Mariners Top the PACWEST Regular Season Awards List

The first-place VIU Mariners made a splash in the league standings and the all-star voters took notice, awarding VIU four all-stars plus all three major awards for Player, Coach, and Rookie of the Year. Congratulations to Cara Dunlop, Bobbie Taylor, Mya Creed, Shea Battie, Olivia Mazurenko, and Kanae Yamamoto!

PACWEST All-Star & Player of the Year: Cara Dunlop

A captain and go-to player in big games, Cara Dunlop was practically unbeatable as a defender in 2022 which was a huge part in why VIU allowed the fewest goals in the conference.  Will play any role asked of her and excels, as shown by her tenacious defending this year which follows up a year where she was a team leader in goals scored. Her ability to see the game develop--and always been a step ahead of the opposition--combined with her track record of consistently delivering quality play regardless of the level of pressure has earned Dunlop the 2022 Player of the Year award.

PACWEST Women's Soccer Coach of the Year: Bobbie Taylor

Taylor was a varsity all-star as a player and demonstrated that same level of skill and leadership in her first year coaching at VIU, taking the Mariners to top spot in the conference and earning the PACWEST Coach of the Year Award. She seamlessly fit first-year players in key roles alongside veteran leaders--both on the pitch and in academic settings--and kept the Mariners focused and driven in a battle down the stretch with Capilano for first place. Under her watch, the Mariners topped the league standings, scored the most goals, and allowed the fewest.

PACWEST Rookie of the Year Award: Mya Creed

It isn't common for a first-year player to have such an impact in a key position as centre-back, but Nanaimo's Creed delivered. She played the full 90 minutes in every game this season and also earned her first two PACWEST goals in the final weekend. Her poise, arial defence, and quality decision-making is all noteworthy and contributed to a team defence that allowed the fewest goals in the conference. 

PACWEST All-Star: Shea Battie

Shea Battie was dynamite in her fifth season as a Mariner, serving as captain and finishing as team and league co-leader in goals. Battie is credited as a leader both off and on the field and in both good and challenging times. Hard-working, insanely quick, and consistently a threat on goal, she has been a excellent role model for the younger student-athletes on the team.

PACWEST All-Star: Olivia Mazurenko

Much of the league's leading offense flowed through creative midfielder Olivia Mazurenko. A quiet creator with a big impact, Mazureko is a fantastic playmaker who also scored goals and got the job done defensively. Her intuition for the game in the midfield was unmatched. 

PACWEST All-Star: Kanae Yamamoto

A top-notch fullback who was equally comfortable and effective playing the right or left side, Kanae was another key contributor to VIU's stellar and league-leading team defence in her final year with the program. A dependable teammate on and off the pitch, Kanae's soccer IQ shone when covering defensively or knowing when to make attacking runs down the sideline. 

The women's soccer all-stars will lead VIU into the PACWEST championship game on Sunday, October 30 at Mulgrave School in West Vancouver (1:30 p.m.). The game will be streamed live on PACWEST.TV.