KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Trinity University senior Kaity Ward and junior Bailey Meyer have been elected to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Women’s All-America Team it was announced Wednesday evening. Full Release
Ward, who was named SCAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year for the second consecutive season, was selected first-team All-American. Ward led the SCAC in virtually every offensive category, including goals scored (19), assists (11), points (49), game-winning goals (6), shots (115) and shots on goal (50). Ward is the first player since Sara Morgan of Centre College, who accomplished the feat in 1998, to lead the league outright in both goals and assists in a single season. A two-time SCAC Offensive Player-of-the-Week selection during the regular season, the senior has scored a goal in nine of the Tigers' 17 games, including four multiple-goal performances. Ward set an SCAC record for most goals and points in a single conference game when she buried five goals and added an assist for 11 total points in the Tiger's 9-1 win over Schreiner in October. In leading Trinity to its second-straight SCAC Tournament crown this season, Ward netted a goal in both contests, including the game-winner in the championship fixture. She has scored in five-straight SCAC Tournament contests, dating back to last year's tournament, setting a new SCAC record for most consecutive tournament games with a goal and breaking the previous mark of four-straight set by Trinity's Kelsey Falcone during the 2013 and 2014 tournaments. Most recently, Ward scored every goal for the Tigers during Trinity’s run to the third round of the NCAA Tournament last month.
Meyer was tabbed SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year and earned first-team All-SCAC accolades for the second-straight season in 2021, earned second-team All-American accolades. Meyer anchored a Tiger defensive unit that surrendered the fewest goals in league play, allowing just three in seven games with a goals-against-average of 0.38. Trinity finished with a league leading 11 shutouts, including an opening round NCAA Tournament shutout victory last month. The Tigers allowed just 16 goals all season and finished third in the SCAC with a 0.78 goals-against-average. A two-time SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week selection during the regular season, Meyer has made 41 starts in her career, helping the Tigers post a shutout in 27 of those. She has played a key role in the team's defensive efforts, not only preventing goal-scoring opportunities, but also by limiting shot selection.
The Trinity duo mark the 64th and 65th All-America recognitions by SCAC women’s soccer student athletes in conference history and were both tabbed for the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Team earlier in the week.
Ward and Meyer will be formally acknowledged for their accomplishments at the United Soccer Coaches All-America Ceremony & Reception on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at the Kansas City Convention Center in conjunction with the united Soccer Coaches Convention.
