By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Led by senior
Morgan Manalili being a unanimous selection as the GNAC Player of the Year, the Western Washington University women's soccer team had 10 players earn all-conference honors for the 2025 season.
Manalili became the fifth player in program history to earn the GNAC Player of the Year award and just the fifth player in conference history (and first Viking) to earn four First Team All-GNAC honors during a career since the conference debuted in 2001.
The regular-season champion Vikings led all conference schools with 10 selections to the All-GNAC team, with five first-team selections, one on the second team and four earning honorable mention honors.
Travis Connell was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and ninth time overall. Junior midfielder
Reese Walker was selected as the GNAC Newcomer of the Year.
WWU enters the GNAC Championships as the No. 1 seed in the four-team tournament with an overall record of 13-1-5 and captured its record 11th regular season title with an undefeated 11-0-3 mark in conference play. The Vikings carry a 16-game unbeaten streak (13-0-3) into Thursday's GNAC semifinal vs. No. 4 seed Seattle Pacific.
2025 All-GNAC Selections:
Manalili heads into the postseason with 16 goals – headlined by five multi-goal performances – to lead the GNAC and tie for 5th in NCAA Division II. She adds seven assists to tie for 2nd in the conference, giving her 39 points to tie for 6th nationally. Manalili's season goal total is one short of the conference single-season record set by Seattle Pacific's Shannon Lovejoy in 2003 and Leah Wymer and Sarah Martinez in 2007. The four-time First Team All-GNAC selection has appeared in 88 career games (81 starts) for the Vikings dating back to the 2022 national championship season, ranking 7th in program history in goals (34), assists (23) and points (91), all totals that are just outside the top 10 in conference history.
The Player of the Year award is the first by a Viking since forward Karli White in 2019, and the fifth in program history joining Sierra Shugarts (2016), Kristin Maris (2013) and current assistant coach
Jamie Arthurs (2012). She is the third player in conference history to earn the GNAC Freshman of the Year award (2022) and the Player of the Year (2025) honor.
Senior center back and team captain
Asia Hardin became a four-time All-GNAC selection earning her third first-team honor in consecutive seasons. WWU's all-time minutes played leader (7,800) started all 19 games and appeared in all 1710 minutes this season helping lead the Vikings to a 0.74 goals against average and nine shutouts. Hardin is on the verge of tying the WWU and GNAC all-time record with her next start, equaling the 88 career starts by Catherine Miles (2012-15).
Senior forward
Claire Potter was a unanimous first-team selection earning her first All-GNAC award after scoring seven goals and recording five assists (19 points) while starting all 19 games in 2025. The four-year letterwinner that opened her collegiate career scoring the game-winning goal in the 2022 national title game has started 83 games and earned 86 collegiate caps during her career while contributing 16 goals and 11 assists.
Junior midfielder
Mie Carins repeated as a first-team selection earning a unanimous vote from conference head coaches. Cairns started 18 of 19 games during the 2025 regular season logging 1,557 minutes and contributing on five goals (4 goals, 1 assist).
Senior defender and set-piece specialist
Emily Rice capped the Vikings five-player haul of first-team awards. Rice earned her first All-GNAC honor while tying for the team lead and amongst the leaders in the conference with seven assists. Rice took a bulk of the Vikings league-leading 118 corner kicks during the season.
Walker was one of four Vikings to earn honorable mention All-GNAC, but was also among the special award winners earning the GNAC Newcomer of the Year honor. The junior transfer from Spokane Community College started all 19 games during the regular season contributing three goals and a pair of assists for eight points. She is the seventh Viking to etch her name on the newcomer plaque, with previous selections being
Kyrsten McGuffey (2024), Tera Ziemer (2021), Natalie Dierickx (2018), Karli White (2017), Ashley Homer (2016) and Rosie Zadra (2005).
Junior defender
Olivia Connell was the Vikings lone second team pick earning her second consecutive all-conference honor. Sophomore forward
Emily Holdridge, freshman goalkeeper
Ellie McGowan, senior defender
Kascia Mucutt and Walker were honorable mention selections.
After leading the Vikings to their record 11th conference title, WWU head coach
Travis Connell was selected by his peers as the GNAC Coach of the Year. It was the ninth such honor and second in as many years for Connell, who is in his 23rd year leading the women's program. With their second consecutive unbeaten league season, WWU extended its streak to 29 straight conference matches without a defeat dating back to Nov. 2, 2023. Connell's resume is highlighted by national titles in 2016 and 2022 and with a 338-100-51 overall record (.759) and 209-44-31 mark in league play he is the winningest women's soccer coach in conference history.
A complete listing of the 2025 GNAC Women's Soccer All-Conference team and information on the GNAC Soccer Championships can be viewed online at
GNACSports.com.
