Texas Tech University Athletics
Team Awards Presented at End of Season Banquet
December 09, 2018 | Women's Soccer
The Red Raiders hosted an end-of-season banquet Sunday evening, where players were recognized by their teammates.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech soccer hosted an awards banquet Sunday to formally conclude a strong 2018 season. The Red Raiders finished the year with 14 wins – the most since 2015 – including six Big 12 wins, which counted as the most since 2014. They bested a program-record four ranked opponents, too.
Hosted at The Overton Hotel, the banquet was highlighted by an awards presentation, where several Red Raiders were recognized by their teammates for standout individual campaigns.
(12/10/2018) Soccer Banquet 181209
Most Valuable Player – Jordan Duke
Head coach Tom Stone's reference to holding mid Jordan Duke as "the player we couldn't live without" was echoed by her teammates as they voted her the team's MVP for the 2018 season. Duke started in all but one match during the fall and routinely commanded the midfield. She consistently won balls in the air and turned opposing attacks into Tech counterattacks. The Amarillo native helped Tech outscore opponents by a score of 33-10 in the 21 games she played in. She also scored twice – the first the game-winner at Loyola Marymount and the second the game-winner at home against Abilene Christian. Duke was recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as a Third Team All-Midwest midfielder.
Offensive Most Valuable Player – Kirsten Davis
Kirsten Davis was voted by her teammates as the team's Offensive MVP in 2018 after racking up seven goals and seven assists for a team-high 21 points. After an unexpected start that actually had the St. Louis, Mo., native dishing out more assists than goals, the forward turned on the jets in the second half the season when Tech needed her finishing ability the most. The sophomore either scored or set up each of the Red Raiders' final five goals of the season, including the game-winner over No. 17 Texas and all three scores in Tech's first round blowout of No. 21 Princeton in the NCAA Tournament. Aside from the praise by her teammates, Davis was named to the All-Big 12 Championship Team for her game-tying goal against Baylor in the semi-finals, as well as by the United Soccer Coaches as a forward on the All-Midwest Second Team.
Defensive Most Valuable Player – Brooke Denesik
Brooke Denesik's honor of Defensive MVP comes after a strong senior season from the Anthem, Ariz., native. Denesik was one of three senior anchors on a Tech back line that led the Big 12 in goals-against average with just 0.53 per game. Denesik's ability to not only disrupt the opposing attack but also break upfield and commence a quick counterattack made her a force in the left back position, where she started in all 22 games in 2018. On the offensive side, she tallied a career-high two assists. She assisted Duke's game-winner at LMU and, most memorably, served up a perfect free kick to Cassie Hiatt that led to a game-tying goal against Kansas to force overtime, where the Red Raiders would go on to get the huge road win.
Most Improved Player – Demi Koulizakis
Australian forward Demi Koulizakis was voted the Most Improved Player for 2018. The junior appeared in 21 games her junior year after seeing field action in a combined 28 her first two. Koulizakis was the ideal role player in 2018, sometimes checking in for as little as six minutes and other times assisting the Tech attack for upwards of a half-hour. She received two starts this fall, one of which came in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 12 Virginia, where she played for 100 minutes. Koulizakis never allowed defenders a breather when she subbed in, rattling off 15 shots and dishing out several more key passes. It was her initial play on the ball that set up both Jade King's OT winner at Kansas and Davis' late-game stunner against No. 17 Texas in the regular season finale. She tallied the first goal of her Tech career in the Red Raiders' 6-0 blowout of Florida International.
Rookie of the Year – Cassie Hiatt
Defender Cassie Hiatt was selected as the Rookie of the Year by her teammates after starting in 21 games and appearing in all 22 as a true freshman. The six-foot right back from Parker, Colo., tied Charlotte Teeter for the team lead in goals by a freshman with three – from the back line. Hiatt got on the board for the first time in her Red Raider career against FIU, then netted another two days later against Oregon State. It was her header on Denesik's free kick against Kansas that set Tech up for the eventual OT winner. For that effort, she was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week. At the end of the season, she was voted by conference coaches to a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
Additionally, Big 12 award certificates were presented to those whose performances were recognized by the conference at various points throughout the season.
