FOREST, Va. --- ODAC champion Washington and Lee University earned four of five special individual awards and joined the University of Lynchburg with a league-best seven all-conference selections to highlight the 2024 All-ODAC Women's Soccer Awards.
Generals mentor
Tiffany Pins garnered ODAC Coach of the Year laurels from her peers. She boasts a squad that includes ODAC Defensive Player of the Year,
Bryn Bissinger, ODAC Offensive Player of the Year,
Sarah Zimmerman, and ODAC Rookie of the Year,
Megan Zimmerman.
Averett University forward
Celia de Diego earned the remaining special plaudit as the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The ODAC's awards lists of 40 stars includes 14 standouts that received 2023 all-conference recognition. That includes five members of the All-ODAC First Team, six All-ODAC Second Team choices, and three honorees on the All-ODAC Third Team.
Bissinger, a junior from Greenville, S.C., is now a two-time All-ODAC First Team choice as the centerback anchor to a special Generals defensive unit. Bissinger, a Second Team All-Region pick last season, has helped Washington and Lee record 17 shutouts through the Generals 1-0 win over Virginia Wesleyan University in the ODAC championship game. WLU has not allowed a goal since a 4-1 win versus Randolph-Macon College in October, resulting in 12 straight shutouts and a stretch of 1,165:58 of scoreless game time. Bissinger got forward to register six points on one goal and four assists.
Sarah Zimmerman, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, is now a three-time All-ODAC honoree with a second straight appointment to the first team paired with a third team selection in 2022. Zimmerman, who also plays on the Generals' women's basketball team, enters the NCAA tournament tied for first in the ODAC in assists (8) and third in the ODAC in points (40) and goals scored (12). Seven of her tallies are credited as game-winners, which ranks first in the conference. That mark includes the lone goal in WLU's 1-0 win over VWU to clinch the conference championship. Zimmerman registered at least one point in 13-of-20 games played including six of her past seven games.
Pins is in her third season at Washington and Lee and her 14th as a collegiate women's soccer head coach. This is her second ODAC top-coaching award, pairing it with the plaque she earned in 2022. Twice she was honored by the American Rivers Conference (ARC)(formerly Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) in 11 seasons at Wartburg College. Pins' Generals are currently the ninth-ranked squad in Division III in the latest United Soccer Coaches top-25 poll. Even though it entered the NCAA tournament an an automatic qualifier after claiming the program's fifth ODAC title on Sunday, Washington and Lee was well-positioned for an at-large berth as the third-ranked team in the NCAA Power Index (NPI) standings behind only Washington University in St. Louis and Loras College. The Generals currently boast an 18-1-1 overall record, bringing Pins' career mark to 178-59-37 (.717). That includes an eye-opening 45-7-10 (.806) record in Lexington.
Megan Zimmerman, a first-year from Cincinnati, Ohio, joins her sister on the All-ODAC First Team as she continues a strong first collegiate campaign in Lexington. Predominantly roaming the left side of WLU's midfield as a strong two-way player, Zimmerman is currently second on the Generals' roster with 14 points on six goals and a pair of assists. She posted at least one point in 7-of-20 games played, notching her first collegiate goal and assist in a 2-0 win over William Smith College in just her second career game.
De Diego, a senior from Valladolid, Spain, is the first women's soccer ODAC/VAFB scholar-athlete from Averett since the Cougars joined the ODAC for the 2022-23 campaign. In the classroom, de Diego maintains a 3.812 grade point average as an aerospace management major. She is a five-time honoree on the Averett President's List and Dean's List, studies as part of the AU Honors Program, and has twice been named Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators (CSC). She received the 2023-24 Barbara Kushubar Female Student-Athlete of the Year award. De Diego's leadership and service endeavors are numerous including service as an academic success tutor and volunteering for the Dan River Cleanup, God's Storehouse (local food bank), donation organization for hurricane relief at the local airport, Women in Sports Day, and AU's annual Play to Engage Day with local youth.
