BROOKINGS, S.D. – University of Denver women's soccer senior centerback Cheyenne Shorts (Denver, Colo.) has been named the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year, while 28^th-year head coach Jeff Hooker was named the Summit League Coach of the Year, the league office announced at the pre-championship banquet on Wednesday night.
 
In addition to the two major awards, Denver earned a league-high five spots on the 2019 Summit League First Team. Senior holding midfielder Hannah Adler (Oak Park, Calif.), sophomore winger Natalie Beckman (Denver, Colo.), sophomore midfielder Sami Feller (Grand Junction, Colo.) and junior centerback Taylor Parker (Aurora, Colo.) joined Shorts on the first team.
 
The Pioneers also placed two on the Summit League Second Team in sophomore forward Camryn MacMillan (Littleton, Colo.) and senior goalkeeper Brittany Wilson (Littleton, Colo.).
 
Hooker, who coached his 600^th career match on October 31^st in Denver's Summit League regular season clinching victory over South Dakota State, earned his 11^th career conference coach of the year award on Wednesday, including his third in the Summit League. The Denver bench boss was first honored as the Colorado Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1995 before earning Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2010 and WAC Coach of the Year honors in the program's only year in the league in 2012. Hooker and the Pioneers have won 10 conference regular season titles in his career, including three in the Summit League.
 
Shorts added the top defensive honor in the league and her second career Summit League First Team honor to her awards list on Wednesday. The Denver senior captained a Denver defense that allowed just 11 shots on goal in league matches and finished the regular season fourth in the country in shots on goal allowed behind only Virginia, Stanford and Monmouth.
 
Adler earned her fourth All-League award in four years, including her third-consecutive first-team honor. The 2016 Summit League Freshman of the Year and 2018 Summit League Tournament MVP sat in-front of one of the best defenses in program history, while scoring four times and assisting on three other Pioneer goals. Adler ranks ninth in Denver's DI history in points (66) and goals (24) and 11^th in assists (18). The Denver senior's game-winning goals also ranks fifth in Pioneer history (11).
 
Beckman earned her second-straight all-league honor and her first, first team accolade nearing the midway point of her collegiate career. Beckman finished second in the league in points with 13 on four goals and five assists in eight Summit League matches. The Denver sophomore recorded at least a point in six of Denver's last seven games of the regular season.
 
Coming off an All-West Region and Summit League Freshman of the Year selection a year ago, Feller earned her second-straight spot on the Summit League First Team on Wednesday. Feller has scored six times so far in 2019, including three in the league's regular season schedule, bringing her career total to 15 goals to go along with six assists.
 
Parker received her third-straight All-League honor and her first, first team accolade in 2019. Parker has started every match at centerback with Shorts for a Denver defense that has allowed just 42 shots on target this season, half of the next closest team in the league. Parker and the Denver defense allowed just 11 shots on goal in eight league matches this season, 21 less than the next closest in the league.
 
A Summit League All-Tournament Team selection a year ago, MacMillan earned her first all-league honor on Wednesday, taking a spot on the second team. MacMillan tied for third in Summit League matches in goals with four to go along with an assist for nine total points in league play. Overall, MacMillan netted five for the Crimson and Gold, all in the final 10 matches of the regular season. 
 
Wilson earned her third-straight Summit League Second Team honor Wednesday. The Denver senior kept six cleansheets in eight Summit League regular season matches. Wilson is currently fourth in Denver's DI history in saves (224), fourth in shutouts (24) and fourth in wins (39).
 
Freshmen Hannah Gallegos (Los Ranchos, N.M.) and Kaitlyn Glover (Englewood, Colo.) were named to the 2019 Summit League All-Freshman Team.
 
2019 Summit League Women's Soccer Award Winners
First Team
Hannah Adler, Denver, MF
Natalie Beckman, Denver, F
Sami Feller, Denver, MF
Elyse Huber, North Dakota State, F
Leah Manuleleua, South Dakota State, F
Taylor Parker, Denver, D
Darien Poelstra, South Dakota State, MF
Cheyenne Shorts, Denver, D
Maggie Smither, South Dakota State, GK
Kellee Willer, South Dakota, F
Kaitlin Zabel, South Dakota State, D
 
Second Team
Maya Hansen, South Dakota State, F
Jordan Langebartels, Oral Roberts, F
Margaret LaVigne, Omaha, D
Camryn MacMillan, Denver, F
Karlee Manding, South Dakota State, MF
Alexis Mitchell, South Dakota, MF
Abby Ostrem, South Dakota, D
Drishana Pillay, Oral Roberts, MF
Monica Polgar, North Dakota State, GK
Gabby Vivier-Hannay, South Dakota State, D
Brittany Wilson, Denver, GK
 
All-Freshman Team
Gabrielle Abbey, Oral Roberts, D
Allison Austin, Oral Roberts, GK
Lavin Douglass, North Dakota State, MF
Hannah Gallegos, Denver, D
Kaitlyn Glover, Denver, MF
Maya Hansen, South Dakota State, F
Lynette Hawkins, Western Illinois, D
Mia Ketterman, Oral Roberts, F
Bailey McNitt, North Dakota, F
McKenna Strand, North Dakota State, D
Lexie Wood, South Dakota, MF
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Leah Manuleleua, SDSU
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Cheyenne Shorts, Denver
 
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Maggie Smither, SDSU
 
FRESHMAN of the Year
Maya Hansen, SDSU
 
Coach of the Year
Jeff Hooker, Denver 
 
UP NEXT:
Denver will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Summit League Tournament, presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare, in Brookings, S.D., awaiting fourth-seed North Dakota in the first semifinal Thursday at 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT. No. 3 seed Oral Roberts and No. 2 seed South Dakota State will meet in the second semifinal at 6 p.m. CT/5 p.m. MT.
 
SEASON TICKET RENEWALS:
Renewals for 2020 men's and women's soccer season tickets are on sale. Current season ticket holders can call the box office at 303-871-4625 starting on Friday to renew their season tickets.

SHOP PIONEERS:
Get dressed for Game Day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.
 
DONATE: 
Fans interested in making a donation to the women's soccer program can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.   
 
- Our Journey, Our Time –

Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 17 of Denver's NCAA Division I sports.
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Women's Soccer on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_WSoccer on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @DU_WSoccer on Instagram