Women’s soccer season recap.
This was one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory for the Johnson women’s soccer team. The Badgers earned the most wins for the program over the last 29 years.
The Badgers women’s soccer team earned 10 wins this season, eight of which were shutout wins. The 10-win mark has not been reached by Johnson since the 1993 season. This season is all the more remarkable when realizing that the Badgers were winless in 2019, did not have a season in 2020, and won one game each in 2021 and 2022.
The season had exciting moments on the road with key wins away and at home, along with unbelievable support from the home VTSU-Johnson Badgers crowd. Numerous Badgers were honored with North Athletic Conference (NAC) Awards following the conclusion of the season:
NAC Second Team All-Conference Matt House (Forward): House, a graduate student, scored eight goals in conference play and had two assists. For the season, House scored 18 goals and had seven assists.
NAC Second Team All-Conference Peyton Fairchild (Defense): A sophomore, Fairchild led the team in minutes and led the defense to its lowest goals against average. Fairchild ended the season with two goals and three assists across all competitions.
NAC Second Team All-Conference Olivia Davis (Midfielder): Davis, a first year student, ended conference play with four goals and one assist and ended the season with nine goals and three assists across all competitions.
NAC Third Team All-Conference Brittney Love (Forward): First year student Love scored two goals in conference and assisted with five. Love ended the season with 12 goals and 12 assists across all competitions.
NAC Sportsmanship Team Kali Wooster (Defender): Wooster, a sophomore, earned this distinction which honors athletes who “have positively affected the women’s soccer culture and demonstrating sportsmanship and integrity beyond the soccer rules and etiquette.”
Men’s soccer season recap.
The VTSU Badgers Men’s Soccer Team completed the season as it started: competing for all 90 minutes. The team finished the season off with two goals in the final 10 minutes of the match by sophomore Lucas Gehring. First year Head Coach Alec Brigante, the assistant coaching staff, and the men’s team reinforced the fact that if you come to Minaert Field, the Badgers will compete until the end.
The team’s lone win this season was at home against VTSU rivals, Lyndon. Given the effort and heart the team put forth each match, the future looks bright for this young group.
Senior defender Silas Lowenthal was named to the NAC Sportsmanship Team. Selection to the Sportsmanship Team is reserved for those who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
