Haley Palmer Named MWC Freshman of the Year
Five Aztecs were voted to the all-MWC soccer team, tying the program record for most all-league picks in a single season.
San Diego State defender Haley Palmer has been named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, the league announced earlier this week. Palmer, along with Michaela DeJesus, Megan McQueeny, Soledad Gomez and Aubree Southwick, also earned a spot on the all-MWC squad.
Third top freshman from SDSU
Hailing from Windsor, Calif., Palmer becomes the third Aztec to be voted by the league’s coaches as the conference’s top freshman and first since 2007. Teammate Aubree Southwick won the award in 2007, as did Kim Castellanos in 2000.
The freshman started all seven MWC games and had a team- and Mountain West-best four assists, while drawing a majority of SDSU corner kick and free kick assignments. Defensively, Palmer was a part of a backline that helped record four shutouts, including three in the Aztecs final four outings, and allowed a total of four goals overall. It was this type of effort that also garnered her all-Mountain West Conference second-team accolades.
Other Aztec standouts
A senior, DeJesus is making her debut on the all-MWC list by being voted to the first team. This season, the midfielder:
- finished with five points, which ranks second on the squad and tied for sixth in the league, while starting all seven ballgames;
- scored one goal, the game-winner at Utah;
- and had three assists, two of which were on the game-winning goal.
Her three assists put her in a four-way tie for third at season’s end.
For the second straight season, McQueeny earned a spot on the all-league first team after teaming with Palmer on the backline. This season, the sophomore:
- started every Mountain West game this season, including 59 of 60 career games,
- and finished with one assist, while allowing opponents to put just 33.7 percent of its shots on goal.
McQueeny joins Cat Walker (2008-09), Alexis Solovij (2003-05) and Kim Castellanos (2000-02) as the only players in school history to be named to the all-MWC first team in consecutive seasons.
Second team highlights
Behind Palmer and McQueeny is Southwick in net and the goalkeeper was selected to the all-MWC second team for the second straight season and earned all-league honors for the third time in her career. This season, the all-time Mountain West career saves leader:
- held opponents to just 0.57 goals per game;
- finished with a goals-against average of 0.72, which was the third-best average in the conference;
- posted two shutouts to rank second in the Mountain West;
- and made just 17 saves as a result of the Aztecs’ stellar defense in front of her.
Joining Palmer and Southwick on the second team is Gomez, a freshman from Vista, Calif. This season, the forward:
- led the team in goals (3) and points (6) during the conference season,
- led the squad with two game-winning goals,
- finished the season tied for first in game-winners,
- tied for third in goals,
- and tied for fourth in points.
Gomez only had three shots on goal, but made the most of her opportunities as she found the back of the net each time.
San Diego State, along with BYU, had a Mountain West-best five all-conference selections. The five honorees match the program record for most all-league picks in a single season, tying the 1999 squad.
