2022 All-United Women’s Soccer Awards
Metuchen, NJ – The bow will officially be tied on the 2022 United Women’s Soccer (UWS) season with the announcement of our annual All-UWS Awards. This past season in UWS was one of measured & sustained growth, as 49 teams competed within 9 divisions across the United States and Canada.
The final four teams at the National Tournament featured the champions of the Central, East, South and West Conferences including Chicago Mustangs, FC Buffalo, San Antonio Athenians, and Calgary Foothills WFC. Chicago Mustangs earned the Championship crown, besting 2x National Finalists Calgary Foothills WFC 2-1 at Lusitano Stadium (Ludlow, MA) on July 24th.
The league released its All-Conference following the National Championship and will now announce the All-UWS Team & individual awards to conclude the 2022 season. Conference Awards can be viewed at the links below.
Central Conference | East Conference | South Conference | West Conference
2022 All-UWS Goalkeeper of the Year
Sarah Dilling (Foothills WFC)
This season’s All-UWS Goalkeeper of the Year goes to Sarah Dilling of Calgary Foothills WFC after being honored as West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year for her outstanding season. Thanks to her strong effort between the sticks, Foothills WFC turned in a perfect regular season and advanced to the UWS National Championship Game for the second time in club history. In total, Dilling allowed only six goals in 624 minutes while making 38 saves.
2022 All-UWS Defensive Player of the Year
Rachel Kutella (Chicago Mustangs)
In addition to being named the Central Conference Defensive Player of the Year (POY), Rachel Kutella has claimed the All-UWS title after captaining Chicago Mustangs to the UWS National Championship. Kutella was ever present for the champions, playing every minute of every game. Her technical skills, intelligence and leadership ability made her a vital rock at the back for a Chicago Mustangs side that conceded only four goals in eight regular-season games.
2022 All-UWS Offensive Player of the Year
Nina Nicosia (Chicago Mustangs)
United Women’s Soccer has honored Nina Nicosia (Chicago Mustangs) as All-UWS Offensive Player of the Year (POY). She also earned Central Conference POY honors following a season that saw her become one of the standout attacking forces in the country. An expert technician from her position in the attacking midfield, Nicosia tallied 12 regular-season goals and 10 assists to lead the league. She was also a vital part of her side’s run to a title, providing two goals and three assists in the playoffs. Following the 2022 UWS season, the Argentina U20 WNT player has made a well-deserved move to the professional ranks.
2022 All-UWS MVPs
Two outstanding individuals have been named the league’s Most Valuable Players for their exemplary performance this past season.
Carissima Cutrona (FC Buffalo)
Carissima Cutrona provided the attacking firepower behind an excellent season for FC Buffalo, earning her East Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors. Cutrona helped her squad to an East Conference title with nine goals and seven assists in 13 games. She played a pivotal part in leading an attacking unit that included several young talents in what was a second consecutive dominant campaign for the forward. Cutrona has since signed a professional contract with Norwegian First Division club Medkila IL.
Mya Jones (Foothills WFC)
Mya Jones emerged as the preeminent attacking force in the West Conference, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors as a result. A constant threat, Jones managed seven goals from eight regular-season games, showing up for Calgary Foothills WFC in massive moments, including against Santa Clarita Blue Heat, which entered the 2022 season as the defending champions. She’s previously represented Team Canada at the U20, U17, and U15 levels and captured gold at the CONCACAF Championship in 2014.
UWS Young Player of the Year
Alyssa Thompson (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
United Women’s Soccer is proud to honor Alyssa Thompson as the 2022 UWS Young Player of the Year. The 18-year old was a standout for Santa Clarita Blue Heat this past season as the second leading scorer and assist leader.
Alyssa Thompson first started training with Santa Clarita Blue Heat in 2018 when she was just 13 years old. General Manager and Sporting Director of SC Blue Heat, Carlos Marroquin saw great potential in Alyssa and her younger sister Gisele, who have been with the team for the past three seasons in UWS. Both Thompson sisters earned All-league honors in 2021 after helping Blue Heat win their second National Championship title. Earlier this year, the Thompson sisters also became the first high school athletes to sign name, image and likeness (NIL) deals with Nike.
This past October, Alyssa was called up to the USWNT and became the youngest player to debut for the U.S. since 2016, when Mallory Pugh joined the squad. Players on the roster also included former SC Blue Heat players Ashley Sanchez and Savannah DeMelo.
Alyssa references the opportunity for playing with Santa Clarita Blue Heat as a turning point for her; one that pushed her to be a better player and shaped her to this point in her journey.
