ORLANDO – The UCF women’s soccer team’s inaugural Big 12 campaign saw the Knights shine in one of the nation’s top conferences. A select group who mirrored their prowess on the pitch with a strong determination in the classroom were honored with selection to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, announced Tuesday.
Led by fifth-years Caroline DeLisle, Olivia Lewis, and Sanja Homann, along with junior Kyleigh Thelen and redshirt sophomore Mia Asenjo, each student-athlete showed exemplary strength in all facets of collegiate soccer. As voted upon by the College Sports Communicators, selection to the All-District Teams requires a player to attain a GPA of 3.5 or higher, play in 60% of his/her team’s matches, and be at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing.
One of the most decorated goalkeepers in program history, DeLisle put the cherry on top of an incredible collegiate career. In her final season in Orlando, the Tampa native started every match and played every minute as the Knights’ No. 1. A clean sheet at Cincinnati on Oct. 15 secured DeLisle the ultimate prize as UCF’s all-time shutout leaders, topping former great, Karen Richter. In the classroom, she is pursuing her master's degree in kinesiology while also being named a graduate-level Order of Pegasus nominee.
In fitting fashion, three players who played the majority of their time in front of DeLisle as a part of a stern UCF defense were also named to the All-District team. Olivia Lewis has continued to provide security down the flanks for head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak since her arrival in 2019. This season, she was a part of four clean sheets while also registering an assist in the Knights’ 2-0 triumph over South Florida on Sept. 10. Lewis is earning her bachelor’s degree in health sciences.
On the other end of the pitch, Sanja Homann slotted into the role of fullback throughout the 2023 campaign. The German native set a career-high with two assists, including her second of the season in UCF’s 3-2 victory over TCU in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championships. Throughout her academic career at UCF, Homann has been named to the president's roll for eight consecutive semesters.
In between Lewis and Homann was the addition of Stetson transfer Kyleigh Thelen, who brought both experiences on the field and in the classroom. Thelen played in all 18 matches for the Knights while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in health sciences. Rounding the five-athlete group is Mia Asenjo, who had a breakout season in the Knights’ midfield. The New York native set career-highs in goals (three) and assists (three), with her one-goal, one-assist performance in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals serving as the highlight match of the promising stars collegiate career. Asenjo is currently pursuing a degree in Human Communications.