KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new women’s soccer athletes of the week for week six of the 2026 season. Central Missouri’s Mikayla Ernst was named the Offensive Athlete of the Week, Central Oklahoma’s Sophia Gaskins was named the Defender of the Week, and Pittsburg State’s Jocelyn Kramar earned her second Goalkeeper of the Week honor of the season.
 
 OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Mikayla Ernst, Central Missouri
Mikayla Ernst led the Jennies offense over the weekend with a goal in each match as No. 18-ranked Central Missouri went 1-0-1 against MIAA opponents on the road. The senior forward opened the week with the game-winning goal in the Jennies’ 2-1 win at MoWest on Friday (Oct. 2). She then scored the Jennies' only goal in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Northwest Missouri. On the week,  Ernst had two goals for four points. She totaled eight shots on goal for a shots-on-goal percentage of .800. This is Ernst’s first MIAA Athlete of the Week award this season but the Jennies’ second consecutive Offensive Athlete of the Week award, with Coryn Jespersen earning the honor in Week Five.

 DEFENDER OF THE WEEK:  Sophia Gaskins, Central Oklahoma
Sophia Gaskins led Central Oklahoma to a 1-0 win over Emporia State on Sunday in Edmond. The sophomore defender helped the Bronchos earn a shutout and scored the lone goal in the victory. Gaskins is the second consecutive Broncho to be named the MIAA’s Defender of the Week, with Kaitlyn Cotton earning the award in Week Five.

 GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK:  Jocelyn Kramar, Pittsburg State      
Jocelyn Kramer helped the No. 4-ranked Gorillas stay unbeaten with another pair of back-to-back shutouts against MIAA opponents at home. The junior keeper recorded two saves in the scoreless draw against Emporia State on Friday (Oct. 2) before recording two more saves in Pitt State’s 5-0 win over Rogers State on Sunday (Oct. 4). Kramer and the Gorillas are the only collegiate team (NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, NJCAA DI, DII, DIII) to yet allow a goal in the 2026 season.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Avery McCorry, Washburn
Freshman forward Avery McCorry recorded a pair of goals in a win over Nebraska Kearney on Sunday (Oct. 4). McCorry's goals came in the eighth and 24th minutes of the match, giving Washburn a commanding 2-0 lead. McCorry recorded five shots, including three shots on goal over the weekend, as No. 24-ranked Washburn defeated Fort Hays State 5-1 and Nebraska Kearney 2-0. 
 
Julia Coacher, Northwest Missouri
Julia Coacher was responsible for both Northwest Missouri goals this past week, which resulted in a pair of ties for the Bearcats. The junior forward had an assist in a 1-1 draw at home against Missouri Southern last Friday (Oct. 2). She then scored her third goal of the season in the first half of Northwest's 1-1 tie against No. 18-ranked Central Missouri.
 
Avianna Gonzalez, Pittsburg State
Avianna Gonzalez helped the No. 4-ranked Gorillas stay unbeaten and continue to be the lone collegiate team (NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, NJCAA DI, DII, DIII) to have not allowed a goal this season. The redshirt senior defender had a goal and an assist while also helping the Pitt State defense record another pair of shutouts as the Gorillas went 1-0-1 against MIAA competition at home. Gonzalez played 50 minutes of the scoreless draw against Emporia State on Friday (Oct. 2). She then assisted the game-winning goal against the Hillcats and added a goal early in the second half in the Gorillas 5-0 over Rogers State.

Morgan Byrd, Missouri Western
Morgan Byrd played all 180 minutes in goal for MoWest during a 1-1 MIAA weekend, which included a 2-1 loss to No. 18 Central Missouri and a 1-0 victory over Missouri Southern. Byrd recorded five saves against No. 18-ranked Jennies before responding with five more saves and a clean sheet against the Lions. She stopped all five shots on goal she faced against the Lions to secure her fifth shutout of the season and 12th of her career Sunday. Byrd finished the weekend with 10 saves, an .833 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average while averaging five saves per match.

Maddie Ortwein, Central Oklahoma
Maddie Ortwein earned her fourth shutout of the season in Central Oklahoma’s 1-0 win over Emporia State last Sunday (Oct. 4) in Edmond. The sophomore keeper made a career-high eight saves in the full 90 minutes against the Hornets.  

ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE – Kendall Knisley [Missouri Western], Lily Marshall [Missouri Southern], Talia Sanders [Fort Hays State]
DEFENDERS – Ava Smith [Missouri Western], Ashley Chaput [Missouri Southern]
GOALKEEPERS – Leyah Scott [Northwest Missouri], Bella Smith [Missouri Southern]
 

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WEEK ONE:
Offensive – Ryann Caruth, Pittsburg State
Defender – Sarah Peyton Webb, Pittsburg State
Goalkeeper – Kristen Wright, Central Missouri   
 
WEEK TWO:
Offensive – Leah Henke, Washburn
Defender – Cadence Dobberstein, Missouri Western
Goalkeeper – Jocelyn Kramar, Pittsburg State   
 
WEEK THREE:
Offensive – Coryn Jespersen, Central Missouri
Defender – Kaitlyn Cotton, Central Oklahoma
Goalkeeper – Lili Everley, Washburn    
 
WEEK FOUR:
Offensive – Ella Favot, Emporia State
Defender – Marielle Wright, Missouri Western
Goalkeeper – Calais Butts, Rogers State    
 
WEEK FIVE:
Offensive – Coryn Jespersen, Central Missouri
Defender – Kaitlyn Cotton, Central Oklahoma
Goalkeeper – Bella Smith, Missouri Southern     
 
WEEK SIX:
Offensive – Mikayla Ernst, Central Missouri
Defender – Sophia Gaskins, Central Oklahoma
Goalkeeper – Jocelyn Kramar, Pittsburg State