The breathtaking 2024 women’s Division I season ended last week with the North Carolina Tar Heels lifting their first trophy in 12 years.

That brings us to the TopDrawerSoccer post-season awards based on several factors, such as individual performance, statistical accomplishments, conference honors, and team success. Analyzing the entirety of the 2024 season, from kick-off in week one to the final whistle at the national championship game, here are your award winners for the women’s college soccer season.

Starting with the TDS Player of the Year, Kate Faasse of North Carolina. With 20 goals this season, the junior forward became the fourth player this century (Catarino Macario-19, Casey Nogueira-08, Christine Sinclair-05/02) to win a national championship while leading the country in goals. Those strikes were not stat-padding either, as Faasse tied for the national lead with eight game-winning goals, highlighted by her back-to-back winners in the quarter and semi-final of the NCAA Tournament. Amazingly, the Arizona native came into the year with just four goals in her 40 collegiate games, which she surpassed just a month into the 2024 campaign. Caiya Hanks fell just short of winning the award, owing to an impressive campaign where she led Wake Forest to its first College Cup final as one of two players in the country to finish with a minimum of 11 goals and 12 assists. 

The Freshman of the Year is Izzy Engle, a phenom who pushed Faasse for the top scorer recognition. The Minnesota native led a young Irish squad to the Elite Eight with 19 goals, tied for second in the country. Those 19 are the most by a freshman since Charde Hannah of South Alabama in 2014, as no team had an answer for Engle’s elite combination of speed, technique, and finishing prowess. Trinity Armstrong of North Carolina, Amalia Villarreal of Texas, Keegan Smith of Arkansas, and Jinny Lackey of James Madison rounded out a strong group of contenders.

Winning the award for Coach of the Year is Damon Nahas after leading the Tar Heels to the national championship in his first season as a head coach. Despite taking over just four days before the season and operating with an interim tag until the morning of the final, Nahas led a squad that returned just one starter to the national title.

Check out the All-American teams below.

TopDrawerSoccer Postseason Awards

Player of the Year: Kate Faasse, North Carolina(w)

Freshman of the Year: Izzy Engle, Notre Dame(w)

Coach of the Year: Damon Nahas, North Carolina(w)

Best XI Teams

First Team 

F: Kate Faasse (North Carolina(w)), Caiya Hanks (Wake Forest(w)), Izzy Engle (Notre Dame(w))

M: Taylor Huff (Florida State(w)), Maggie Graham (Duke(w)), Helena Sampaio (USC(w)), Macey Hodge (Mississippi State(w))

D: Lilly Reale (UCLA(w)), Macy Blackburn (Texas Tech(w)), Brooklyn Courtnall (USC(w))

GK: Leah Freeman (Duke(w))

Second Team 

F: Ava Tankersley (Arkansas(w)), Kailyn Dudukovich (Ohio State(w)), Catherine Barry (South Carolina(w))

M: Mia Bhuta (Stanford(w)), Emily Colton (Wake Forest(w)), Tessa Dellarose (North Carolina(w)), Baylee DeSmit (Loyola (MD(w))

D: Trinity Armstrong (North Carolina(w)), Natalie Bain (Xavier(w)), Cameron Roller (Duke(w))

GK: Clare Gagne (North Carolina(w))

Third Team 

F: Jen Blitchok (Western Michigan(w)), Kayla Rollins (Wisconsin-Milwaukee(w)), Khyah Harper (Minnesota(w))

M: Lexi Missimo (Texas(w)), Anna Haddock (Auburn(w)), Hanah Bebar (Duke(w)), Justina Gaynor (Michigan State(w))

D: Zara Chavoshi (Wake Forest(w)), Lyndsey Heckel (Saint Louis(w)), Kaitlyn Richins (Utah State(w))

GK: Maddy Anderson (Mississippi State(w))

Freshman Best XI Teams 

First Team

F: Amalia Villarreal (Texas(w)), Katie Shea Collins (South Carolina(w)), Ginny Lackey (James Madison(w))

M: Linda Ullmark (North Carolina(w)), Charlotte Kohler (Stanford(w)), Grace Restovich (Notre Dame(w)), Nalani Damacion (Hawaii(w))

D: Abigail Mills (Notre Dame(w)), Nicola (Nicki) Fraser (UCLA(w)), Julia Belli (Michigan State(w))

GK: Keegan Smith (Arkansas(w))

Second Team 

F: Anaiyah Robinson (Arkansas(w)), Samantha Erbach (Xavier(w)), Morgan Russman (North Dakota State(w))

M: Ai Kitagawa (Memphis(w)), Morgan Brown (TCU(w)), Mika Krommenhoek (BYU(w)), Elizabeth Heller (Georgetown(w))

D: Bella Gaetino (North Carolina(w)), Ashley Thurk (Minnesota(w)), Claire Casey (Georgia Southern(w))

GK: Sophie Dawe (Kansas(w))