Women’s Soccer Trio Named To All-BIG EAST Second Team
11/6/2024 10:02:00 AM | Women's Soccer
OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton Women's Soccer seniors Azumi Manriki, Ariana Mondiri and Stella Downing all claimed a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team on Wednesday, Nov. 6 as the league announced its annual award winners.
Earning her second consecutive All-BIG EAST Second Team honor, Manriki became just the fifth Bluejay since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 to earn multiple all-conference recognitions. She is joined by Aida Kardovic (2020-22), Skylar Heinrich (2019-20), Taryn Jakubowski (2018-19), and Lauren Sullivan (2014-16) as the only players to earn multiple All-BIG EAST honors.
The Hiroshima, Japan native closed out the 2024 season second on the team in points (8) with four goals, including one game-winner, on a team-leading 29 shots. She opened the year scoring in each of the Bluejays first three contests, became the first Bluejay since Toch Ihemelu in 2006 to score in each of the first three matches of a season. Manriki closed her career with 21 points on eight goals and five assists, while recording 108 total shots in 4,629 minutes of action over three years as a Bluejay.
After missing the 2023 season with a knee injury, Mondiri returned to the pitch in 2024 and led the Bluejays with a team-high 11 points on a team-best five goals and an assist. She recorded three game-winners, including a pair of goals in the Bluejays' 3-1 win over DePaul on Oct. 20. Mondiri now owns eight career goals and three career assists in 1,625 minutes with the Bluejays.
In just her first season on the pitch at Creighton, Downing made an immediate impact scoring three goals and dishing out an assist in 955 minutes of action. The Vancouver, Canada native found the back of the net for the first time in her career and delivered the first brace of her career in the Bluejays' 2-1 victory over UConn on Oct. 6. Posting the first multi-goal game of her career, Downing became just the fourth Bluejay to score two goals in a BIG EAST match, joining the likes of fellow All-BIG EAST selections Heinrich, Jakubowski and Sullivan.
Georgetown's Maja Lardner captured BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year recognition, while Xavier's Sam Wiehe was named Midfielder of the Year and Natalie Bain earned Defensive Player of the Year. Georgetown's Cara Martin was named Goalkeeper of the year while Xavier's Samantha Erbach earned Freshman of the Year accolades. Georgetown also earned the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
The complete All-BIG EAST Team is below.
Offensive Player of the Year: Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Sr., F
Midfielder of the Year: Sam Wiehe, Xavier, Sr., M
Defensive Player of the Year: Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year: Cara Martin, Georgetown, Jr., GK
Freshman of the Year: Samantha Erbach, Xavier, Fr., F
Coaching Staff of the Year: Georgetown
All-BIG EAST First Team
Talia Sommer, Butler, Jr., F
Chioma Okafor, UConn, Jr., F
Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Sr., F
Natalie Means, Georgetown, Jr., F
Samantha Erbach, Xavier, Fr., F
Eliza Turner, Georgetown, Sr., M
Susanna Soderman, Villanova, Sr., M
Sam Wiehe, Xavier, Sr., M
Lawson Renie, Georgetown, Gr., D
Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D
Cara Martin, Georgetown, Jr., GK
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Ariana Mondiri, Creighton, R-Sr., F
Kayla Briggs, Providence, So., M/F
Anaya Johnson, UConn, So., M
Stella Downing, Creighton, Sr., M
Azumi Manriki, Creighton, Sr., M
Emma Flick, Xavier, Jr., M
Regan Dancer, Xavier, Jr., M
Amelie Darey, Butler, Jr., D
Lucy Cappadona, UConn, Gr., D
Hannah Dickinson, Villanova Jr., GK
Maria Galley, Xavier, Jr., GK
All-BIG EAST Third Team *
Abigail Isger, Butler, Gr., F
Freya Jupp, DePaul, Jr., F
Abbey Jones, UConn, Sr., F/M
Lea Eisenring, DePaul, So., M
Beth Smyth, DePaul, Gr., M
Lizzie Heller, Georgetown, Fr., M
Jailene DeJesus, St. John's, Sr., M
Ella McBride, Providence, Jr., M/D
Caitlin O'Malley, Butler, Gr., D
Lucia Englund, Butler, So., D
Chiara Pucci, Seton Hall, Sr., D
Myla McLeod, Villanova, Sr., D
Anna Pierce, Butler, R-Jr., GK
* Due to a tie, there are 13 players on the third team.
