2020-21 All-PacWest Teams
IRVINE, Calif. – In a shortened season in which Academy of Art women's soccer scored eight goals and had one PacWest NorCal Player of the Week, three Urban Knights have been selected to the All-PacWest Northern California Team in junior forward
Brooklyn Morera, senior midfielder
Sydney Cooke, and sophomore defender
Katie Williams. It is the first time in ART U history in which they have had at least three selections to an All-PacWest team.
"I'm very excited for this group of players to be recognized by the coaches in our conference for the work they've done on the field this season," said ART U Head Coach
Chris King. "In a year where we haven't been able to prepare like we normally would, or even have all of us together at any point, they stepped up and were huge for us not only impacting each game, but leading the players around them on a daily basis."
The Urban Knights had one selection at each position, highlighted by Morera's career-high four-goal season at forward. Once named the
PacWest NorCal Player of the Week, Morera ended the year with a total of nine points, two points off of her career best. This season in the PacWest, Morera tied for second in goals, tied for first in game-winning goals (2), sixth in points (1.33/game) and sixth in shots on goal (7). All told, she registered 476 minutes played, third-most on the Urban Knights, and led the team in goals, points, shot percentage and shots on goal. This marks the first All-PacWest honor in Morera's career.
"Brooklyn has stepped up to be our leading offensive force, creating goal scoring opportunities for others as well as finishing the ones created for her," King said. "We had a huge hole to fill after Anissa Wilson graduated from our front line, and Brooklyn has accepted that challenge."
Selected to the
2020-21 Preseason All-PacWest Team, Cooke scored one goal for two points, recording 11 shots on the year which was tied for most on the Urban Knights. The goal now gives Cooke seven career goals, tied for sixth in career goals at ART U along with Margret Thorolfsdottir (2011). Cooke tallied
471 minutes of game action this year while starting all six matches, fourth-most on the Urban Knights. Also a presence on defense, Cooke helped contribute to one shutout from the midfield and an even scoring margin for the team. This is the second career All-PacWest award for Cooke, having been named to the 2019-20 All-PacWest Third Team last season.
"Sydney has carried a heavy load since she joined our program and continues to meet the challenge," King said. "She's not only our playmaker, but works to make the other midfielders around her better, and is molding young attacking mids like
Morgan Day and
Zineb Ighirri into players that will be able to carry the playmaking load when she graduates."
A crucial member of a defensive unit, Williams helped contribute to one shutout as a defender while holding the opponent to just one goal in two other matches, as well as an even scoring margin for the team. Williams registered 543 minutes on the pitch while starting in all six matches, the most on the Urban Knights. She recorded one assist while launching two shots on goal, leading to a shot on goal percentage of 100 percent. It is also the first such All-PacWest honor for Williams in her career.
"Our center back duo of
Katie Williams and
Britney Flint is as strong as you'll find around the conference, but after losing her running mate for a large portion of this season, Katie battled through her own injuries to lead our backline," King said. "She may not be very funny, but we love and appreciate every minute she spends on the field for us."
