Big South Announces 2026 Women's Soccer Annual Awards
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – USC Upstate’s
Liana Bryant (Grand Junction, Colo.) and UNC Asheville’s
Lilly Graumann (Baiersbronn, Germany) have been voted the 2026 Big South Women’s Soccer Forward of the Year and Midfielder of the Year, respectively, by the conference’s head coaches, it was announced this afternoon by the league office. Upstate goalie
Hannah Wilt (Saint Leonard, Md.) was voted the Goalkeeper of the Year, while teammate
Cansu Kara (Kocaeli, Turkey) was tabbed the Defender of the Year and the Newcomer of the Year. USC Upstate forward
Jasmyn Mitchner (Tampa, Fla.) earned Freshman of the Year, while the
USC Upstate Coaching Staff was voted Coaching Staff of the Year. The Big South’s athletic communicators voted Winthrop’s
Mia Silber (Lake Villa, Ill.) the Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Bryant is the second Big South Forward of the Year winner and the fourth consecutive USC Upstate player to win a major all-conference offensive award. She has led Upstate's offensive attack throughout the 2026 season with a Big South-leading 10 goals along with five assists for a league-best 25 points across 17 starts. Bryant leads the Spartans with 60 shots, including 36 on goal for a .600 shots-on-goal percentage. Her four game-winning goals are tied for the top spot in the conference, and she is averaging 1.47 points and 3.53 shots per game. A two-time Big South Offensive Player of the Week honoree in 2026, Bryant registered three goals, two assists and eight points in league play, helping lead Upstate to an undefeated 7-0-1 conference record and its second Big South regular-season championship in three years. She also delivered a goal in the Spartans' 4-0 victory over Gardner-Webb that secured the outright regular-season title.
Graumann is the first UNC Asheville player to be voted Big South Midfielder of the Year and the third honoree overall. She has played and started in all 17 matches this season, scoring six goals and adding six assists for 18 points -- second-highest on the Bulldog squad. Her six assists are third in the conference, while her 18 points also rank sixth in the Big South. Named to the Big South Midseason Watch List, Graumann had the second-most goals scored in league action with four, as the Bulldogs were second in league scoring with 18 goals, as well as tied for the top spot in fewest goals allowed (four) in conference play.
Wilt is the second USC Upstate player to earn Big South Goalkeeper of the Year since the award’s inception in 2021. She appeared in 16 matches, making 16 starts, and compiled an impressive 11-2-3 record while recording 55 saves, a .809 save percentage and a 0.88 goals against average. She played 1,322 minutes in net, allowing just 13 goals while contributing to five shutouts, including four solo clean sheets. Wilt elevated her performance during Big South competition, posting an undefeated 7-0-1 record with a remarkable 0.45 goals against average and an .824 save percentage. In seven conference matches, she surrendered just three goals while recording three solo shutouts -- including crucial clean sheets in road victories over Longwood and High Point. Her consistency between the posts helped Upstate limit conference opponents to just four goals in seven matches, while the Spartans finished conference play with a 0.57 goals against average.
Kara is the first USC Upstate player to be voted the Big South Defender of the Year, as well as the first Upstate player voted Newcomer of the Year since the award began in 2023. Transferring in from Coastal Carolina, Kara has appeared in 16 matches, starting all 16, while recording two goals, seven assists and 11 points. Her seven assists lead USC Upstate, and she has been particularly effective in Big South play, recording one goal and four assists for six points across seven conference matches. Named the Big South Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 28, Kara contributed to a Spartan attack that has scored 42 goals in 17 matches.
Mitchner is the second USC Upstate player to earn Big South Freshman of the Year honors. A two-time Big South Freshman of the Week selection in 2026, Mitchner has appeared in all 17 matches, making 16 starts, while recording nine goals, four assists and 22 points to rank second on the team in both goals and points. In Big South play, Mitchner elevated her performance, recording five goals and 10 points in seven conference matches, leading the Spartans in both categories. She also registered two game-winning goals during Big South action. Mitchner capped off the regular season with a two-goal performance in Upstate's 4-0 victory over Gardner-Webb, helping secure the program's second Big South regular-season championship.
