Lobos Garner Seven Mountain West Honors, Dyche Named MW Coach of the Year
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — After leading her team to a 9-1 record in the 2020-21 season and earning a spot in the Mountain West Conference Finals tabbed to take place April 17 at the UNM Soccer Complex, The University of New Mexico women’s soccer head coach Heather Dyche has been named the Mountain West Coach of the Year. This is the first Coach of the Year honor for Dyche and the first for the program since 2010.
“Receiving something like that is a reflection of an enormous group of people, and I’m the one that gets the credit, but it really is our entire staff, our entire team, and our entire athletic department,” said head coach Heather Dyche. “I think without any of that, you don’t have success. It’s a huge honor, and I am very appreciative of it, but, without question, I know that it’s a group award.”
Through six seasons at UNM, Dyche garners a 64-38-10 record, with a career-best 9-1 record this season. Under her guidance, UNM has outscored opponents 25-3. The Lobos’ 25 goals are tied for the most in the MW, while the defense has limited opponents to three goals, the fewest in the Conference this spring. This season, the Lobos have recorded seven shutouts and owns the sixth-best goals against average (.300) in the nation. Offensively, UNM is tied for 12th nationally, averaging 2.5 goals per game.
The program’s .90 winning average is the best in Lobo history both overall and in conference play. The Lobos have made a dominant appearance on the field, and because of their efforts, five Lobos have been named to the Mountain West All-Conference First Team, and one has been named to the MW All-Newcomer Team.
Earning her second All-Conference First Team honor is redshirt-senior Gwen Maly, who has made a statement on the field this season as she leads the Mountain West in points (21), goals (9), and game-winning goals (4). Maly posted two of those game-winning goals last weekend, earning her the Co-Offensive Player of the Week honor, her second of the season. Maly has been a consistent offensive force for the Lobos, posting six goals through five consecutive games to start the season. The redshirt senior has scored at least one point in all but two games in 2020-21, scoring two goals in two different games.
Redshirt-senior Emily Johnson, named to the MW All-Conference First Team, currently leads the Mountain West in goals-against average (.377) and save percentage (.897) through Mountain West play. Johnson’s goals-against average of .377 is the lowest in UNM history. The redshirt senior posted five total shutouts, three being complete, and two additional shutouts where she played 176 minutes out of 180 minutes in those games. She has allowed just three goals through 716 minutes played and is both a captain and a vocal leader of the backfield.
The third Lobo to earn All-Conference First Team honors is defensive midfielder Alexa Kirton. The senior anchors the midfield for the Lobos, a team that has allowed just three goals on the season, outscoring opponents 25-3, the fewest goals allowed in UNM history. Kirton has played a total of 628 minutes through eight games, starting in every match. Defensively dominant and offensively efficient through the midfield, Kirton posted a clutch goal in UNM’s 2-0 shutout of Air Force on March 21, jumpstarting the Lobo momentum in the match helping seal their seventh win of the season.
Also on the All-Conference First Team is junior Jadyn Edwards, who has seen a total of 727 minutes on the pitch this season as a creative playmaker for the Lobos. She has posted one goal and two assists this season, assisting the Lobos in outscoring opponents 25-3. Edwards can strategically visualize the field to make plays, posting her first goal of the season off a free kick. The junior creates momentum for the Lobos as she currently is second in the Mountain West in shots (31).
The final Lobo to make the All-Conference First Team is Karlee Maes. At center back, Maes anchors a defense that has allowed just three goals throughout ten conference games and has played a total of 890 minutes. She has played all but ten minutes through ten games and has started in every match. Maes scored her first goal of the season in UNM’s 3-1 win over Wyoming on April 9 and has tallied three assists on the season.
Representing the Lobos on the All-Conference Newcomers Team is Paige Satterlee. The freshman has made an appearance in every game this season, posting a current total of 371 minutes on the pitch. Satterlee is a vital part of the Lobo defense that has held opponents to just three goals through ten games, with an overall 0.377 goals-against average, the lowest in program history. Satterlee provided her first collegiate assist in UNM’s 4-1 win over Colorado State in the conference opener, tying the game and electrifying the Lobo offense. Overall, Satterlee has spent more time on the pitch than any Lobo newcomer this season.