On the pitch, de Diego pairs this honor with a second straight selection to the All-ODAC Second Team. De Diego set new ODAC and AU single-game records with 20 points and nine goals scored in a victory over Sweet Briar College in October. The 20 points tied the Division III single-game mark set in 1988. She finished the season second in the ODAC in points (41) and goals scored (17), and tied for fifth in assists. All those mark career-highs. De Diego is the all-time career Averett record-holder in points (125) and goals scored (54). She is third in career assists (18).
Below is the full set of All-ODAC Women's Soccer Awards.
2024 ALL-ODAC WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS
ODAC Player of the Year: Sarah Zimmerman, Jr., M, Washington and Lee
ODAC Defensive Player of the Year: Bryn Bissinger, Jr., D, Washington and Lee
ODAC Coach of the Year: Tiffany Pins, Washington and Lee
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Megan Zimmerman, Fy., M, Washington and Lee
ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Celia de Diego, Sr., F, Averett
| ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM |
| Lyric Birkley * |
Jr. |
F |
Bridgewater |
| Ally Spangler |
Jr. |
F |
Randolph-Macon |
| Rebecca Carr + |
So. |
F |
Roanoke |
| Sophie Berman ^ |
Jr. |
F |
Washington and Lee |
| Lauren Orner |
So. |
M |
Lynchburg |
| Lauren Brokaw |
Jr. |
M |
Randolph-Macon |
| Megan Zimmerman |
Fy. |
M |
Washington and Lee |
| Sarah Zimmerman * |
Jr. |
M |
Washington and Lee |
| Haleigh Casey * |
Sr. |
D |
Lynchburg |
| Adrianna Gunther ^ |
Gr. |
D |
Virginia Wesleyan |
| Bryn Bissinger * |
Jr. |
D |
Washington and Lee |
| Sydney Devory |
Jr. |
D |
Washington and Lee |
| Ady Franken + |
Gr. |
GK |
Guilford |
|
|
|
|
| ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM |
| Celia de Diego ^ |
Sr. |
F |
Averett |
| Bri Bitz |
Gr. |
F |
Ferrum |
| Madelyn Boyce |
Jr. |
F |
Lynchburg |
| Shyenne Diaz * |
Jr. |
F |
Virginia Wesleyan |
| Katherine King ^ |
So. |
M |
Bridgewater |
| McKenna Dahm ^ |
Sr. |
M |
Lynchburg |
| Tori Green |
Sr. |
M |
Virginia Wesleyan |
| Amelia Manke |
So. |
M |
Washington and Lee |
| Kylee Berry |
So. |
D |
Guilford |
| Sammie Rogstad |
Fy. |
D |
Lynchburg |
| Grace Turney ^ |
Sr. |
D |
Randolph-Macon |
| Chandler Gallant |
Sr. |
D |
Shenandoah |
| Meredith Bowers |
Sr. |
GK |
Lynchburg |
|
|
|
|
| ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM |
| Laura Narby |
So. |
F |
Bridgewater |
| Naomi Anderson |
Gr. |
F |
Guilford |
| Sterlyn Woodward |
Sr. |
F |
Randolph |
| Lora Bertram |
Sr. |
F |
Randolph-Macon |
| Mya Rivera |
So. |
M |
Guilford |
| Lauren Duffy + |
So. |
M |
Shenandoah |
| McKenna Newcome |
Fy. |
M |
Shenandoah |
| Emma Shuey |
So. |
M |
Virginia Wesleyan |
| Zoe Webster |
Jr. |
D |
Bridgewater |
| Elora Grochowski |
Sr. |
D |
Lynchburg |
| Emily Moffitt |
Jr. |
D |
Roanoke |
| Alex Ortega |
Fy. |
D |
Virginia Wesleyan |
| Shay Bowman |
So. |
D |
Washington and Lee |
| Allie Greco |
Fy. |
GK |
Virginia Wesleyan |
|
|
|
|
* 2023 All-ODAC First Team (5)
^ 2023 All-ODAC Second Team (6)
+ 2023 All-ODAC Third Team (3) |