BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- Four Fairmont State women's soccer players were selected to the 2023 All-MEC women's soccer teams, the league revealed on Friday (Nov. 3) afternoon. Isabella Maldonado and Alejandra Puerto were named to the All-MEC Second Team while Kiera Kuzinski and Gracie Smith claimed All-MEC Honorable Mention accolades. Maldonado also earned a spot on the All-MEC Freshman Team.

Maldonado, a freshman midfielder from Wesley Chapel, Fla., brought home All-MEC Second Team and All-MEC Freshman Team accolades after leading the Falcons with six assists and 14 points in her first collegiate season. She added four goals including a trio of game-winning goals versus Slippery Rock, West Liberty and Wheeling. Maldonado totaled the highest number of minutes (1,394) out of all position players for Fairmont State.

Puerto repeated as a member of the All-MEC Second Team after leading Fairmont State with six goals in 2023. The La Ceiba, Honduras native netted a pair of goals at West Liberty in a 4-3 Fairmont State victory for her third career multi-goal game. Puerto appeared in 13 games and tallied 13 points in her sophomore campaign.

A senior from Davison, Mich., Kuzinski was named to an MEC All-Conference team for the fourth time of her career and was voted to the All-MEC First Team three times in her career. Kuzinski garnered All-MEC Honorable Mention recognition in 2023 after totaling four goals and a pair of assists in 13 matches. She recorded her eighth career multi-goal game with two goals in the Falcons' 4-0 win versus West Virginia Wesleyan on Oct. 4.

Smith, a mainstay of the Fairmont State defensive unit, collected All-MEC honors for the first time in her four-year Fairmont State career. The Ripley, W.Va. native appeared in 16 contests during her senior season and tallied a pair of assists. Smith logged 1,318 minutes and helped the Falcons record five clean sheets with her defensive efforts.

The Fairmont State women's soccer team begins MEC Tournament play on Sunday (Nov. 5) with a matchup at the MEC South's No. 1 seed Charleston. The match is set to kickoff at 1 p.m. from Charleston.
 

2023 All-MEC First Team
Pos.	Name	Cl.	School
GK	Ashley Bilger	Sr.	Frostburg State
F	Esther Dhiramo	Gr.	West Virginia St.
F	Toni Fiocco-Mizer	Sr.	Frostburg State
F	Juliette Lucas	Fr.	Charleston
F	Miriam Szijarto	Jr.	Notre Dame
M	Olivia Bekeleski	Gr.	Concord
M	Reeanna Cook	So.	Concord
M	Lina Jaime	Jr.	Charleston
M	Carina Widauer	Gr.	Charleston
D	Maxima Bellscheidt	Jr.	West Virginia St.
D	Angela Gatto	Jr.	Charleston
D	Hannah Goes	Fr.	Charleston
D	Catherine Smith	Jr.	Frostburg State
2023 All-MEC Second Team
Pos.	Name	Cl.	School
GK	Jordan Maynard	Jr.	Charleston
GK	Jordan Pasalaqua	Sr.	Notre Dame
F	Alejandra Puerto	So.	Fairmont State
F	Merel Smets	Jr.	Glenville State
F	Alexa Todd	Gr.	Concord
M	Alba Closa	Jr.	West Virginia St.
M	Isabella Maldonado	Fr.	Fairmont State
M	Ashley Rainho	Jr.	Notre Dame
M	Hannah Thompson	Sr.	Frostburg State
D	Anaya Edwards	Sr.	Notre Dame
D	Lotte Fasen	Fr.	Concord
D	Mei Homman	Jr.	Frostburg State
D	Olivia Shollenberger	Jr.	Concord
2023 All-MEC Honorable Mention
GK: Olivia Kqira (WU) F: Mary DiFonzo (WU), Kiera Kuzinski (FAIR), Frankie Morrow (UC) M: Jori Alexander (WLU), Ciara Casamento (DE), Amelia Compston (WLU), Paula Murcia (WVSU), Aitana Viejo (GSU), Michelle Wenger (UC) D: Carolyn DeSena (FROST), Emma Ring (CU), Gracie Smith (FAIR), Anna Van Der Reijden (UC)
2023 All-MEC Freshman Team
Pos.	Name		School
M	Ciara Casamento		Davis & Elkins
D	Lotte Fasen		Concord
D	Hannah Goes		Charleston
M	Wilma Hedenberg		Concord
F	Juliette Lucas		Charleston
M	Isabella Maldonado		Fairmont State
F	Nyah Smith		Wheeling
M	Aitana Viejo		Glenville State
M	Michelle Wenger		Charleston
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Offensive Player of the Year: Lina Jaime (Charleston)
Defensive Player of the Year: Angela Gatto (Charleston)
Freshman of the Year: Juliette Lucas (Charleston)
Coach of the Year: Gary Ogilvie (Charleston)