Smith Named Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year, Five Earn All-MEC Honors

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference announced Friday morning its women's soccer all-conference teams and major award winners following a vote of the league's head coaches.

Senior Cat Smith was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the conference, marking the second time in three seasons that a Frostburg player has received the honor. Affecting both sides of the field, she has anchored the MEC's top defense with just 10 goals allowed on the year, while also ranking third on the team in total points with five goals and a pair of assists. This marks the fourth consecutive season in which she has garnered all-conference honors, being named Freshman of the Year in 2021, All-MEC Second Team in 2022, and All-MEC First Team in each of the past two seasons, while also being recognized as a D2CCA Third Team All-American in 2023. 

Joining her in receiving First Team honors were senior goalkeeper Katie Sterne and junior midfielder Carly Gillette. Sterne led the conference in both goals allowed (6) and save percentage (.882), while earning the second-most shutouts (6). Gillette makes her second appearance in the postseason awards, having been named to the All-MEC Freshman team in 2022, as she finished second on the team in goals (7) and points (15), setting a new career-high in each category. 

Also making appearances in the accolades were seniors Mei Homman and Madi Allen, the former named to the Second Team and the latter an Honorable Mention. It is the second-consecutive year that Homman has earned the distinction, playing much of the season as Smith's center back pairing, as she also provided four assists on the year, the second-most for the Bobcats. Allen receives her first All-MEC honor after leading Frostburg in scoring with eight goals, matching her career-high.