TOPS IN THE NATION: OKWU kicker picked as NAIA Player of Year
Crude oil. Steel. Machinery. Iron. Aircraft.
The impact of Brazilian exports to the U.S. can’t be overstated.
Another type of Brazilian consignment has provided an invaluable treasure to the history of Oklahoma Wesleyan University women’s soccer.
Senior forward Laura Maria has single-handedly, single-footedly and single-headedly helped elevate the Lady Eagle kickers’ program to national prominence.
Her impact not only has made seismic tremors on the OKWU field along Silver Lake Road, but has shaken the national landscape with a tectonic rumble that has brought glory to the sport.
For her ground shaking achievements, Maria was simply the best player in America.
Seriously.
The NAIA All-America Committee (representatives of the NAIA women’s soccer association and a select group of soccer coaches) voted Maria as the 2022 NAIA Player of the Year.
Pretty impressive — especially considering OKWU didn’t advance past the Elite Eight.
During the 2022 season, Maria buried 56 goals (one short of tying the national record) and recorded 25 assists (seventh all-time).
With her kicking away — and drawing extra defensive attention that allowed her teammates to cash in several goals — OKWU blitzed unbeaten through the regular season (17-0-1) and made it all the way to the NAIA national quarterfinals for the first time in team history.
Of course, Maria was only one component that drove the OKWU engine.
Five Lady Eagles appeared on the NAIA All-America lists.
Maria was the lone OKWU First-Team selection. Populating the Third Team were super-stopper junior goalie Nerea Perez Mora and senior defender Sarah Evans.
Making the Honorable Mention roll call were freshman forward Joelle Meister and freshman midfielder Naroa Domenech.
Ivan Ristic coaches the Lady Eagles.
Maria certainly isn’t the only superstar player in OKWU women’s soccer history. But, she likely has cast the biggest shadow.
In the past four seasons Maria has scored 129 goals and racked up 70 assists — to go with a slew of shots, shots on goal and game-winning goals.
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MEN’S SOCCER
OKWU also showed up with significant recognition in the NAIA men’s soccer All-American honors.
Leading scorer Stefan Cvetanovic —who endured a year-and-a-half injury-related layoff from college soccer prior to this season — represented OKWU on the NAIA First-Team.
Elevated to the Second Team was senior mid-fielder Matheus Ferreira.
Sophomore midfielder Alfeu Bertini was embedded in the Honorable Mention muster.
The Eagles, who are coached by Jamie Peterson, stumbled uncharacteristically through the first two weeks of the season with a 1-3-1 record.
But, then they righted themselves and powered to a 13-3-2 mark the rest of the season. They finished 14-6-3 overall but suffered earlier-than-usual elimination from the NAIA tourney.
Cvetanovic ripped the cords with 27 goals and distributed six assists.
In his three-and-a-half seasons with the Eagles, Cvetanovic has stirred the nets with 102 goals and racked up 31 assists.
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VOLLEYBALL
Following an ultra-successful season that defied the naysayers, Oklahoma Wesleyan University placed one player on the NAIA All-American lists.
The team’s leading attacker and hitter Lauren McKinney earned a spot on the Honorable Mention team.
McKinney also is an area high school product (Oklahoma Union).
OKWU — which coached by Tracie Gillette — finished at 34-3, including an 11-1 record in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Lady Eagles record stood at 30-1 through 31 matches.
McKinney spanked 435 kills, served seven aces, made 73 digs and recorded 80 blocks (six solo).
Gillette is set to return the lion’s share of her lineup for next season.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Several Oklahoma Wesleyan University athletes are All-Americans
