KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new women’s soccer athletes of the week from week three of the 2025 season. Central Missouri’s Mikayla Ernst was named the Offensive Athlete of the Week for the second straight week, while Washburn’s Shaye Taylor and Lili Everley earned the Defender and Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
 
OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Mikayla Ernst, Central Missouri
Mikayla Ernst is the first player to earn back-to-back Athlete of the Week honors in the 2025 season. Ernst became just the third Jennie in program history to score a single-match record four goals in Central Missouri’s 7-2 win over Harding on Sunday (Sept. 21). The junior forward added two goals and one assist in the Jennies 5-0 shutout of  Ouachita Baptist. On the week, Ernst netted six goals and had one assist for 13 points. She also went 2-for-2 in penalty kick attempts. Ernst now leads the MIAA in goals scored with eight in six matches.
 
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: Shaye Taylor, Washburn
Shaye Taylor played all 90 minutes in both shutout wins for Washburn last week, collecting a 2-0 win over Harding on Friday night (Sept. 19) and a 1-0 win over Ouachita Baptist on Sunday (Sept. 21). Taylor and the Ichabod defense led opponents to just six total shots with four on goal in both matches. The senior also scored Washburn’s game-winning goal with a free kick in the first half against Ouachita.
 
GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK: Lili Everley, Washburn       
Lili Everley kept two clean sheets on the weekend as the Ichabods went 2-0 against Harding (2-0) and Ouachita Baptist (1-0) at home. The freshman keeper made two saves in each match to earn her first two shutouts of the season.
 
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Offensive – Sydney Cotter, Fort Hays State
Sydney Cotter became the fourth player in Fort Hays State women's soccer history to record a hat trick in the Tigers 7-0 win over New Mexico Highlands last Thursday (Sept. 18). The three goals in a match tied the school record. She also added an assist on FHSU’s game-winning goal to match the school record for points in a match with seven. Cotter leads the Tigers in points for the season with 11, providing four goals and three assists so far this season.
 
Defender – Kaitlyn Cotton, Central Oklahoma
Kaitlyn Cotton helped Central Oklahoma get its first two wins of the season as non-conference play ended last week. Cotton scored the Bronchos first goal of the match via penalty kick in UCO’s 2-1 win over Southern Nazarene. She also assisted the second goal, sending a 50-yard free kick into the box for Jordan Tanges to finish. Against Southwestern Oklahoma State, Cotton helped the Bronchos shutout the Bulldogs in a 1-0 win, leading a defense that limited SWOSU to eight shots in the game. 
 
Defender – Livi Jones, Pittsburg State
Livi Jones helped the Gorillas to a pair of non-conference wins over Southwestern Oklahoma (4-1) and East Central (7-1) on the road last week. The freshman chipped in with a goal and an assist in 94 minutes of play. With Jones on the field, the Gorillas only allowed five shots, with one requiring a save, and no goals allowed. Against SWOSU (Sept. 18) the Jenks, Okla. native recorded her second assist of the season for what ended up being the game-winning goal for the Gorillas. To end the weekend against the Tigers (Sept. 20), she scored her first collegiate goal to finish off East Central, giving the Gorillas new school records for goals scored, largest margin of victory, and most goal scorers in a match.
 
Goalkeeper – Avery Bass, Central Oklahoma
Avery Bass led Central Oklahoma to its first two wins of the season with a 2-1 victory at Southern Nazarene last Wednesday night (Sept. 17) and a 1-0 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday (Sept. 21) in Edmond. The only goal Bass allowed was a penalty kick. She made three saves at SNU while facing 13 shots and added four saves against SWOSU while facing eight shots. Bass earned her second shutout of the season Sunday, having her first three weeks ago at No. 3 Minnesota State.
 
ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSIVE – Danae Hobson [Pittsburg State], Hannah Anderson [Northeastern State], Daniella Iaquinta [Nebraska Kearney], Kendall Knisley [Missouri Western], Elena Conaway [Central Oklahoma]
DEFENDERS – Lillian Meeks [Northeastern State], Laney Reishus [Central Missouri], Saylor Richard [Fort Hays State], Nicoletta Froehlich [Missouri Western]
GOALKEEPERS – Hadley Ostrander [Fort Hays State], Jocelyn Kramar [Pittsburg State], Kristen Wright [Central Missouri], Rebecca Partyka [Northeastern State]  
 

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WEEK ONE:
Offensive – Delphine Sosu, Newman
Defender – Maddy Harmon, Missouri Western
Goalkeeper – Morgan Byrd, Missouri Western   
 
WEEK TWO:
Offensive – Mikayla Ernst, Central Missouri
Defender – Saylor Richard, Fort Hays State
Goalkeeper – Kristen Wright, Central Missouri
 
WEEK THREE:
Offensive – Mikayla Ernst, Central Missouri
Defender – Shaye Taylor, Washburn
Goalkeeper – Lili Everley, Washburn