Earning her second consecutive All-BIG EAST Second Team honor, Manriki became just the fifth Bluejay since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 to earn multiple all-conference recognitions. She is joined by Aida Kardovic (2020-22), Skylar Heinrich (2019-20), Taryn Jakubowski (2018-19), and Lauren Sullivan (2014-16) as the only players to earn multiple All-BIG EAST honors.
The Hiroshima, Japan native closed out the 2024 season second on the team in points (8) with four goals, including one game-winner, on a team-leading 29 shots. She opened the year scoring in each of the Bluejays first three contests, became the first Bluejay since Toch Ihemelu in 2006 to score in each of the first three matches of a season. Manriki closed her career with 21 points on eight goals and five assists, while recording 108 total shots in 4,629 minutes of action over three years as a Bluejay.
After missing the 2023 season with a knee injury, Mondiri returned to the pitch in 2024 and led the Bluejays with a team-high 11 points on a team-best five goals and an assist. She recorded three game-winners, including a pair of goals in the Bluejays' 3-1 win over DePaul on Oct. 20. Mondiri now owns eight career goals and three career assists in 1,625 minutes with the Bluejays.
In just her first season on the pitch at Creighton, Downing made an immediate impact scoring three goals and dishing out an assist in 955 minutes of action. The Vancouver, Canada native found the back of the net for the first time in her career and delivered the first brace of her career in the Bluejays' 2-1 victory over UConn on Oct. 6. Posting the first multi-goal game of her career, Downing became just the fourth Bluejay to score two goals in a BIG EAST match, joining the likes of fellow All-BIG EAST selections Heinrich, Jakubowski and Sullivan.
Georgetown's Maja Lardner captured BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year recognition, while Xavier's Sam Wiehe was named Midfielder of the Year and Natalie Bain earned Defensive Player of the Year. Georgetown's Cara Martin was named Goalkeeper of the year while Xavier's Samantha Erbach earned Freshman of the Year accolades. Georgetown also earned the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
The complete All-BIG EAST Team is below.
Offensive Player of the Year: Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Sr., F
Midfielder of the Year: Sam Wiehe, Xavier, Sr., M
Defensive Player of the Year: Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year: Cara Martin, Georgetown, Jr., GK
Freshman of the Year: Samantha Erbach, Xavier, Fr., F
Coaching Staff of the Year: Georgetown
All-BIG EAST First Team
Talia Sommer, Butler, Jr., F
Chioma Okafor, UConn, Jr., F
Maja Lardner, Georgetown, Sr., F
Natalie Means, Georgetown, Jr., F
Samantha Erbach, Xavier, Fr., F
Eliza Turner, Georgetown, Sr., M
Susanna Soderman, Villanova, Sr., M
Sam Wiehe, Xavier, Sr., M
Lawson Renie, Georgetown, Gr., D
Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D
Cara Martin, Georgetown, Jr., GK
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Ariana Mondiri, Creighton, R-Sr., F
Kayla Briggs, Providence, So., M/F
Anaya Johnson, UConn, So., M
Stella Downing, Creighton, Sr., M
Azumi Manriki, Creighton, Sr., M
Emma Flick, Xavier, Jr., M
Regan Dancer, Xavier, Jr., M
Amelie Darey, Butler, Jr., D
Lucy Cappadona, UConn, Gr., D
Hannah Dickinson, Villanova Jr., GK
Maria Galley, Xavier, Jr., GK
All-BIG EAST Third Team *
Abigail Isger, Butler, Gr., F
Freya Jupp, DePaul, Jr., F
Abbey Jones, UConn, Sr., F/M
Lea Eisenring, DePaul, So., M
Beth Smyth, DePaul, Gr., M
Lizzie Heller, Georgetown, Fr., M
Jailene DeJesus, St. John's, Sr., M
Ella McBride, Providence, Jr., M/D
Caitlin O'Malley, Butler, Gr., D
Lucia Englund, Butler, So., D
Chiara Pucci, Seton Hall, Sr., D
Myla McLeod, Villanova, Sr., D
Anna Pierce, Butler, R-Jr., GK
* Due to a tie, there are 13 players on the third team.
Players Mentioned
Creighton Women's Soccer Highlights vs. Omaha, 9/10/25
Thursday, September 11
Creighton Women's Soccer Postgame vs. Omaha, 9/10/25
Thursday, September 11
Creighton Women's Soccer Media Availability September 9
Tuesday, September 09
Creighton Women's Soccer Postgame vs. #13 Arkansas, 9/5/25
Saturday, September 06
