KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Utah Valley junior defender Jenna Shepherd has been named to the United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch list for the 2022 season. Shepherd was one of just 35 defenders named to the watch list.  

"Jenna Shepherd encompasses all the qualities of a top-level player that we look for in our program," said Utah Valley head coach Chris Lemay. "She is a leader, a great teammate, is technically and tactically sound, a competitor, is great in the air, and is one of the best attacking defenders that I have coached. Accolades at the beginning of the year are nice but we are striving for team and individual awards at the end of the season."
 
Shepherd earned All-Region honors for a second straight season in 2021. She helped anchor the Wolverine defense to 11 shutouts last year, including 10 shutout victories. She also helped on set pieces, scoring one goal (game winner) and one assist. S
 
The redshirt junior defender is a two-time First Team All-WAC honoree (2020, 2021). She earned WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2020 after helping the Wolverines to a WAC regular season championship, a WAC Tournament title, and the team's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. In her three seasons at UVU, Shepherd has played and started 64 games with nine goals, three assists, and 21 points. 
 
The watch lists are being released for the first time this season by the Division I All-America Committees to promote college soccer leading up to the official start date for the regular season later this month. The lists include United Soccer Coaches All-Americans and first or second team All-Region players from 2021, who are scheduled to return for the 2022 season.

"United Soccer Coaches is pleased to be able to bring some additional focus to these outstanding student-athletes from our member schools as pre-season training gets underway," said Ralph Polson, the Senior College All-America Administrator. "While other players will most certainly emerge, these previous honorees represent some of the best at their positions entering this season."

These positional announcements also lead up to the 2022 watch lists for the prestigious Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy on the official start date for regular season games on August 18 (women) and August 25 (men). The MAC Hermann Trophy is presented annually to the Division I National Players of the Year as voted by Division I College Coaches at the end of the regular season. The 2022 recipients will be announced on January 6, 2023, in St. Louis, Mo.
 

United Soccer Coaches

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