Ward, Seabert Highlight WCC Postseason Awards
11/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
WCC RELEASE
MALIBU, Calif. - The West Coast Conference announced its postseason women's soccer awards and Pepperdine's Hannah Seabert was named WCC Goalkeeper of the Year and head coach Tim Ward was named Coach of the Year. The Waves also had three All-WCC honorees, one honorable mention and an All-Freshman nod.
Rylee Baisden picked up All-WCC first team honors along with Seabert and Bri Visalli was named to the All-WCC second team. Michelle Maemone garnered honorable mention and Hailey Stenberg was named to the All-Freshman team.
For Ward it is his fourth WCC Coach of the Year award and second in the last three years. He guided the Waves to the third conference title in program history and ninth NCAA Tournament appearance. Ward now has 219 career wins at the helm for Pepperdine, making him far and away the winningest coach in program history. He has overseen 15 winning seasons in his 19 years as head coach, and has led the Waves to 13 10-win seasons and nine years with at least 12 wins.
Seabert (Riverside, Calif./Woodcrest Christian HS) is in the midst of closing one of the greatest goalkeeping careers in Pepperdine's illustrious history, grabbing the Waves' all-time mark for saves with 324 last week. This year she has posted eight solo shutouts and been the goalkeeper of record in each of the Waves' 11 shutouts on the season, the most of any WCC keeper. She is second in the league with a 0.66 goals against average and has posted a total of 70 saves thus far. Seabert is also second on the Pepperdine career list for goalkeeper wins, with 46, just one behind Anna Picarelli. She is the first Wave keeper to earn WCC Goalkeeper of the Year honors.
Baisden (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) is also in the midst of wrapping up a stellar Pepperdine career, posting her best season as a senior this year. The Waves' forward leads the team and is tied for seventh in the conference with 17 total points. She has six goals on the year and has five assists, leading the Waves in both categories. Baisden was All-WCC honorable mention last year.
Visalli (San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian HS) is earning her second All-WCC nod in the last two years after garnering first team honors last year. This season Visalli is second on the team with five goals and has added one assist for a total of 11 points. She scored one of the most dramatic goals of the season last week, sending home a rebound in the 83rd minute against Pacific in what was the WCC title clinching win for Pepperdine. Visalli also earned All-WCC honorable mention as a freshman two years ago.
Maemone (San Jose, Calif./The King's Academy) transitioned to outside defensive back this year and was an integral part of one of the conference's best defenses. The Waves gave up just 13 goals all year, trailing only BYU in that category, and allowed just two goals through the entirety of WCC play. Maemone helped the Pepperdine defense post 11 shutouts on the year, good for 16th in the nation. She has also contributed on the attack this season, posting an assist.
Stenberg (Huntington Beach, Calif./Mater Dei HS) stepped up big for Pepperdine during her first season in Malibu, posting the third most points on the team with eight. Stenberg scored three goals and added two assists as a freshman forward for Pepperdine.
