Breuchel, Bennett Headline V-Hawks Honored by the CAC
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) has officially released the 2022 Women's Soccer All-Conference Teams and Special Awards. Viterbo had four players named to the All-Conference team, all on the first team, the Newcomer of the Year, and a Champion of Character.
Grace Breuchel (Fr., F, McFarland, Wis.) was named the conference Newcomer of the Year as well as First-Team All-Conference. This is the second consecutive year that a V-Hawk earned this honor (Lauren Wedig, 2021). Breuchel led the conference with 24 total goals (6th in NAIA) on 66 shots, 48 on goal, and added two assists. Breuchel broke the Viterbo record of goals in a single game this year with six against Martin Luther College. The forward was honored three times as the CAC's Offensive Player of the Week.
Jenna Bennett (So., M, Madison, Wis.) has earned First-Team All-CAC, following up a Second-Team honor from last season. Bennett was second on the team in points with 11, coming form three goals and five assists, with 14 shots on goal. Bennett was also selected as Viterbo's Champion of Character for embodying the NAIA's five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership both on and off the field.
Hadley Dammer (Fr., D, Ramsey, Minn.) earned First-Team in her first season as a V-Hawk, recording one goal and three assists, while holding down a back line that posted six shutout victories.
Alex Little (Fr. D, Bakersfield, Calif.) was the final member of the V-Hawks to be named First-Team All-CAC, to cap off a successful rookie season. She scored one goal, and assisted seven others for a total of nine points. She was an integral part of a defense that shut out six opponents.
"We are really proud of this group. I think the fact that all of our selections were first team all-conference speaks to the quality of this group. The fact that they are all underclassmen speaks to the promise of the future with our program," said Head Coach Scott Pirnstill.
"Alex is a lockdown outside back that loves to get forward and attack. Her rank as #2 in the conference in assists shows you just how effective she is attacking out of the back."
"Grace is so consistent and solid in front of net. She can score in so many ways it makes it very difficult to stop her. She is so good out of the air on crosses that it is difficult to keep her off the scoresheet."
"Jenna has really grown into an attacking roll where she can provide assists and goals from the midfield position"
"Hadley is very tough in the center defense roll. She has so many athletic intangibles such as height, strength, and speed that makes it difficult to get by her," Pirnstill finished.
The 2022 Continental Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championship tournament is scheduled to begin with semifinal matches Friday, November 11, from Georgia Gwinnett College's Grizzly Soccer Complex.
Bellevue University (Nebraska), the top seed, opens the tournament against No. 4 seed Viterbo University (Wisconsin) on Friday, starting at 5 p.m. Then, tournament host and No. 2 seed Georgia Gwinnett College plays No. 3 seed USC Beaufort at 8 p.m.
For the full list of conference awards, click here.