Big 12 All-Championship Team: Kirsten Davis
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (3x): Marissa Zucchetto
Big 12 All-Freshman Team: Cassie Hiatt
Big 12 Freshman of the Week: Cassie Hiatt
Hosted at The Overton Hotel, the banquet was highlighted by an awards presentation, where several Red Raiders were recognized by their teammates for standout individual campaigns.
Most Valuable Player – Jordan Duke
Head coach Tom Stone's reference to holding mid Jordan Duke as "the player we couldn't live without" was echoed by her teammates as they voted her the team's MVP for the 2018 season. Duke started in all but one match during the fall and routinely commanded the midfield. She consistently won balls in the air and turned opposing attacks into Tech counterattacks. The Amarillo native helped Tech outscore opponents by a score of 33-10 in the 21 games she played in. She also scored twice – the first the game-winner at Loyola Marymount and the second the game-winner at home against Abilene Christian. Duke was recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as a Third Team All-Midwest midfielder.
Offensive Most Valuable Player – Kirsten Davis
Kirsten Davis was voted by her teammates as the team's Offensive MVP in 2018 after racking up seven goals and seven assists for a team-high 21 points. After an unexpected start that actually had the St. Louis, Mo., native dishing out more assists than goals, the forward turned on the jets in the second half the season when Tech needed her finishing ability the most. The sophomore either scored or set up each of the Red Raiders' final five goals of the season, including the game-winner over No. 17 Texas and all three scores in Tech's first round blowout of No. 21 Princeton in the NCAA Tournament. Aside from the praise by her teammates, Davis was named to the All-Big 12 Championship Team for her game-tying goal against Baylor in the semi-finals, as well as by the United Soccer Coaches as a forward on the All-Midwest Second Team.
Defensive Most Valuable Player – Brooke Denesik
Brooke Denesik's honor of Defensive MVP comes after a strong senior season from the Anthem, Ariz., native. Denesik was one of three senior anchors on a Tech back line that led the Big 12 in goals-against average with just 0.53 per game. Denesik's ability to not only disrupt the opposing attack but also break upfield and commence a quick counterattack made her a force in the left back position, where she started in all 22 games in 2018. On the offensive side, she tallied a career-high two assists. She assisted Duke's game-winner at LMU and, most memorably, served up a perfect free kick to Cassie Hiatt that led to a game-tying goal against Kansas to force overtime, where the Red Raiders would go on to get the huge road win.
Most Improved Player – Demi Koulizakis
Australian forward Demi Koulizakis was voted the Most Improved Player for 2018. The junior appeared in 21 games her junior year after seeing field action in a combined 28 her first two. Koulizakis was the ideal role player in 2018, sometimes checking in for as little as six minutes and other times assisting the Tech attack for upwards of a half-hour. She received two starts this fall, one of which came in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 12 Virginia, where she played for 100 minutes. Koulizakis never allowed defenders a breather when she subbed in, rattling off 15 shots and dishing out several more key passes. It was her initial play on the ball that set up both Jade King's OT winner at Kansas and Davis' late-game stunner against No. 17 Texas in the regular season finale. She tallied the first goal of her Tech career in the Red Raiders' 6-0 blowout of Florida International.
Rookie of the Year – Cassie Hiatt
Defender Cassie Hiatt was selected as the Rookie of the Year by her teammates after starting in 21 games and appearing in all 22 as a true freshman. The six-foot right back from Parker, Colo., tied Charlotte Teeter for the team lead in goals by a freshman with three – from the back line. Hiatt got on the board for the first time in her Red Raider career against FIU, then netted another two days later against Oregon State. It was her header on Denesik's free kick against Kansas that set Tech up for the eventual OT winner. For that effort, she was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week. At the end of the season, she was voted by conference coaches to a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
Additionally, Big 12 award certificates were presented to those whose performances were recognized by the conference at various points throughout the season.
Big 12 All-Championship Team: Kirsten Davis
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (3x): Marissa Zucchetto
Big 12 All-Freshman Team: Cassie Hiatt
Big 12 Freshman of the Week: Cassie Hiatt
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder/Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
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