University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Four Bulldogs earn All-Big South Women’s Soccer recognition
10.28.2021 | Women's Soccer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced its women's soccer postseason honors and awards on Thursday afternoon, with UNC Asheville's Gillian Oyos, Kaiya Boyd, Taylor Gardner and Courtney O'Malley all receiving recognition.
Oyos earned Second Team honors, while Boyd garnered All-Big South Honorable Mention status. Gardner was named to the All-Freshman squad and O'Malley represents the Bulldogs on the All-Academic Team. The quartet helped Asheville total six wins this season (most since 2017), with five of them coming in Big South play (most since 2005).
"I am really happy that we have players that are being recognized after having the best conference record in many years," said first year head coach Andy McNab. "Not only for their performance on the field, but off it too."
Oyos was a steadying force in the midfield for the Bulldogs this season, starting all 18 matches while dishing out one goal and an assist. Ranking second on the team in minutes played (1,443), Oyos fired 10 shots on frame and was a playmaker up the wing for Asheville. The Abingdon, Virginia, native played a key role in two late-season victories, scoring in a 3-2 win over Presbyterian and dishing out an assist in a 2-1 victory against Longwood. The 18 starts were a career high for Oyos, who finishes her career starting 59 of 61 games played.
"Gillian is one of the most hard-working players I have ever coached," said McNab. "She played almost every minute this season in a very demanding position on the field. I am really happy she ends her career with an all-conference selection."
Leading the team in assists (4), Boyd ranked second on the team in goals, finding the back of the net four times this season. Boyd's first goal of her career came in a 1-1 tie against Indiana State, as the sophomore from Cranston, Rhode Island, buried the only chance she had. Like Oyos, Boyd was a crucial factor in the Bulldogs' push for the playoffs, scoring in the last three games of the season. Boyd's goal against Longwood broke a 1-1 tie as Asheville would hold on for a 2-1 victory on senior day.
"I am very happy for Kaiya. A forward is judged on their goals and assists, but for us she is so much more," McNab said. "With the way we want to play, we need her to be defending from the front and she has been the focal point for us in that regard. I am really happy she saw her rewards in front of goal at the end of the year and can't wait to see what the future holds."
Gardner wasted no time showing that she belonged at the collegiate level, scoring in just her second game as a Bulldog (at Western Carolina). Tying for eighth place among Big South players, Gardner found the back of the next six times in her rookie campaign, including a three-game scoring stretch that lifted the Bulldogs to wins over Presbyterian, Winthrop and Longwood. Against USC Upstate, Gardner's goal in the 104th minute lifted Asheville to a 1-0 victory versus USC Upstate. A couple weeks later, the Cherry Hill, New Jersey, native's fourth goal of the season proved to be the game-winner as the Bulldogs held off Presbyterian 3-2. Gardner started seven of 15 matches, leading the team in goals (6), shots on goal (15) while tying with Boyd in total points (12).
"Taylor had to deal with some injuries earlier in the season right before conference play, so for her to come back and receive this award is fantastic," said McNab. "She has scored some crucial goals for us this year and we are hopeful of a very strong career."
Majoring in psychology, O'Malley produced her best season in a Bulldog uniform this fall, setting career highs in starts (13), wins (6), shutouts (3) and minutes (1183:54). Finishing her career with 224 saves, O'Malley ranks sixth all-time at UNC Asheville in that category. A native of Rome, Georgia, O'Malley registered at least three saves in 12 games, totaling five or more seven times. O'Malley would lead the Bulldogs to shutout victories against The Citadel, Hampton and USC Upstate. In the team's three wins against Presbyterian, Winthrop and Longwood, O'Malley totaled 14 saves to help keep Asheville in the playoff picture until the very end. Off the field, O'Malley has quite the resume, serving as the current President of the UNC Asheville Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Additionally, O'Malley volunteers at local schools, is minoring in health and wellness promotion, and plans on pursuing a master's degree in athletic counseling.
"Courtney should be the definition of a student athlete and her position on the academic all-conference squad is a testament to her hard work in the classroom, on campus and performances on the field," McNab said. "She is fully deserving of this award."
2021 Big South Conference Fall Women's Soccer Award Winners
First-Team All-Conference
F: Maddie Turlington, Sr., Gardner-Webb
F: Skyler Prillaman, R-Jr., High Point
F: Jessica Donald, Jr., Campbell
F: Kat Parris, Fr., Radford
MF: Emma Bushee, Sr., Campbell
MF: Brianna Oliver, Sr., Radford
MF: Madison Lockamy, Gr., Longwood
MF: Juliette Vidal, Sr., High Point
D: Kayla Thomas, Sr., Radford
D: Alex Deperno, Soph., High Point
D: Kylie Cahill, Sr., Longwood
D: Cazzi Norgren, Soph., Campbell
GK: Jenna Moran, Jr., Charleston Southern
Second-Team All-Conference
F: Jackie Richards, Jr., Campbell
F: Magdalena Schwarz, Jr., High Point
F: Danielle Toone, Sr., Longwood
F: Emily Mashinski, Fr., High Point
MF: Chloe Le Franc, Sr., High Point
MF: Lily McLane, Sr., Radford
MF: Kaleigh Backlund, Fr., Campbell
MF: Gillian Oyos, Sr., UNC Asheville
D: Laney Peabody, Jr., Campbell
D: Erin Rush, Sr., Charleston Southern
D: Mary Tierney, Jr., Campbell
D: Marina Bradic, Sr., Gardner-Webb
GK: Lauren Seedlock, Sr., Radford
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Kaiya Boyd, F, Soph., UNC Asheville
Kennedy Dunnings, D, Jr., Radford
Anna Kate Highsmith, F, Fr., Winthrop
Ashley Finn, F, Soph., USC Upstate
Jenea Knight, F, Fr., Charleston Southern
All-Freshman Team
Kat Parris, F, Fr., Radford
Emily Mashinski, F, Fr., High Point
Kaleigh Backlund, MF, Fr., Campbell
Jenea Knight, F, Fr., Charleston Southern
Anna Kate Highsmith, F, Fr., Winthrop
Taylor Gardner, F, Fr., UNC Asheville
Brooke Bonner, D, Fr., Longwood
All-Academic Team
Jessica Donald, Sr., Campbell
Lauren McDonald, Jr., Charleston Southern
Michaela Stone, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Camille Pereira, Sr., Hampton
Skyler Prillaman, R-Jr., High Point
Madison Hommey, Gr., Longwood
Caroline Dipzinski, Sr., Presbyterian College
Brianna Oliver, Gr., Radford
Courtney O'Malley, Sr., UNC Asheville
Raegan Meyer, Soph., USC Upstate
Haley Hocking, R-Jr., Winthrop
Offensive Player of the Year
Maddie Turlington, F, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Goalkeeper of the Year
Jenna Moran, Jr., Charleston Southern
Defensive Player of the Year
Kayla Thomas, D, Sr., Radford
Freshman of the Year
Kat Parris, F, Fr., Radford
Coach of the Year
Samar Azem, Campbell
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Jessica Donald, F, Sr., Campbell
