year, with Mount St. Joseph's Schneeman snagging the honor for the second time. The senior worked both sides of the field for the Lions, with over 550 minutes of conference play in 2024, starting in all 9 conference matches. She found herself in the top-10 in the HCAC for goals (5), shots (31), shots on goal (16), assists (6), and points (16).
McKenna Johnson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) of Transylvania University was named the 2024 HCAC Newcomer of the Year. The HCAC recognizes an individual in their first year of athletic participation who is a standout on the field. Johnson was in the top-10 of HCAC performers in league play in points (11) ending the season with a 1.25 points per game average.
Darren Gallagher led the Lions to the No. 1 seed following an unbeaten record during conference play, with a 8-0-1 mark. Gallagher was named the 2024 HCAC Coach of the Year in a vote of league coaches, after posting a 12-3-4 overall record, and leading the Lions to the league title and their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2018.
Offensive Player of the Year: Ella Pittman, Mount St. Joseph University
Defensive Player of the Year: Vivian Willis, Mount St. Joseph University
Midfielder of the Year: McKenzie Schneeman, Mount St. Joseph University
Newcomer of the Year: McKenna Johnson, Transylvania University
Coach of the Year: Darren Gallagher, Mount St. Joseph University
The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team, Second Team and Third Team. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches and are listed below.
All Conference First Team
| Name |
POS |
Institution |
| Kate Bettner |
D |
Hanover College |
| Camille Clark |
D |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Beth Cook |
F |
Hanover College |
| Abby Dean |
MF |
Transylvania University |
| Kyra Hicks |
F |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Makayla Hurey |
GK |
Earlham College |
| Nora Ludwig |
MF |
Hanover College |
| Lauren Marquardt |
MF |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Ella Pittman |
F |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| McKenzie Schneeman |
MF |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Lilia Steen |
D |
Transylvania University |
| Isabella White |
F |
Transylvania University |
| Vivian Willis |
D |
Mount St. Joseph University |
All Conference Second Team
| Name |
POS |
Institution |
| Paige Adams |
MF |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Maddi Benjamin |
F |
Transylvania University |
| Lillie Casey |
MF |
Anderson University |
| Maddison Claybrooke |
D |
Franklin College |
| Quinn Doden |
MF |
Earlham College |
| McKinzie Dotson |
D |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Caitlin Fike |
D |
Transylvania University |
| McKenna Johnson |
MF |
Transylvania University |
| Kerigan Pollard |
F |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Jordan Schneider |
GK |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Alena Schirripa |
D |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Mallory Smith |
F |
Earlham College |
| Emily Wilusz |
F |
Anderson University |
All Conference Third Team
| Name |
POS |
Institution |
| Kiley Bohart |
D |
Earlham College |
| Payton Bugg |
MF |
Berea College |
| Brielle Collier |
GK |
Bluffton University |
| Jayden Gibson |
MF |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Sara Knight |
F |
Berea College |
| Makenna Mundy |
GK |
Franklin College |
| Grace Papazoglou |
D |
Manchester University |
| Brittney Ramirez |
D/F |
Bluffton University |
| Sian Rogers |
D |
Manchester University |
| Kale Schirmer |
MF |
Hanover College |
| Alondra Sotelo |
D |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Carrie Stevens |
GK |
Transylvania University |
| Adrienne Weyers |
GK |
Anderson University |