KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new women’s soccer athletes of the week for week five of the 2026 season. Central Missouri’s Coryn Jespersen and Central Oklahoma’s Kaitlyn Cotton both earned their second MIAA Athlete of the Week honors while Missouri Southern’s Bella Smith claimed the Lions’ first weekly award of the season.
OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Coryn Jespersen, Central Missouri
Coryn Jespersen helped the No. 19-ranked Jennies extend their winning streak to six matches with a pair of 4-0 shutout MIAA road wins at Fort Hays State and Nebraska Kearney. The sophomore midfielder scored an MIAA-leading seven points on the week with two goals and three assists. Jespersen first netted the game-winning goal just 16 seconds into the match in Central Missouri’s 4-0 triumph at Fort Hays State last Friday (Sept. 25). She then dished out back-to-back assists, first on Mikayla Ernst’s 33rd-minute goal and then on Kylie Richardson's 48th-minute goal. Jespersen opened Sunday’s match in Kearney with her third assist of the weekend, helping Hazel Douglas-Trotman's game-winner in only the fourth minute against the Lopers. She added her second goal of the week in the 88th minute, the final goal of the Jennies’ 4-0 victory. Jespersen currently leads the MIAA and all of NCAA Division II in assists per game (1.00) and total assists (10). This is her second MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week award of the season, first earning the honor in Week Three.
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: Kaitlyn Cotton, Central Oklahoma
Kaitlyn Cotton led Central Oklahoma's back line to an unbeaten weekend in Edmond where the Bronchos handed Rogers State a 3-1 loss before drawing even in a scoreless match against No. 6-ranked Pittsburg State. Cotton also added an assist in the Bronchos’ win over Rogers State, putting a free kick into the box that teammate Jordan Hahn headed home. Cotton and the UCO defense held the Hillcats to one shot on goal all match. In Sunday’s 0-0 draw with the No. 6 Gorillas, Cotton and the Bronchos held Pitt State scoreless for the first time this season as UCO picked up its third shutout of the season. This is Cotton's second MIAA Defender of the Week award this season, first earning the title in Week Three.
GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK: Bella Smith, Missouri Southern
Bella Smith was outstanding in goal during Missouri Southern’s two-match MIAA road swing, posting back-to-back shutouts as the Lions finished the week undefeated at 1-0-1. Smith played all 180 minutes in goal and stopped all eight shots she faced, finishing the week with a 1.000 save percentage and a 0.00 goals-against average. The senior keeper opened the week with a five-save performance at Nebraska Kearney, turning aside all five shots on goal she faced to preserve a 0-0 draw on the road. She followed that performance with another shutout at Fort Hays State, making three saves as the Lions secured a 2-0 victory. Smith's eight total saves came on eight shots on goal, giving her a perfect save percentage across the two matches. With two shutouts this weekend, Smith now has three on the season and 11 in her career at MSSU, which ranks third in program history.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Bricelyn Betts, Washburn
Bricelyn Betts scored a goal in both of Washburn’s 2-0 wins against Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri last week at home. The sophomore midfielder scored the game-winning goal in the 22nd minute of the Ichabods’ 2-0 win over the Griffons. Her second goal came in the 66th minute of Washburn’s 2-0 shutout of the Bearcats. In total, Betts recorded five shots and three shots on goal across the two matches in 86 minutes of action. She currently leads Washburn in assists with three on the season.
Sophie Spoonmore, Missouri Southern
Sophie Spoonmore was responsible for Missouri Southern’s only goals during a two-match MIAA road swing, helping the Lions finish the week undefeated at 1-0-1. The freshman midfielder accounted for both of Southern’s goals in its 2-0 victory at Fort Hays State. Spoonmore is the first Lion to score two goals in a single match since Kylie Stonestreet netted a pair of goals against Central Missouri on Sept. 9, 2022. Across Southern's two MIAA matches this week, Spoonmore finished with two goals, four points, six shots, three shots on goal and one game-winning goal. She’s now scored three goals in the last three contests and leads Southern with four goals and eight points on the season.
Jocelyn Kramar, Pittsburg State
Jocelyn Kramar led the No. 6-ranked Gorillas to an undefeated week in MIAA action with back-to-back shutouts against Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma. The junior recorded three saves in Pitt State’s 1-0 win over the RiverHawks before adding six saves in the Gorillas’ 0-0 draw against the Bronchos. Kramar faced 13 shots on the week and currently leads the MIAA with six shutouts this season.
Lili Everley, Washburn
Lili Everley recorded a pair of shutouts in goal as the No. 25-ranked Ichabods defeated Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri 2-0 over the weekend. The sophomore keeper was a perfect 4-for-4 on saves and only allowed eight shots across two games. In the 2026 season, Everley has allowed two goals in over 740 minutes of action and is tied for second in the league with five shutouts.
ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE – Julia Coacher [Northwest Missouri], Dannae Gutierrez [Central Oklahoma]
DEFENDERS – Rilyn Snyder [Washburn], Ashley Chaput [Missouri Southern]
GOALKEEPERS – Juliette Langlet [Northeastern State], Andrea Guzman [Emporia State], Kristen Wright [Central Missouri], Maddie Ortwein [Central Oklahoma]
2026 MIAA WOMEN’S SOCCER ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
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