Perez Headlines Nine Bruins Earning All-CAC Honors
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Bellevue University women's soccer team claimed two major Continental Athletic Conference awards on Friday when the CAC announced the postseason honors.
Senior forward Aileen Perez (Thornton, Colo.) and head coach Tom White took home major awards, with Perez taking Newcomer of the Year honors and White being cited as the CAC Coach of the Year.
White is in his seventh year at the helm of the Bellevue program and has guided his teams to the CAC Championship game in each of the past four seasons, winning the title in 2022 and twice qualifying for the NAIA National Tournament. This season was the Bruins' third 10-win season under his tutelage.
Perez came to BU from Hampton University (NCAA Division I) and has been a phenomenal addition to the attack, stretching defenses both wide and long as Bellevue has totaled its most goals (64 in 15 games) since 2014 (67 in 18 games). One of just three outfield players to start all 15 games on the year, she ranks third on the team in both goals (7) and points (19) while her five assists are good for fourth. She has tallied game-winning goals at Dakota Wesleyan, at College of Saint Mary, and against Harris-Stowe.
Joining Perez on the all-CAC first team were sophomore defender Morgan Miller (Papillion, Neb.), sophomore midfielder Katrina Avila (Lincoln, Neb.), and senior midfielder Mia Hurt (Omaha, Neb.).
Miller has been the backbone of a stout BU defense, anchoring a back line that has held its opposition to just 19 goals on the season and posted six shutouts on the season. Additionally, she had led a unit that has limited opponents to just 6.3 shots per game and 3.7 shots on goal per game.
Avila has been a lynchpin between the defense and attack for the Bruins all year, contributing at both ends of the pitch. Offensively, she has tallied six goals and contributed two assists for a total of 14 points – one of nine Bruins in double figures – while starting 13 of 15 games on the season. She has recorded game-winning goals against both Dakota State and Midland.
Hurt has put up gaudy offensive numbers for Bellevue in an attacking midfield role, serving as one of the Bruins' top playmakers. She has been involved in a team-leading 14 goals, registering eight assists to lead the entire CAC while her 20 points share team- and CAC-high honors. She has scored six goals – good for fourth on the squad – including bagging the game winner at Briar Cliff.
Earning second team all-CAC accolades were freshman goalkeeper Abril Cura (Manresa, Spain), freshman midfielder Prescillia Casu (Ajaccio, France), senior midfielder Layla Vazquez (Bellevue, Neb.), sophomore forward Adi Kasel (Omaha, Neb.), and sophomore forward Baylee Tex (Papillion, Neb.).
Cura has been a star in goal for Bellevue this season. The redshirt freshman has started all 15 games between the posts, putting up strong numbers that include a CAC-low 1.37 goals against average and .604 save percentage across 1245:40 of game action. She has totaled 29 saves and posted four shutouts while combining on two other clean sheets.
Casu is the second of three Bruin outfield players to start all 15 games this season. The French midfielder has been a key cog in the BU game plan at both ends of the pitch. Defensively, she has added a formidable presence and helped Bellevue record six shutouts. She has also made her presence felt at the offensive end, scoring six goals and five assists for a total of 17 points.
Vazquez has arguably been Bellevue's top reserve this season, earning second-team all-CAC honors despite starting just one game. An impact performer off the bench, she has contributed four goals and two assists to the scoresheet, all of which have come over the last five games.
Kasel has played a critical role in BU's revamped attack, sitting atop the CAC scoring chart with 10 goals, sharing top billing with 20 points. She has accomplished all this despite missing two games and starting in only nine contests this year. She has totaled eight goals over her past five games, including scoring a hat trick in a win at Florida National University. She struck for the game-winning goal against both Doane and FNU.
Tex's emergence as another effective offensive weapon has also helped key the Bruin attack. She ranked second in the CAC with nine goals, and her 19 points are good for third behind two of her teammates, all despite making just five starts. She has posted three multi-goal games, accounted for six goals over her last five games, and scored the game-winner against Mount Marty.
Neela Sukhram was BU's representative for the Champion of Character award.
The Bruins completed the regular season with an 11-2-2 overall mark and earned the No. 2 seed in the CAC Tournament, which begins Friday. BU will kick off its postseason journey on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. against the winner of today's match between Hesston College and Dakota State University.
Below are the all-conference teams by position, sorted alphabetically by school:
2025 Continental Athletic Conference Women's Soccer All-Conference Team
Player of the Year: Barbora Kadlecova, Georgia Gwinnett College
Goalkeeper of the Year: Rirei Sasaki, Georgia Gwinnett College
Newcomer of the Year: Aileen Perez, Bellevue University
Coach of the Year: Tom White, Bellevue University
First Team
Goalkeeper – Rirei Sasaki, Georgia Gwinnett College
Defender – Morgan Miller, Bellevue University
Defender – Natalie Puskar, Carolina University
Defender – Barbora Kadlecova, Georgia Gwinnett College
Defender – Emilie Romero, Hesston College
Midfielder – Katrina Avila, Bellevue University
Midfielder – Mia Hurt, Bellevue University
Midfielder – Nova Eskelinen, Georgia Gwinnett College
Midfielder – Hannah Lorenz, Georgia Gwinnett College
Forward – Aileen Perez, Bellevue University
Forward – Delmis Reyes, Florida National University
Forward – Natalie Maguire, Georgia Gwinnett College
Forward – Rena Itoga, Hesston College
Second Team
Goalkeeper – Abril Cura, Bellevue University
Defender – Onika Kline, Dakota State University
Defender – Dylan Ramirez, Fisher College
Defender – Angelina Carreno, Florida National University
Defender – Brooklyn Bailey, Hesston College
Midfielder – Prescillia Casu, Bellevue University
Midfielder – Layla Vazquez, Bellevue University
Midfielder – Alexa Anderson, Carolina University
Midfielder – Lissette Tovar, Hesston College
Forward – Adi Kasel, Bellevue University
Forward – Baylee Tex, Bellevue University
Forward – Katie Brown, Dakota State University
Champion of Character Honorees
Neela Sukhram, Bellevue University
McKenna Voncannon, Carolina University
Katie Brown, Dakota State University
Enma Amaya, Florida National University
Svenja Hoppe, Georgia Gwinnett College
Aiko Keanaaina, Hesston College