Five From WKU Soccer Earn CUSA Honors
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Soccer placed five total student-athletes on Conference USA postseason teams. The Lady Toppers had four on all-conference teams and one on the All-Freshmen Team.
Fifth year forward Katie Erwin was named to the All-CUSA First Team. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Davis was tabbed to the All-CUSA Second Team. Sixth year defender Ambere Barnett and fifth year midfielder Sydney Ernst earned All-CUSA Third Team honors. Midfielder Rebecca Roth was named to the All-Freshmen Team.
Erwin has scored a team-leading six goals on the season. That includes three game-winners, which ranks as the third most in CUSA and 69th most in the nation. Erwin’s two game-winners in league play is second in the conference. Her four goals in conference play are the third most in the league and her 10 points are second. Erwin has been named CUSA Offensive Player of the Week twice this season. She had a two-goal performance against Middle Tennessee, then followed with a goal at Jacksonville State. Her fourth goal in conference play came against Liberty, a defense that had given up just seven total goals in 15 games coming into the match.
Davis has eight clean sheets on the season, including four in CUSA play. Her eight shutouts are the second most in CUSA and the 31st most in the country. Her 0.875 goals against average for the season is third in the league. Her 0.500 goals against average in CUSA play is the top mark in the league. Also in conference play, Davis has the most saves and has the second most shutouts. Her eight clean sheets are tied for the fifth most all-time at WKU.
Barnett, previously CUSA Player and Midfielder of the Year in 2020, made the switch from the midfield to the backline for WKU during the North Alabama match. Previous to the switch, the Lady Toppers had given up eight goals in four matches. Since Barnett moved to the back, WKU has given up just six goals in 13 matches. The sixth year captain has commanded a defensive line that has given up only four goals in conference play and has shut out four of eight CUSA opponents. Barnett has also scored two goals on the season, one being the game-winner against Louisiana Tech. In her career, Barnett has scored 20 goals as a Lady Topper, which is the ninth most in program history. Her 17 career assists are the fourth most by a WKU player. Her 57 points are seventh and her six match-winning goals are tied for eighth.
Ernst is a major component of the WKU midfield that has produced 11 assists in CUSA play this season, which is the second most in the league. Ernst has notched two assists herself this season. One came against Union and the other against Middle Tennessee. Ernst has been a mainstay for WKU, having played in 80 career matches and starting in 70 of those. The 69 starts for Ernst is the eighth most by a Lady Topper in program history and the 80 games played is tied for the 10th most.
Roth has enjoyed an impressive collegiate debut in 2023. She is tied for the team’s lead in assists this season with three. All three of those assists have come in CUSA play, which is the third most of any league player this season. Her first assist came against Jacksonville State and then she had back-to-back assists against Sam Houston and Liberty on game-winning goals in both matches. She scored her first collegiate goal against FIU, helping the Lady Toppers tie the Panthers in a close fought match in Bowling Green.
The Lady Toppers will continue the 2023 season on Wednesday, Nov. 1 in the first round of the CUSA Championship in Ruston, Louisiana. WKU faces LA Tech at 7 p.m. All tournament games will be streamed on ESPN+.