UWS Coach of the Year
Dino Delevski has been named the 2022 UWS Coach of the Year after another successful run in his second season with the Chicago Mustangs in United Women’s Soccer (UWS). Born in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, Coach Delevski brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his impressive playing and coaching background. Deleveski had a decade-long professional career as a striker, earning MISL MVP two times (2002, 2003) while playing for the Kansas City Comets. He has been coaching since 2009 with experience from youth to the professional level.
No team in the UWS had a more daunting postseason run to a national title, but Coach Delevski led his Chicago Mustangs side to glory anyway alongside his staff. His coaching staff this past season included Nino Da Silva (Santos, Brazil), Sammy Tuuk Kirn and EJ Kirn (Tinley Park, Illinois), as well as Goalkeeper Coach Ricardo Porcayo (West Chicago, Illinois). Chicago Mustangs led the nation in regular-season goals by a large margin with 60, while conceding only four times. They won three Central Conference playoff games before advancing to the National Championship Tournament, where Delevski helped his side rattle off two more victories. This is Coach Delevski’s second national title with Chicago Mustang’s Women Team after winning the 2021 PASL Championship.
UWS Team Owner of the Year
Armando Gamboa - Chicago Mustangs
United Women’s Soccer is pleased to recognize UWS Team Owner of the Year, Armando Gamboa, with the Chicago Mustangs. From Zacatecas, Mexico, Armando and his partner, Xóchitl Meza (General Manager) have dedicated a great deal of time and resources in order to provide an exceptional squad in the league. In just their second season in UWS, the Chicago Mustangs claimed National Championship glory this past summer.
Awarding Excellence
Social Media Teams of the Year — UWS teams with the best social media presence and best promotion of women’s soccer:
- SA Athenians
- Chicago Mustangs
- Paisley Athletic
- FC Buffalo
- Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Digital Gameday Experience Teams of the Year — UWS teams that provided the best digital gameday experience for fans and players on ELEVEN Sports (live stream, live feed updates, etc):
- Rochester Lancers
- FC Buffalo
- FC Berlin
- Erie Commodores
- Chicago Mustangs
Brand Design Teams of the Year — UWS teams with the best brand identity design work (merch, graphic design, website):
- Lancaster Inferno
- San Antonio Athenians
- Paisley Athletic
- FC Arizona
- FC Berlin
Live Gameday Experience Teams of the Year — UWS teams that provided the best in-person gameday experience for fans and players at venue:
- FC Buffalo
- New England Mutiny
- Rochester Lancers
- Chicago Mustangs
- Calgary Foothills WFC
Rookie Teams of the Year — Expansion teams with the most successful inaugural 2022 season in UWS:
- Coppermine United
- Luxoria FC
- Erie Commodores
- Nationals FC
- FC Arizona
All-UWS First Team
GK – Sarah Dilling (Foothills WFC)
D – Rachel Kutella (Chicago Mustangs)
D – Eve Clarkson (San Antonio Athenians)
D – Maddy Perez (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
D – Marcela Robinson (Coppermine United)
M – Mya Jones (Foothills WFC)
M – Lara Kazandjian (Foothills WFC)
M – Carissima Cutrona (FC Buffalo)
M – Nina Nicosia (Chicago Mustangs)
M – Hannah Bebar (Chicago Mustangs)
F – Alyssa Thompson (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
All-UWS Second Team
GK – Mia Wildeman (San Antonio Athenians)
D – Yulexi Diaz (Chicago Mustangs)
D – Gisele Thompson (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
D – Laci Lewis (New England Mutiny)
M – Jenna Kalwa (Connecticut Fusion)
M – Kennedy Kessler (Luxoria FC)
M – Jackie Richards (Lancaster Inferno)
F – Katelyn Krohn (Albany Rush)
F – Courtney Claassen (KC Courage)
F – Julia Simon (Chicago Mustangs)
F – DJ Thiam (FC Buffalo)
Iron Women of the Year
(played every minute of every match in the regular season)
GK - Kaylin Williams (KC Courage)
D – Marissa DiGenova (Lancaster Inferno)
D – Mackenzie Meixner (Paisley Athletic)
D – Kelsi LaFavers (CTX Hornets)
D – Rachel Kutella (Chicago Mustangs)
D – Nina Norshie (KC Courage)
M – Nina Nicosia (Chicago Mustangs)
M – Sydney Ernst (St. Louis Scott Gallagher)
M – Mikayla Uyokpeyi (Luxoria FC)
F – Courtney Claassen (KC Courage)
