MILWAUKEE – Freshman Emily Gordillo becomes the first Freshman of the Year in Marian University women’s soccer history to highlight six Sabres earning All-NACC recognition.
Gordillo (Compton, Calif.) made an immediate impact at Marian earning First Team All-NACC and NACC Freshman of the Year accolades. She appeared in all 19 games making 18 starts scoring seven goals with four assists for 18 total points. Gordillo was held without a point in only nine games this season. She had a goal and an assist at Husson in the second game of the season for the lone game where she had a hand in multiple goals. Gordillo netted three game-winners on the season, good for seventh in the NACC.
Sophomore Chelsea King (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) becomes the first Marian goalkeeper to earn First Team All-NACC honors since 2011 after a spectacular season. King was near the top of the NACC in nearly every goalkeeping category finishing the season second for goals against average at 1.18, second for save percentage at .857, second for total saves at 120, and first for shutouts with five. She started in 17 games this season allowing multiple goals in only four of those games. King finished the season 10-4-3 on the campaign and had double-digit saves in five games. She stopped a season-high 14 shots in the season opener at Southern Maine. King finished the season allowing one or fewer goals in the final eight games.
Senior Allison Schnell (Fond du Lac, Wis.) ends her career at Marian earning a spot on the All-NACC Second Team. Schnell has been an anchor for the Sabre defense finishing her career with 64 games played and 58 starts. She started in all 18 games she appeared in this season and led the Marian defense to the third-best goals against average in the NACC at 1.21. Schnell also had three points including a dramatic game-winning goal off of a free kick against Dominican with just 1:36 left to play.
Junior Abby Larson (Fond du Lac, Wis.) had a strong second season as a Sabre offensively to earn All-NACC Second Team recognition. Her breakout second season in a Sabre uniform saw her score seven goals to go with six assists for 20 total points, 11th in the conference. Larson had a hand in multiple goals three times on the season including a three-point game in the NACC Tournament Quarterfinals against Aurora where she had a goal and an assist. She also assisted a pair of goals in the final game of the regular season against Edgewood to finish her junior year with five points in the final three games. Larson netted three game-winning goals, good for seventh in the conference.
Senior Lillian Giron (Roselle, Ill.) had a breakout final campaign at Marian to finish her career with an All-NACC Honorable Mention award. Giron finished the season with six goals and two assists for 14 total points. She had her first multi-goal games of her career with the first coming at St. Norbert where she netted a hat trick to lead Marian past the Green Knights. She then closed out the regular season scoring a pair of goals against Edgewood. Giron set career bests this season for minutes played, goals, assists, and points.
Senior Trinity Grimes (Plainfield, Ill.) closes out her Sabre career on a high note earning All-NACC Honorable Mention honors. Grimes started in all 17 games she appeared in on the Sabre back line. She played all 90 minutes in six games this season and logged at least 80 minutes 10 times. Grimes was a part of a defensive unit that ranked third in the NACC for goals against average at 1.21. She finishes her Marian career having played in 61 games with 42 starts.
Marian had an historic 2023 highlighted by the Sabres hosting a NACC Tournament game for the first time since 2013. The Sabres were able to finish with a program-best 31 points in conference play and finished the season with the third-most wins for a single season in program history.
