SAN JOSE, Calif. –San Jose State women's soccer senior defender Kristen Amarikwa has been named the 2019 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. She is also a member of the All-Mountain West First Team while teammates Karlee Pottorff (Second Team) and Sabrina Weinman (All-Newcomer Team) were also honored. The league office made the announcement on Monday.
Amarikwa adds two more pieces of hardware to what was already a remarkable career in a Spartan uniform. As the leader of the defensive back line, she and the Spartans have limited conference opponents to just 0.91 goals per game and a 0.78 shot percentage while pitching four shutouts in league play and eight shutouts overall. The Bakersfield, California native was also an offensive spark for the last half of the season, scoring a team-best five goals, including the equalizer against Fresno State to help SJSU lock down a spot in their fifth-straight conference tournament.
Amarikwa, now a three-time All-MW selection, joins current coaching staff members Darriell Franklin (2017) and Zoe Makrigiannis (2015) as Spartans to win the defensive player of the year award under head coach Lauren Hanson's tutelage. She is also the 11th first team member coached by Hanson since taking over in 2014.
Fellow defender Karlee Pottorff earned a spot on the All-MW Second Team for her work on the pitch this season as well. It's the first all-conference accolade of the junior's career. The Fresno native has not only played a huge role in the defense's accomplishments, but is also the team leader with 17 shots taken in conference play while starting every match.
Freshman Sabrina Weinman was a pleasant shot in the arm for the Spartan offense in her debut year. The Bakersfield native started all 11 conference games and tallied four goals on the year, including three in league play. She also pitched in with a pair of assists and is tied with Amarikwa for the team lead with 10 points. Weinman's selection to the all-newcomer squad makes it four-straight years that at least one Spartan freshman or transfer has earned the accolade.
Amarikwa, Pottorff and Weinman will look to continue carrying the Spartans as they look to defend their Mountain West Championship Tournament crown beginning Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PT against New Mexico.
2019 Mountain West Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Lexi Romero, Fr., F, Air Force
Defensive Player of the Year: Kristen Amarikwa, Sr., D, San José State
Newcomer of the Year: Lexi Romero, Fr., F, Air Force
Coach of the Year: Bill Hempen, Colorado State
2019 Mountain West Women's Soccer All-Conference First Team
Name Class Position Team
Lexi Romero Fr. F Air Force
Aubree Chatterton Jr. F Boise State
McKenna Kynett Sr. MF Boise State
Raimee Sherle Sr. F Boise State
Mikayla Schachtell Sr. D Boise State
Gracie Armstrong So. F Colorado State
Halley Havlicek Sr. D Colorado State
Caley Lordemann Sr. MF Colorado State
Gabi McDonald So. GK Colorado State
Jessie Hix Sr. MF New Mexico
Chloe Frisch Jr. MF San Diego State
Kristen Amarikwa Sr. D San José State
2019 Mountain West Women's Soccer All-Conference Second Team
Name Class Position Team
Alex Giggie Jr. D Air Force
Sydney Smith So. GK Boise State
Jacqui Hand So. F Colorado College
Addie Wright Jr. D Colorado State
Megan Amick Jr. D Fresno State
Ele Avery Jr. F Fresno State
Leilani Baker Jr. F New Mexico
Jadyn Edwards So. MF New Mexico
Alexa Kirton Jr. D New Mexico
Gwen Maly Jr. F New Mexico
Sarah Broacha Jr. D San Diego State
Rachelle Elve Fr. F San Diego State
Laura Fuentes So. MF San Diego State
Karlee Pottorff Jr. D San José State
Ashley Cardozo Jr. MF Utah State
Amber Marshall Jr. MF Utah State
2018 Mountain West Women's Soccer All-Newcomer Team
Name Class Position Team
Lexi Romero Fr. F Air Force
Kayla Milford Fr. D Air Force
Gracie Armstrong So. F Colorado State
Kristen Noonan So. F Colorado State
Gabby Brown Fr. MF Nevada
Rachelle Elve Fr. F San Diego State
Brooke Lisowski Sr. GK San Diego State
Sabrina Weinman Fr. MF San José State
Lourdes Bosch Fr. MF UNLV
Diera Walton Fr. GK Utah State
Jamie Tatum Fr. MF Wyoming