BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University women’s soccer seniors Emily Webster and Sierra Shugarts, along with junior Gabriela Pelogi, have been named Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Americans, announced last Friday.
Webster (M, Bellingham, WA/Sehome) and Shugarts (D, Federal Way, WA/Decatur) were each honored as D2CCA Third Team All-Americans while Pelogi (F, Federal Way, WA) was named an Honorable Mention All-American. The trio were previously named First Team All-West Region performers before earning All-American recognition.
A D2CCA Second Team All-American last season, Webster was a versatile force for the Vikings on offense, defense and set pieces as she started all 20 games and recorded 6 assists (T-4th in GNAC) along with one goal during the season. Webster is a four-time All-GNAC selection and three-time First Team honoree, as well as the 2016 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year. She earned D2CCA All-West Region recognition during each of the last three seasons, honored as a First Team All-Region choice in each of the last two seasons after receiving All-Region Second Team honors in 2015 as a sophomore.
She led all WWU non-goalkeepers in minutes played (1,551) during the 2017 season and ranks among program all-time leaders in games played (90 games, 3rd) and career assists (24 assists, 5th).
Shugarts was also recognized as a D2CCA All-American for the second straight year after being named a First Team All-American last season. A two-time D2CCA All-West Region First Team selection, she is a three-time All-GNAC selection and earned First Team recognition each of the last two seasons. Shugarts was the 2016 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year and GNAC Player of the Year.
She appeared in 84 games over her career (T-8th most in WWU history) and during 2017 helped anchor a defense that allowed just 8 goals, posting 14 shutouts and ranking 5th nationally with a .397 goals-against average and 6th nationally with a .700 shutout percentage.
Pelogi led the Great Northwest Athletic Conference with 36 points and 15 goals during the season while tying for 4th among conference leaders with 6 assists. A D2CCA All-West Region First Team selection in 2017 and Second Team honoree in 2016, Pelogi is a three-time All-GNAC honoree as well and was named to the All-GNAC First Team for the second time this season. She started all 20 games and had at least one point in 13 games, including six game-winning goals, and her 90 career points and 36 career goals each rank 6th in program history.
Sports information directors from NCAA Division II schools and conferences selected the All-America teams. The process begins at the regional level with all D2CCA First Team All-Region picks advancing to the national ballot. A total of 52 student-athletes representing 34 different institutions filled out the three teams and the honorable mention squad.
The three Vikings named All-Americans were previously joined on the D2CCA All-West Region Teams by First Team selection Karli White (Jr., F, North Bend, WA/Mount Si/Seattle U.) and Second Team choice Taylor Hallquist (Jr., D, Vancouver, WA/Columbia River).
WWU (18-2-0, 11-1-0 GNAC) concluded the 2017 season after advancing to the NCAA Championships for a sixth consecutive season and reaching the NCAA II West Regional Final for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The Vikings won the GNAC Championships tournament before entering the NCAA Championships as the No. 2 seed in the West Region, topping No. 3 seed Sonoma State, 2-0, before falling, 2-0, to No. 1 seed UC San Diego.
— @WWU_WSoccer —
