Verdoia, the Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, led the league in shots, points, assists, and goals in 2013, and was one of just 10 NCAA Division I women’s soccer players to record double digits in both goals and assists through play prior to the NCAA Tournament. Among her other accolades, she was named to the WAC All-Tournament Team and tied for ninth in the nation in total assists. Also excelling academically, Verdoia was named a Capital One Academic All-American.
Escalera, who was named MVP of the WAC Tournament, was also named First Team All-Conference in 2013. She anchored the Redhawk backline that recorded seven straight shutouts, 11 total, in 2013. Under her leadership, the defense also allowed just three goals over a 12 game span dating from Sept. 20-Nov. 1 and helped Seattle U become just the fourth team in WAC history to record a perfect record in conference play.
Besagno, a 2013 co-captain with Verdoia, was named First Team All-Conference and to the All-Tournament team, also named WAC Player of the Week (Oct. 21-27) after scoring three goals in a pair of wins at New Mexico State and Kansas City. On Oct. 25, she scored two goals, including the game-winner at UMKC, her first career two-goal match. Besagno was also one of three Redhawks voted as a Capital One Academic All-American in 2013 for her excellence both on the field and in the classroom.
Seattle U completed the historic 2013 season as the first ever women’s team in school history to qualify for an NCAA Division I tournament. The Redhawks, recording a perfect 12-0 record in conference play, earned both the WAC Regular Season and Tournament titles, led by WAC Coach of the Year Julie Woodward. They will look to build upon their success in 2014.