ARLINGTON, Texas—Utah Valley senior Sydney Bushman has been named the co-WAC Defensive Player of the Year while also earning First Team All-WAC honors. UVU's Heather Stainbrook and Faith Webber also earned First Team All-WAC accolades, while Jenna Shepherd Gremillion was named to the All-WAC Second Team. 
 
A league-best four Wolverines were also named to the WAC All-Freshman Team, including Elle Young, Ashley Garcia, Sadie Beardall, and Nixan Jackson. 
 
"I would like to congratulate our players and the other players in the conference that were recognized for their hard work and accomplishments over the course of the WAC regular season," said Utah Valley head coach Chris Lemay. "I promise that we will be ready to compete next Wednesday and Saturday and that is all I have to say about the awards."
 
Bushman becomes the sixth UVU player in team history to earn WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. A Wolverine has won the honor in six out of the last 11 seasons, including three out of the last four years. Bushman joins Lauren Sack (2013), Lexi Robison (2014), Jessica Duffin (2015), and Jenna Shepherd Gremillion (2020, 2022) as former UVU players to earn the honor.  
 
Bushman, a senior defender from American Fork, Utah, also earned First Team All-WAC honors for a second straight season after anchoring the Wolverine defense to seven shutouts, including six in WAC play. Bushman and the UVU defense allowed only three goals per game (0.33 GAA) and limited opponents to just 7.1 shots per game during league play. Bushman also helped offensively on set pieces, scoring four goals with two assists and 10 points this season. 
 
Stainbrook, a senior midfielder from South Jordan, Utah, earns First Team All-WAC honors for a third straight season. Stainbrook led the WAC in goals scored (11), points (26), shots (57), shots per game (6.3), points per game (2.89), and goals per game (1.22) during league play. 
 
Stainbrook is the only player in the WAC this season named to the 2023 Hermann Trophy Watch List. Stainbrook ranks 10th nationally in total points (31), 17th in total goals (17), 16th in points per game (1.72), 18th in shots per game (3.89), and 26th in the country in goals per game (0.67). Stainbrook is UVU's all-time leading goal scorer (40) and points leader (105). 
 
Webber, a junior forward from Grand Blanc, Michigan, was named First Team All-WAC for a second straight season. Webber broke her own UVU school record of 14 goals scored last season with 16 more this season. She ranks fourth in the country in goals scored (16), fifth in total points (36), fourth in goals per game (0.89), fifth in shots on goal per game (2.39), and sixth in points per game (2.00). 
 
Shepherd Gremillion, a senior defender from American Fork, Utah, helped the Utah Valley defense to seven shutouts, including six in WAC play. Shepherd Gremillion, who earned WAC Defensive Player of the Year in both 2020 and 2022, earns her fourth straight First Team All-WAC honor. She also helped offensively this year with one goal and three assists for five points. 
 
Young, a freshman defender from Alpine, Utah, played in 18 matches this season and made 17 starts. She helped the UVU defense to an impressive seven shutouts and limited opponents to just 22 goals this season. 
 
Garcia, a freshman midfielder from West Jordan, Utah, played in 10 matches this year and made the most of her time, scoring two goals with three assists for seven points. 
 
Beardall, a freshman forward from South Ogden, Utah, played in 17 matches with three starts. She scored two goals and tallied three assists for seven points. She also fired 16 shots, including 10 on frame.
 
Jackson, a freshman forward from Mapleton, Utah, played in 18 matches and made four starts this season. Jackson scored four goals and notched three assists for 11 points, which ranks fourth on the team. She tallied 14 shots with nine shots on goal. 
 
Utah Valley's CJ Graham, Ruby Hladek, and Young were among the others receiving votes for all-WAC consideration. 
 
Utah Valley won its second straight outright WAC regular season title this season. The Wolverines have won the WAC regular season championship three times over the past four season. UVU will take the top seed into next week's WAC Tournament in Riverside, California. 
 
The Wolverines earned a first-round bye at the tournament and will play the winner of No. 4 Grand Canyon/No. 5 Utah Tech in the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 1. 
 
2023 WAC Offensive Player of the Year 
Gianna Gourley, Sr., F, Grand Canyon 
 
2023 WAC Co-Defensive Players of the Year
Kait Raffensperger, Jr, Seattle U 
Sydney Bushman, Sr., Utah Valley 
 
2023 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year
Noa Schumacher, R-Sr., California Baptist 
 
2023 WAC Freshman of the Year
Kassidy Kirgan, GK, Seattle U 
 
2023 WAC Coach of the Year
Kristen St. Clair, California Baptist 
 
2023 All-WAC First Team  
Noa Schumacher, R-Sr., GK, California Baptist 
Taylor Summit, R-Jr., D, California Baptist 
Aleisha Ganief, Jr., D, Grand Canyon 
Kait Raffensperger, Jr., D, Seattle U 
Sydney Bushman, Sr., D, Utah Valley 
Leah Pirro, R-So., MF, Grand Canyon 
AJ Loera, So., MF, Grand Canyon 
Heather Stainbrook, Sr., MF, Utah Valley 
Chayse Thorn, Jr., F, Abilene Christian 
Gianna Gourley, Sr., F, Grand Canyon 
Faith Webber, Jr., F, Utah Valley 
 
2023 All-WAC Second Team  
DeAira Jackson, Jr., GK, Grand Canyon
Jana Heinen, Jr., D, California Baptist 
Gracie Knutzen, Sr., D, Utah Tech 
Jenna Shepherd Gremillon, R-Sr., D, Utah Valley 
Jayden Ramirez, R-Jr., MF, California Baptist 
Lourdes Bosch, R-Sr., MF, California Baptist 
Jourdyn Curran, Jr., MF, Seattle U 
Kailee Wilson, Fr. MF, Seattle U
Mayu Yamamoto, Jr., MF, Southern Utah 
Kaylee Hauck, So., F, California Baptist 
Caroline Penner, So., F, Seattle U 
Brynlee Rider, Sr., F, Utah Tech 
 
2023 WAC All-Freshman Team 
Kassidy Kirgan, GK, Seattle U 
Elle Young, D, Utah Valley
Katie Piburn, M,  Seattle U
Ava Shannon, M, Stephen F. Austin 
Madison Hamm, MF,  Grand Canyon 
Kailee Wilson, MF, Seattle U 
Linnea Eld, MF, UTRGV
Ashley Garcia, MF, Utah Valley 
Ella Rusick, F, Utah Tech 
Sadie Beardall, F, Utah Valley 
Nixan Jackson, F, Utah Valley 
 
Others Receiving All-WAC Votes 
Kassidy Kirgan, Fr., GK, Seattle U 
CJ Graham, Sr., GK, Utah Valley 
McCarly Holloman, So., D, Abilene Christian 
Baylie Simon, Fr., D, Abilene Christian 
Sidney Roberts, R-Jr., D, Grand Canyon 
Jenna Grider, Fr., D, Southern Utah 
Michelle Rodriguez, Fr., D, Utah Tech 
Elle Young, Fr., D, Utah Valley 
Emily Garbett, Jr., MF, Utah Tech 
Tessa Thornton, Jr., MF, Utah Tech 
Bekah Valdez, Sr., F, Grand Canyon 
Ruby Hladek, So., F, Utah Valley