MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) announced its 2025 women's soccer postseason awards on Friday, Nov. 7, with Lauren Best, Emery Bigler, Ellie Ketcher, and Valerie Leonard earning All-WIAC First Team accolades. Lauren Best also headlined the awards as the WIAC Scholar-Athlete and UWRF awarded the Coaching Staff of the Year.
Additionally, Courtney Bain and Madelyn Johnson earned spots on the Honorable Mention list, and Elizabeth Felty was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team. Lauren Best was also named the Judy Kruckman WIAC Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete, becoming the third Falcon in program history to receive the honor.
UWRF's combined total of six on the First Team and Honorable Mentions is the most in program history. The Falcons finished the regular season with a 12-5-2 overall record - the program's most wins since 2014, including an 8-2 mark at home and a 3-3-1 WIAC ledger to receive the No. 3 seed for the WIAC Tournament, earning a chance to host a first round matchup for the first time since 2014. For the team's effort, head coach Sean McKuras, associate head coach Steve Peterson, and assistants Megan Rasmussen and Megan Hensel were awarded the WIAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
The Coach of the Year award is the third of McKuras' career and the fourth in UWRF history.
Lauren Best, a senior midfielder from Oshkosh, Wis., played and started in all but one regular season game and led the Falcons with seven assists, which ranked tied for fourth in the WIAC. She tallied 13 points with three goals, including two games with a goal and an assist. She ranked second in the WIAC with 58 total shots, 29 on target. She was also named the Judy Kruckman WIAC Scholar-Athlete award winner.
Emery Bigler, a junior forward of Pewaukee, Wis., started in all 19 regular season games and was UWRF's leading scorer with 20 points (8th/WIAC) off eight goals and four assists. She scored three game-winners, and was a two-time WIAC Offensive Player of the Week.
Ellie Ketcher, a junior forward from Hutchinson, Minn., is now a two-time All-WIAC First Team honoree. Despite missing three regular season games due to injury, she still finished as the WIAC leader with four game-winning goals and ranked among the top 10 with 15 points, scoring six goals with three assists.
Valerie Leonard, a Honorable Mention last fall, earns her first career First Team nod after leading the Falcon defense that ranked second in the WIAC with 1.1 goals against per game. The Mankato, Minn., native started in all 19 regular season games with one assist and led the team with 1,571 minutes played, including 90-minute efforts in 11 games, including all seven WIAC matches.
A freshman goalkeeper from Sussex, Wis., Courtney Bain appeared in 15 regular season games, making 13 starts. She compiled a 7-5-1 record with three shutouts, and was named the WIAC Defensive Player of the Week after helping lead the Falcons to wins over UW-Stout and UW-Eau Claire, allowing just one goal with 12 saves in the two-game span. Bain ranked among the WIAC's top-five goalkeepers with a 1.41 goals against average and 63 saves.
Madelyn Johnson, a junior defender from Oak Grove, Minn., finished second behind Leonard on the team with 1,434 minutes played, totaling one assist while starting in all 19 regular season games.
Senior midfielder and co-captain Elizabeth Felty, of Byron, Minn., played in all 19 games in the regular season, scoring one goal with one assist.
