Morgantown — Nikki Izzo-Brown is the only soccer coach ever known in the women’s soccer program in West Virginia. While she created her own team, made headlines, and in 2016 she made it to the NCAA National Championships, she’s the biggest single when it comes to the work she’s done with her 27th team in 2022. will be remembered as one of her achievements in
This wasn’t one of her most foretold teams going into the season, and it quickly showed why it lacked a real offensive punch.
The Mountaineers started the season winning 3 of their first 10 games, 4 of their first 14, and not scoring in 6 of their first 9 games.
But with a defense led by fifth-year senior defender Jordan Brewster, who was named to the All-Big 12 preseason team in mid-August, they did a big miracle by winning the Big 12 tournament. . Strong burst season. The Mountaineers beat Oklahoma State 2-1, No. 16 Texas 1-0, and he defeated No. 17 TCU 1-0 to end his year with six straight wins and win the Big 12 Championship. won.
Brewster was there whenever WVU needed him. Against Kansas State, he led the defense to his seventh shutout of the season, leading the Wildcats to one goal in 90 minutes and the Big 12 Defensively. assisted the goal of .
That senior night game represented her 96th start as a climber, a school record.
By this time, WVU were showing signs of becoming a premier team, with Brewster saving signing moments from 90 yards out to the final kicking the winner home in the 93rd minute, with a big win. 12 brought it to the championship. Right — To win his Big 12 Championship for the fifth time in WVU despite coming in as the 4th seed.
It was Brewster’s third goal of the season and all were winners.
It was fifth grader Laren Segara’s goal that put the Mountaineers in position to win the title, WVU and Izzo Brown’s 18th conference title in 27 years.
“Great is the word that comes to mind,” said Izzo Brown. “I am just blown away by the ability and performance of these women. I was so proud of them. Finding a way to win was very impressive. I’m so excited for them.”
WVU was eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Penn State, losing 4-0 to the home team.
Senior goaltender Kaiza Massey was the Big 12 Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and the third and first Goalkeeper of the Year in program history, and Brewster was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, both He was a first-team All-Conference player.
Brewster was subsequently named the Big 12 Women’s Soccer Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year and was named a third team All-American.
Meanwhile, it was a disappointing year for the men’s program, which moved to the Sunbelt Conference, as they were eliminated from the conference tournament with a 3-0 loss to No. 2 Kentucky. They finished the year at 7-7-4.
Earlier in the season, the WVU men’s team put together their best game against Kentucky, tying the undefeated Wildcats 3–3 at Dick Dreske Football Stadium in front of 2,096 fans.
Fifth-year senior defender Aaron Denk Gracia and redshirt senior midfielder/defender Dion Dromers were named to the Academic All-America Second Team.