NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2023 Women's Soccer All-Conference Team and Award Winners on Monday afternoon and a pair of Monarchs were recognized by the league's coaches.
Junior goalkeeper Emily Bredek was named Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-Conference, while senior Ece Turkoglu joined her on the first team.
Bredek became the first Monarch to win an individual honor with her Goalkeeper of the Year award. The Huntington Beach, California native is having a season for the record books as she is fifth nationally in goals against average at 0.418 and seventh in shutouts with an ODU record 10. Bredek has been among the national leaders all season in goals against average, shutouts and save percentage.
She has made some incredible saves throughout the season that have helped the Monarchs, and despite only being her second real season seeing action has shown immense presence and ability. Bredek has played in every single game for the Monarchs this season to date and heads into the tournament with 17 appearances, 16 starts, playing over 1500 minutes with 45 saves and 10 shutouts. She helped spearhead a defense that opened the season with a run of over 500 scoreless minutes.
"Emily has simply taken off from where she left last year and continued to grow even further. Her impact on this team this year has been just immense making so many crucial saves at key moments for us," said ODU Head Coach Angie Hind. "Her standings nationally say all you need to know about how consistently high she has performed and it's incredibly exciting as her coach to watch her develop into an elite goalkeeper. This league has many programs with good goalkeepers and great defensive records so to be voted the best is such an honor for her and knowing Emily she will take this in her stride. We are so very proud of her!"
Turkoglu has had a fantastic season leading the Monarchs as captain from a defensive midfield position in her senior and last season, and has been instrumental in the success of the team. A true leader and exceptional athlete with great technical ability, she has helped guide the team to one of the best defensive records in the nation while simultaneously impacting the attack with five goals and one assist. She had two goals against Southern Miss, one each against Campbell and Marshall and one goal along with one assist against George Mason.
This marks the fifth straight All-Conference award for Turkoglu who was a three-time Conference USA selection before earning the honor last year in the Sun Belt.
"I am delighted that Ece has received the recognition we believe she deserves. It's speaks volumes when a player is recognized every year as being one of the very best players in the conference and Ece has consistently shown that every year and even more so this year adding so many crucial goals from a defensive midfield position," Hind said. "She is not only a great talent and leader, but she is also an incredible teammate who makes those around her better every day. We are all so proud of her."
Old Dominion enters the 2023 Sun Belt Tournament in Foley, Alabama as the second seed and will play on Wednesday at 2:30 pm eastern against the winner of Georgia State and Southern Miss.
2023 Sun Belt Women's Soccer Awards
Coach of the Year: Richard Moodie, South Alabama
Player of the Year: Gabby Hollar, F, South Alabama
Offensive Player of the Year: Gabby Hollar, F, South Alabama
Defensive Player of the Year: Abby Jacobs, D, South Alabama
Goalkeeper of the Year: Emily Bredek, GK, Old Dominion
Newcomer of the Year: Gabby Hollar, F, South Alabama
Freshman of the Year: Aaliyah Faddoul, F, Georgia State
First-Team All-Conference
F – Aaliyah Faddoul, Georgia State
F – Gabby Hollar, South Alabama
F – Suwaibatu Mohammed, James Madison
F – Simone Timm, Georgia Southern
M – Inge Konst, ULM
M – Ece Turkoglu, Old Dominion
M – Gracie Wilson, South Alabama
D – Sade Heinrichs, Georgia Southern
D – Abby Jacobs, South Alabama
D – Lucia Lobato, ULM
GK – Emily Bredek, Old Dominion
Second-Team All-Conference
F – Izzi Wood, App State
F – Jasmine Greene, South Alabama
F – Chiara Singarella, South Alabama
M – Irene Campo, South Alabama
M – Alba Fernandez Almagro, James Madison
M – Mara Grutkamp, ULM
D – Eva Diez Lois, Georgia State
D – Amber Fortenberry, South Alabama
D – Brittany Munson, James Madison
GK – Jaddah Foos, Georgia State
GK – Jaidy Gutierrez Campos, South Alabama
Emily Bredek Named Sun Belt Goalkeeper Of The Year; Joined By Ece Turkoglu On All-Conference Team
