NOC’s Smith named Coach of the Year

TONKAWA — Joshua Smith, head women’s soccer coach at Northern Oklahoma College, has been named Women’s Soccer NJCAA Region 2 Coach of the Year.

“This award is a great honor but is really a testimony to the quality of players I have the privilege of coaching, the great support I am given by our athletic director and administration, and the hours of work my assistant Samantha Mullins puts in,” Smith said. “Their support and our team’s desire to work and win allows me to coach the game I love distraction-free. I am honored to be a part of NOC, this community and this team. It is truly a blessing."

The NOC Lady Mavs won the Region 2 Tournament Nov. 1 after earning the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference championship Oct. 25. They are ranked No. 8 nationally.

Freshman BreAnn Tolleson of The Colony, Texas, was named OCAC MVP. “I’m thankful for receiving this award because I have worked so hard this season,” Tolleson said. “Setting the school record with 27 goals and scoring the winning goal in the regional tournament will be unforgettable for me. Without my team, I wouldn’t be where I am."

Selected to All-Conference Team were sophomores Sarah Blakley, Enid; Alexis Gipson, Heartland, Texas; and Thirley Rodriguez, Forney, Texas.

“This award really reflects the success of our team as a whole, and I am very proud to be a part of it,” Blakley said.

Gipson noted, “My team and I have put in a lot of work to get to where we are now. I am honored to have been chosen for this award.”

Rodriguez, who was also selected to Region 2 All-Tournament Team, stated, “Receiving the awards was an honor but winning the tournament was even better. It was not just about kicking the ball around or making good passes; every single player was at the point of exhaustion and frustration but we did not give up. We played with a lot of heart and left it all on the field which led us to win the regional tournament.”

Alma Figueroa, Kaufman, Texas, was named Region 2 MVP. Mason Richardson and Rodriguez of Forney, Texas; Taylor Sargent, The Colony, Texas; Brie Glaze, Enid; and Morgan Pritchett, Bixby were selected to All-Region Tournament Team.