KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Utah Valley junior midfielder Heather Stainbrook and junior defender Jenna Shepherd have been named to the 2022 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Team, the organization announced on Thursday.
 
Stainbrook and Shepherd are the first UVU women's soccer players to earn United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honors. They are two of only 41 Division I women's soccer players to receive United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American Team honors this year.
 
Stainbrook, from South Jordan, Utah holds a 3.76 cumulative GPA and is majoring in psychology. Stainbrook had a record-setting 2022 season, earning Utah Valley's first-ever First Team All-Region honor. She also earned WAC Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-WAC, and WAC All-Tournament team honors. Stainbrook tallied 13 goals and seven assists for 33 points this year. She became Utah Valley's all-time career goal scorer and points getter this season as she now has 28 career goals and 74 career points. 
 
Shepherd, from American Fork, Utah, holds a 3.76 GPA and is working on her MBA at UVU. She earned the WAC's Defensive Player of the Year honor for the second time in her career this season. She also earned her third straight First Team All-WAC honor. Shepherd anchored the Utah Valley defense to six shutouts this season, including two shutouts in the final week of regular season play that helped the Wolverines secure the 2022 WAC regular season championship. Shepherd and the UVU defense have only allowed 93 shots on goal this season, just 4.2 per game. Despite her defensive role, the redshirt junior defender also helped offensively on set pieces as she tallied one goal, two assists, 11 shots, and six shots on goal.  
 
Student-athletes on this year's Scholar All-America Teams will be formally acknowledged for their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom at the United Soccer Coaches All-America Ceremony & Reception on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia in conjunction with the United Soccer Coaches Convention.
 
Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., United Soccer Coaches is the trusted and unifying voice, advocate and partner for coaches at all levels of the game. The largest community for soccer coaches in the world, we unite coaches of all levels around the love of the game and we elevate the game through advocacy, education and service. To learn more visit UnitedSoccerCoaches.org.