Women's Soccer

Emilie Castagna and Maddie Buckley Collect Players of the Week, Nalani Damacion Sets Freshman Weekly Award Record

All-Time Big West Women's Soccer Weekly Winners >>>
Offensive Player of the Week 
Emilie Castagna, UC Irvine | Junior • Forward • Bournemouth, England 

  • 8136Emilie Castagna collected three of UC Irvine’s five goals on the week to win The Big West Offensive Player of the Week award. This is the second weekly distinction of junior’s collegiate career (Sept. 25, 2023).  

  • Castagna found the back of the net twice in the Anteater's convincing 3-1 victory over Cal State Fullerton. The forward found the equalizer at the 28:46 mark before heading in another score during the 46th minute to give UCI their first lead of the night, 2-1. Castagna’s second tally counted as the junior’s first career game-winner.   

  • During the 2-2 decision at UC Davis, the 2023 Big West Championship MWP tied the match yet again with a blast into the far post to secure the draw in the 65th minute. 

Also Nominated: Nalani Damacion (Hawai'i), Kim Garcia (Cal State Bakersfield), Jessie Halladay (Cal Poly), Emma Vane (UC Davis)
 
Defensive Player of the Week 
Maddie Buckley, UC Santa Barbara | Sophomore • Goalkeeper • Lafayette, Calif. 

  • 8134Maddie Buckley recorded UC Santa Barbara’s eighth shutout of the season to secure The Big West Defensive Player of the Week award for the second time this season. The goalkeeper won the award for the first time in the sophomore’s career on Sept. 2.  

  • UCSB went 1-1 on the week while Buckley only allowed one goal and stopped four shots in 180 minutes of action. 

  • Buckley boasts an overall GAA of 0.69, ranking first amongst all keeps in The Big West, and a .625 mark in conference play.  

  • Despite not recording an outright win last week, the Gauchos remain unbeaten in The Big West at 4-0-4 and 16 points.

Also Nominated: Jacey Jicha (Hawai'i), Anaya Kamy (Cal State Bakersfield), Riley Liebsack (CSUN), Bella Mayo (UC Davis), Mihaela Perez (UC Irvine), Kaylin Raibon (Cal State Fullerton), Mackenzie Samuel (Cal Poly)
 
Freshman of the Week 
Nalani Damacion, Hawai'i | Freshman • Midfielder • Rocklin, Calif. 

  • 25388Nalani Damacion has won the Big West Freshman of the Week accolade for a record fourth time following another clutch performance for the undefeated Rainbow Wahine (Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Sept. 23). This is the first time since the awards inception in 2021 that a student-athlete has won the award four times. 

  • Yet again, the freshman midfielder found the back of the net in a clutch moment (86th minute) to propel Hawai’i to victory. UH downed UC Riverside, 2-1 in their only contest of the week. The tally accounted for Damacion’s team-leading sixth score of the season, all of which have come in game winning fashion. Four of the game-winners were converted in the second half and three with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation. The six goals currently lead all freshman in the nation.  

  • Damacion also leads The Big West in game winners while no other student athlete has gathered more than three. Hawai’i is the first squad so far in 2024 to have clinched a spot in the 2024 Big West Women’s Soccer Championship with a 6-0-1 record in conference play. 

Also Nominated: Devin Greer (UC Santa Barbara), Miah Thomas (Cal State Bakersfield), Ivy Williams (UC Irvine)