CLEVELAND, OH -- John Carroll senior forward Emily Patrzyk (Twinsburg, OH/Twinsburg) and Denison senior defender Sarah Sollinger (Evanston, IL/Evanston Township) and sophomore midfielder Maryn Zavislak (Westerville, OH/Olentangy Orange) were named the Players of the Year to highlight the 2025 All-North Coast Athletic Conference women's soccer selections.
Patrzyk, a 2025 All-NCAC first-team selection, collects John Carroll's first NCAC Offensive Player of the Year honor. In 19 matches, the senior tied for the league lead with 20 points, four assists, and four game-winning goals, while ranking third in goals (8) and shots on target (23). Her 40 total shots tied for fourth among all NCAC players. In conference play, Patrzyk netted a league-high four goals and added an assist to finish tied for second in total points (9). She posted a season-best four points after matching her career high with two goals in a 2-0 victory over Ohio Wesleyan on Oct. 25. Patrzyk helped power John Carroll to its first NCAC championship and tournament titles, and the Blue Streaks' third all-time NCAA appearance. They open play in Lake Forest, Illinois, facing Carleton (16-2-2) on Saturday, November 15 in the first round.
Sollinger, the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, earns her second-consecutive All-NCAC first-team certificate after a second-team selection in 2023. She earned the Big Red their eighth overall Defensive Player of the Year honor, and first since Katie Livingston was named in 2021. Anchoring the Big Red backline in 630 minutes of conference action, the senior helped engineer a defense that conceded a league-low three goals in seven NCAC contests (0.43 GAA) while recording four shutouts. Across 19 total matches, her leadership in the back contributed to just 14 goals allowed and eight clean sheets.
Zavislak, the 2025 Midfielder of the Year, earns her first All-NCAC first-team nod after a third-team selection last season. The sophomore collects Denison's fourth Midfielder of the Year honor, and the first since Abby King claimed the award in 2021. A two-way presence, Zavislak ranked among the league's top 10 with 14 shots and nine on target, while her defensive work helped limit conference foes to just 22 shots on goal and three total scores in league play. Her ability to control tempo and disrupt attacks in the middle third played a central role in Denison's eight shutouts and 0.74 goals-against average over 19 games.
Wittenberg sophomore Sarah Deaton (Monroe, OH/Monroe) and Wooster sophomore Josie Bencic (West Chester, OH/Lakota East) join Patrzyk on the All-NCAC first team as forwards, each making all-conference debuts this season.
Joining Zavislak as first-team midfielders are DePauw junior Peyton Howard (Portland, OR/Tualatin), John Carroll senior Alli Malinky (Canfield, OH/Canfield) and Ohio Wesleyan senior Tiffany Trinh (Dublin, OH/Scioto). Trinh earns her third selection to the top team (2023, 2022), while Howard and Malinky were named to the all-conference team for the first time.
John Carroll senior Kathryn Shaffer (Cincinnati, OH/Summit Country Day) and Kenyon senior Brooke Heis (Cincinnati, OH/Forest Hills) join Sollinger as first-team defenders. Heis advances to the top squad after a third-team nod last season, while Shaffer secures her first All-NCAC recognition.
Ohio Wesleyan senior Natalie Ryan (Beavercreek, OH/Dayton Carroll) stands as the only four-time all-conference honoree in 2025. The 2024 NCAC Defensive Player of the Year collects her third-straight first-team selection after earning Newcomer of the Year honors and a second-team nod in 2022.
John Carroll first-year forward Brooke Berkowitz (Avon Lake, OH/Saint Joseph Academy), an All-NCAC third team selection, was named the 2025 NCAC Newcomer of the Year as the league's top player in their first year of collegiate competition. The rookie claims the Blue Streak's first conference Newcomer of the Year award. In 19 games, including 11 starts, she totaled 14 points on seven goals, three of which were game-winners. The rookie's totals in points, goals, and game-winning goals each rank among the top six in the conference. Against NCAC opponents, Berkowitz added three goals and six points to place among the league's top five.
Kenyon was tabbed the 2025 Coaching Staff of the Year, marking the fourth coaching honor in program history. The Owls are led by Head Coach Sarah McClellan, Assistant Coach Sean Dale, and Volunteer Coach Harrison Zaye. This season, Kenyon posted a 3-2-2 NCAC record to earn the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament, the program's first postseason appearance since 2022. In league play, the Owls tallied 18 points (7 goals, 4 assists) on offense, while defensively holding NCAC opponents to just six goals and recording three shutouts. Across 18 games, Kenyon's offense produced 76 points, ranking second in the league in goals (30) and third in assists (16). On the defensive end, the Owls led the conference with nine goals allowed, 11 shutouts and a 0.50 goals-against average. After an eight-win improvement from last season, Kenyon finished with nine victories, the program's most since 2017, and set single-season records for fewest goals allowed, goals-against average, and shutouts.