All-Big 12 Soccer awards and teams unveiled, highlighted by Texas standouts

The 2022 All-Big 12 Soccer individual awards and teams have been unveiled. Texas earned both Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in sophomores Trinity Byars and EmJ Cox, respectively, while Angela Kelly received her first Coach of the Year accolade.

Grace Coppinger collected TCU’s second Freshman of the Year award in three seasons. West Virginia senior Kayza Massey and Oklahoma State freshman Jordan Nytes shared Goalkeeper of the Year.

Byars finished the 2022 regular season leading the Conference in points (39), goals (15) and assists (9). The Richardson, Texas native is the second Longhorn to receive the offensive honor, joining Cyera Hintzen in 2018. The two-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree was recognized as the Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and was named National Player of the Week on October 12.

Cox picks up Texas’ third Defensive Player of the Year merit. The sophomore led a Longhorn backline that has limited opponents to 14 goals during the 2022 season. She received her first career All-Big 12 First Team honor after being named to the second team as a freshman a season ago. The Dallas native has played every minute on the pitch for the Longhorns so far this season while registering five goals and two assists.

Massey and Nytes earned the first Goalkeeper of the Year honor for their respective programs. Massey recorded seven shutouts this season, including two against top-25 teams. After the back-to-back shutouts over ranked opponents, Massey received the Big 12 Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week honor on September 6 and was named National Player of the Week the following day. The Ottawa, Ontario native registered 61 saves and a .792 save percentage as the only goalkeeper to play for West Virginia this season.

Nytes allowed the fewest goals (9) out of Big 12 goalkeepers who played more than 55 percent for their teams in the Big 12 this season. The freshman totaled six shutouts, 53 saves and a .855 save percentage in her first collegiate season. Nytes received Goalkeeper of the Week honors twice on September 20 and September 27.

Coppinger is TCU’s fifth student-athlete to garner a Player of the Year honor. The Kansas City, Missouri native appeared in 15-of-17 regular season matches for the Horned Frogs. In her 1,080 minutes on the pitch, she helped the TCU backline hold opponents to 11 goals. The defender has played a role on both ends of the pitch as she has recorded two assists and one goal this season.

Kelly was named Coach of the Year after leading Texas to a 13-1-4 record and the Big 12 Soccer regular season title in her 11^th year with the program. She is the second honoree in Texas program history after Chris Petrucelli received the award in 2001.

The awards and teams were voted on by Big 12 head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for themselves or their own student-athletes. Ties resulted in additional members on the first team.

Offensive Player of the Year: Trinity Byars, Texas
Defensive Player of the Year: EmJ Cox, Texas
Goalkeepers of the Year: Jordan Nytes, Oklahoma State and Kayza Massey, West Virginia
Freshman of the Year: Grace Coppinger, TCU
Coach of the Year: Angela Kelly, Texas

First Team:
Jordan Nytes, OSU, GK
Lauren Kellett, TCU, GK
Kayza Massey, WVU, GK
Chaylyn Hubbard, TCU, D
EmJ Cox, UT, D
Hannah Anderson, TTU, D
Jordan Brewster, WVU, D
Messiah Bright, TCU, F
Camryn Lancaster, TCU, F
Trinity Byars, UT, F*
Grace Yochum, OSU, MF
Gracie Brian, TCU, MF
Lexi Missimo, UT, MF

Second Team:
Madison White, TTU, GK
Sheridan Michel, OU, D
Ally Jackson, OSU, D
Olivia Hasler, TCU, D
Gabrielle Robinson, WVU, D
Olyvia Dowell, OSU, F
Ashleigh Williams, TTU, F
Dilary Heredia-Beltran, WVU, F
Emma Regan, UT, MF
Jilly Shimkin, UT, MF
AJ Rodriguez, WVU, MF

All-Freshman Team:
Jordan Nytes, OSU, GK
Jazmin Brown, K-State, D
Hali Hartman, OU, D
Grace Coppinger, TCU, D
Kylie Bahr, TTU, D
Lexi Watts, KU, F
Gracie Bindbeutel, OSU, F
Seven Castain, TCU, F
Kennedy Clountz, TCU, F
Tyler Isgrig, TCU, F
Alexis Washington, OU, MF

*unanimous selection