(WIAC) – The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced its 2026 All-WIAC Women’s Soccer Team that was selected by the conference coaches.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Aubree Caya was selected the Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate Sera Speltz received Defensive Player of the Year honors and the coaches secured Coaching Staff of the Year. UW-Whitewater’s Lauren Ripley collected Goalkeeper of the Year accolades and UW-Oshkosh’s Addie Wreath claimed Newcomer of the Year distinction.
Caya claimed the award for the second straight year, becoming the fourth player in conference history to accomplish the feat. She leads the WIAC with 15 goals, 35 points and five game-winning goals, while tying for 10th with five assists. Caya has scored multiple points in 11 matches this season, including a season high six (two goals, two assists) against North Park University (Ill.) on Sept. 23.
Speltz was a first team selection in 2025. This year, she is tied for eighth in the conference with six goals, tied for 10th with five assists and 12th with 17 points. Speltz has helped the defense record 14 shutouts.
Ripley tops the WIAC with a .886 save percentage and 11 shutouts, while ranking second with a 0.50 goals-against-average. Her 11 shutouts established a single-season program record.
Wreath is tied for fourth in the conference with seven assists and 10th with 15 points. A newcomer is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in women’s soccer this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in women’s soccer at their previous institution.
Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago include: UW-Eau Claire’s Emma Donovan; UW-La Crosse’s Jillian Sawadski; UW-Oshkosh’s Addyson Edwards; UW-Platteville’s Jessica Morawski and Lexi Ward (Defensive Player of the Year); UW-River Falls’ Valerie Leonard; UW-Stevens Point’s Christa Borchardt; and UW-Stout Polytechnic’s Kayla White. Sawadski, Morawski and White added first team recognition in 2024.
Coaching Staff of the Year honors were presented to UW-La Crosse after the Eagles won their fifth straight WIAC regular-season title. The Eagles won a program-best 15 straight matches to start the season. The staff includes head coach Jason Murphy, and assistant coaches Ainsley Allan, Ellie Arndt, Joe Czerniak and Alexis McMahon.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was announced for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each team as selected by that team.
2026 All-WIAC Women’s Soccer Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Christa Borchardt, Stevens Point, Junior, Forward, New Berlin, Wis. (New Berlin West)
Aubree Caya, La Crosse, Senior, Forward, Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)
Caroline Curran, Eau Claire, Senior, Defender, Lakeville, Minn. (Lakeville South)
Tessa Czajkowski Higgins, Whitewater, Freshman, Defender, Prairie du Chien, Wis. (Prairie du Chien)
Emma Donovan, Eau Claire, Junior, Forward, Hazel Green, Wis. (Wahlert Catholic – Dubuque, Iowa)
Addyson Edwards, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Defender, Appleton, Wis. (Appleton West)
Bella Jones, Eau Claire, Senior, Goalkeeper, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)
Valerie Leonard, River Falls, Senior, Defender, Mankato, Minn. (Mankato West)
Jaden LeRoy, Oshkosh, Junior, Forward, Evansville, Wis. (Evansville)
Olivia Lukrafka Varassin, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Midfielder, Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)
Jessica Morawski, Platteville, Senior, Forward, Tinley Park, Ill. (Victor J. Andrew)
Lauren Ripley, Whitewater, Freshman, Goalkeeper, Brookfield, Wis. (Brookfield East)
Sophia Ryan, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Defender, Orland Park, Ill. (Victor J. Andrew)
Jillian Sawadski, La Crosse, Senior, Forward, Mount Prospect, Ill. (Prospect)
Genevieve Simkowski, Whitewater, Sophomore, Forward, Oak Park, Ill. (Oak Park-River Forest)
Sera Speltz, La Crosse, Senior, Midfielder, Winona, Minn. (Winona Cotter)
Jessica Stewart, La Crosse, Senior, Defender, Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North)
Amaya Thesing, La Crosse, Junior, Midfielder, Onalaska, Wis. (Onalaska)
Lexi Ward, Platteville, Senior, Defender, Eldridge, Iowa (North Scott)
Kayla White, Stout Polytechnic, Junior, Midfielder, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)
Jasmine Wilson, Whitewater, Junior, Midfielder, Sussex, Wis. (Sussex-Hamilton)
Addie Wreath, Oshkosh, Freshman, Forward, Appleton, Wis. (Appleton East)
Honorable Mention
Emery Bigler, River Falls, Senior, Forward, Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee)
Jocelyn Blahnik, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Goalkeeper, De Pere, Wis. (De Pere)
Ariana Gonzalez, Oshkosh, Senior, Midfielder, Appleton, Wis. (Appleton North)
Anna Gunderson, Whitewater, Senior, Defender, Mukwonago, Wis. (Mukwonago)
Ellie Ketcher, River Falls, Senior, Forward, Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson)
Elise Kukuck, Platteville, Senior, Defender, Herscher, Ill. (Herscher)
Marguerite Mueller, Platteville, Senior, Goalkeeper, Bolingbrook, Ill. (Bolingbrook)
Summer Nicolai, La Crosse, Junior, Goalkeeper, Onalaska, Wis. (Onalaska)
Kristen Silenzi, Stout Polytechnic, Senior, Goalkeeper, Carpentersville, Ill. (Harry D. Jacobs)
Allison Steeno, La Crosse, Senior, Defender, Appleton, Wis. (Kimberly)
Lisette Thurman, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, Farmington, Minn. (Rosemount)
All-Sportsmanship Team
Emma Balsley, Stout Polytechnic, Senior, Midfielder, Brainerd, Minn. (Brainerd)
Gabby Kempf, River Falls, Senior, Midfielder, Oshkosh, Wis. (Oshkosh North)
Anna Lorenzana, Eau Claire, Senior, Midfielder, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)
Mira Petri, Platteville, Sophomore, Forward, Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie West)
Claire Rankin, La Crosse, Senior, Defender, Waterloo, Iowa (Waterloo West)
Greta Steines, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, Eau Claire, Wis. (Eau Claire Memorial)
Isabella Torres, Whitewater, Junior, Defender, Joliet, Ill. (Joliet Central)
Kaitlyn Vitkus, Stevens Point, Senior, Defender, Kenosha, Wis. (Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic Academy)
Offensive Player of the Year: Aubree Caya – La Crosse
Defensive Player of the Year: Sera Speltz – La Crosse
Goalkeeper of the Year: Lauren Ripley – Whitewater
Newcomer of the Year: Addie Wreath – Oshkosh
Coaching Staff of the Year: La Crosse
Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete: Aubree Caya – La Crosse
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