Under first-year head coach
Sam Odell, USC Upstate finished the regular season 11-2-4 overall and 7-0-1 in Big South play, capturing the conference regular-season championship without suffering a league defeat. The Spartans outscored opponents, 42-14, averaging 2.47 goals per game while allowing just 0.82. Upstate registered 221 shots compared to 166 for its opponents, holding a 116-72 advantage in shots on goal. The Spartans also generated 113 corner kicks while surrendering just 50. Joined by Associated Head Coach
Patrick Grey, Assistant Coach
JP Navarro and Graduate Assistant
Erin Weir, the coaching staff guided Upstate to an undefeated 6-0-2 home record and a perfect 4-0-0 conference road mark. In Big South matches, Upstate led the circuit with 19 goals and just four allowed, and was the first Big South program to not suffer a league loss since 2022.
Silber is Winthrop’s first Scholar-Athlete of the Year since 2005 and second overall. Holding a 4.0 GPA studying biology, Silber was a pivotal part to Winthrop's offense and defense. The midfielder/defender was named to the Big South Preseason and Midseason Watch List, and helped the Eagles record five shutout wins this year. Silber scored the game-winning goal against VMI on August 20 for her lone goal of the season, and finished the campaign with 1,362 minutes played while starting all 17 contests.
The league also announced the 2026 All-Conference and All-Academic teams on Wednesday, which are listed below. The All-Conference team is voted by the head coaches and features four forwards, four midfielders, four defenders and one goalkeeper on the first and second teams, followed by a five-person honorable mention squad regardless of position. An All-Freshman Team (regardless of position) is also recognized. The All-Academic Team consists of one student-athlete from each institution who meets the criteria and is nominated and selected by the Big South’s athletic communicators.
2026 Big South Conference Women’s Soccer Award Winners
First-Team All-Conference
F – Liana Bryant, Sr., USC Upstate
F – Lili Adams, Sr., UNC Asheville
F – Sabba Haghgoo, Jr., High Point
F – Julia McBride, Soph., Gardner-Webb
MF – Lilly Graumann, Soph., UNC Asheville
MF – Monssi Avila-Gutierrez, Sr., Winthrop
MF – Katelyn Economopoulos, Sr., USC Upstate
MF – Danika Birch, R-Soph., Charleston Southern
D – Cansu Kara, Soph., USC Upstate
D – Annabelle Wunderlich, Sr., USC Upstate
D – Campbell Stoll, Jr., UNC Asheville
D – Coryn McDonnell, Soph., High Point
GK – Hannah Wilt, R-Jr., USC Upstate
Second-Team All-Conference
F – Ava Kertgate, Sr., Radford
F – Lily MacCausland, Jr., USC Upstate
F – Morgan Wilcox, Jr., High Point
F – Alexandra Gib, Jr., UNC Asheville
MF – Manuela Schreier, Jr., UNC Asheville
MF – Ciaira Anderson, Jr., Radford
MF – Brooke Potter, 5th Yr., High Point
MF – Kari Powell, Sr., High Point
D – Danielle Trovato, Sr., USC Upstate
D – Kasey Resker, Jr., High Point
D – Caitlyn Nottingham, Sr., Radford
D – Berni Wayland, Jr., Longwood
GK – London Phoenix, Fr., UNC Asheville
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Peyton Curney, MF, Sr., Longwood
Cordelia McIntosh, F, Jr., Winthrop
Maddie Smith, F, Soph., Presbyterian
Sarah Birchall, D, Soph., Gardner-Webb
Remi Siner, D, Jr., Longwood
All-Freshman Team
Jasmyn Mitchner, F, USC Upstate
Chloe Edwards, F, High Point
London Phoenix, GK, UNC Asheville
Lila Bowers, MF, Winthrop
Sanna Smith, D, UNC Asheville
Sydney Stoner, D, Presbyterian
Gracie Black, D, USC Upstate
Abril Montiel, GK, Gardner-Webb
All-Academic Team
Kiah Cirino, Charleston Southern
Julia McBride, Gardner-Webb
Nylah Mirshafiei, High Point
Remi Siner, Longwood
Lyla Chadd, Presbyterian
Katie Purnell, Radford
Lili Adams, UNC Asheville
Raegan Bell, USC Upstate
Mia Silber, Winthrop
Forward of the Year
Liana Bryant, USC Upstate
Midfielder of the Year
Lilly Graumann, UNC Asheville
Defender of the Year
Cansu Kara, USC Upstate
Goalkeeper of the Year
Hannah Wilt, USC Upstate
Freshman of the Year
Jasmyn Mitchner, USC Upstate
Newcomer of the Year
Cansu Kara, USC Upstate
Coaching Staff of the Year
USC Upstate
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Mia Silber, Winthrop