Pepperdine Waves women’s soccer players Joelle Anderson and Trinity Watson were named to All-West Coast Conference first team for the second consecutive season on April 23.
Watson, a junior defender, and Anderson, a senior midfielder, were two of 11 players from the conference’s 10 schools that were named to the first team.
Anderson was grateful to selected as one of the WCC’s top players.
“Our conference is full of so many talented players, so it is definitely a huge honor to be placed on that list,” said Anderson, who was selected by the Houston Dash in January’s NWSL Draft. “I’m always honored whenever I receive an award. This season was unique and had its challenges due to the pandemic, so it was just nice to see all the hard work and sacrifices pay off in the end and to be recognized by the WCC.”
They weren’t the only Waves players to receive WCC honors. Freshman Tori Waldeck and junior Leyla McFarland, both midfielders, were named to the All-WCC second team. Senior midfielder Madi Cook was placed on the All-WCC honorable mention list. Waldeck was also named to the All-WCC Freshman Team along with forward Julianna Duckett and defender/forward Victoria Romero.
Anderson, who will also play in the Waves’ fall season, has earned All-WCC honors in all her Pepperdine seasons. This season, she had three goals—including two game winners—and three assists.
Watson scored four goals this season—tied for first on the Waves—and had an assist. In one contest, Watson’s two scores included a game winner.
McFarland had a team-high 11 points and tied with a team-high four goals and three assists. Waldeck tallied four goals also. She also nailed a game winner.
Cook had one goal and tied for a Pepperdine high three assists. Duckett’s one assist was on a match-winning goal. Romero netted a goal this season.
Seven Pepperdine players earning WCC honors, Anderson said, speaks volumes about how talented the Waves are.
“Our program has always produced amazing soccer players, so I am not surprised to see a lot of my teammates being honored,” she said.
Pepperdine finished the season with a 6-5-1 record. The bunch downed Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Pacific and Loyola Marymount this season, as well as beating San Diego twice.
Anderson said she was proud of how she and her teammates dealt with the season, which was delayed from the fall and then shortened because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The whole program remained resilient and flexible the entire time,” she recalled. “Even though we didn’t finish the season the way we wanted to, I think we have a lot to be happy about and know what we have to improve on for the upcoming season in the fall.”
