Murray State University Athletics
Heckman Named Defender of the Year, Lodge Coach of the Year to Lead OVC Accolades
4/14/2021 2:59:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Six Racers accounted for seven positions across the three All-OVC teams in 2020-21
Murray State women's soccer featured six different players with OVC season accolades, highlighted by the 2020-21 Defender of the Year in Izzy Heckman, and this year's Coach of the Year Matt Lodge.
Additionally, the awards, which were announced by the league on Wednesday, saw Murray State land two players on the All-OVC First Team, two players on the All-OVC Second Team, and three players on the league's All-Newcomer Team.
The seven total player selections are tied for the most in program history (2008 & 2017), while the six unique individuals that make up those awards are tied with the 2017 team for the second-most in Racer history behind only the 2008 squad that featured eight unique players on the All-OVC teams.
For Heckman, she became just the second player in program history to earn the distinction of OVC Defender of the Year with Tara Isbell's 2008 honor being the only other occasion. The Powder Springs, Georgia native also collected the second OVC First Team honor of her career. The senior recorded two assists while anchoring a Racer back line that conceded just nine goals with three clean sheets on the year.
As for coach Lodge, he became just the third coach in program history to don the title of OVC Coach of the Year, joining Beth Acreman (2008) and Jeremy Groves (2015, 2017) as the only Racer coaches to accomplish the feat. The third-year skipper has compiled a 33-14-1 overall record at Murray State, and a 24-6 mark in the OVC to accompany a 2018 OVC Tournament championship and a 2020-21 OVC regular-season title.
Chloe Barnthouse joined Heckman as an All-OVC First Team selection as the freshman forward produced an outstanding first season in a Racer uniform. The freshman's seven goals were tied for the most in the OVC, while her 15 points (seven goals, one assist) was tied for fourth in the league. The "super sub" accomplished all of this in just 408 minutes of action, and averaged 1.54 goals per 90 minutes played. She recorded a goal or an assist for every 51 minutes she was on the pitch. Of the seven goals, three were game-winning strikes.
Lauren Payne and Saraya Young accounted for the two Racers on the All-OVC second team, doing so at the midfield and defender positions respectively.
Payne, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, has scored or assisted on a goal in four of the ten matches on the year, and is a perfect 2-2 from the penalty spot in 2021. The award is the second All-OVC honor of her career after being named to the league's All-Newcomer squad as a freshman in 2019.
Young, a defender from Wilmore, Kentucky, joins Payne on the first team after collecting a goal and an assist in addition to playing an integral part in the back line. She has played all 907 minutes for the Racers this season. The award is the second All-OVC distinction of her career as she was also a member of that 2019 All-Newcomer team as a freshman a year ago.
Finally, the Racer trio of Barnthouse, Audrey Henry, and Jenna Villacres all secured spots on the OVC All-Newcomer team for 2020-21.
Henry, a defender from Nicholasville, Kentucky, who has also been on the field for all 907 minutes of action this season on the back line, chipped in an assist on Chloe Barnthouse's game-winning goal against SIUE on March 26th.
For Villacres, the goalkeeper from Westerville, Ohio earns the newcomer honor after posting a 0.90 goals-against average to pair with 31 saves and three clean sheets on the season.
The Racers will return to action on Thursday when they host Southeast Missouri in the OVC Tournament semifinal. Kickoff is slated for 11:00 a.m. from Cutchin Field in Murray, Kentucky.
All-OVC First Team
DÂ - Maria Castaldo, So., UT Martin
D – Katie Shaffer, Sr., Eastern Kentucky
D – Izzy Heckman, Sr., Murray State
MF – Lauren Welker, Jr., Southeast Missouri
MF – Alicia Pallister, Sr., Jacksonville State
MF – Gabriel Clarke, So., Jacksonville State
F – Mackenzie Litzsinger, Jr., SIUE
F – Chloe Barnthouse, Fr., Murray State
F – Emely van der Vliet, Fr., UT Martin
F – Julie Garst, Sr., Belmont
GK – Isabell Austin, Sr., Tennessee Tech
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All-OVC Second Team
D – Saraya Young, So., Murray State
D – Rachel Vernon, Jr., Belmont
D – Selma Askildsen, Fr., Tennessee Tech
MF – Lauren Payne, So., Murray State
MF – Itxaso Aguero, Sr, Eastern Illinois
MF – Emma Brune, Fr., Southeast Missouri
MF – Meredith Nye, Fr., Tennessee Tech
F – Lily Schnieders, So., SIUE
F – Mica Iacono, R-So., Eastern Kentucky
F – Cynthia Bagozzi, So., Jacksonville State
GK – Erica Myers, Sr., UT Martin
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All-Newcomer Team
Emely van der Vliet, F, Fr., UT Martin
Chloe Barnthouse, F, Fr., Murray State
Ida Cederberg, F, Fr., Jacksonville State
Emma Brune, MF, Fr., Southeast Missouri
Meredith Nye, MF, Fr., Tennessee Tech
Tori Case, MF, Fr., Austin Peay
Audrey Henry, D, Fr., Murray State
Jenna Villacres, GK, R-Fr., Murray State
Matea Diekema, D, Fr., SIUE
Anna Sweeney, F, Fr., Belmont
Selma Askildsen, D, Fr., Tennessee Tech
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Defender of the Year:Â Izzy Heckman, Murray State
Midfielder of the Year:Â Alicia Pallister, Jacksonville State
Forward of the Year:Â MacKenzie Litzsinger, SIUE
Goalkeeper of the Year:Â Isabell Austin, Tennessee Tech
Freshman of the Year:Â Emely van der Vliet, UT Martin
Coach of the Year:Â Matt Lodge, Murray State
