University of Rochester women's soccer took home three of the four University Athletic Association's (UAA) major women's soccer awards while five 'Jackets earned All-Association honors as announced by the conference on Monday.
 
Senior forward Claire Grover was named the UAA Offensive Player of the Year, senior defender Megan Pung earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and Head Coach Ashley Van Vechten, along with assistant coaches Lauren Pien and Justin Miles, were named the UAA Women's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
Grover and Pung both also earned First-Team All-UAA honors, while junior midfielder Natalie Kocsis, defender Emma Cohen and goalie Grace Kuropatkin garnered second-team selections.
 
The 'Jackets five All-UAA honorees are their most since 2011, while Grover is UR's first UAA Offensive Player of the Year since Ellen Coleman (2010). Van Vechten, Pien and Miles also took home staff of the year honors for the first time since 2005.
 
The 'Jackets wrapped up their first undefeated regular season in program history, finishing second in the UAA with a 12-0-5 (3-0-4 UAA) record in their second year under Van Vechten. Rochester took down a pair of ranked opponents, including No. 1 WashU, en route to an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first since 2018.
 
Offensive Player of the Year/1st Team:
Claire Grover (SR, F, Barrington, RI/Barrington) – 2nd All-UAA honor (2022 1st Team); Grover led the UAA in both goals and points, ranking in the Top 50 in NCAA Division III in both categories. The senior scored 15 goals and added four assists for a total of 34 points, three goals and two points more than the next-highest scorer in the conference. In total, Grover scored 15 goals on just 46 shots (26 on goal) during the regular season and has since added three more goals in postseason play, tying the single-season record. The Barrington, RI native has notched five game-winners this season, including a pair in conference play against Brandeis and Emory. A two-time UAA Offensive Player of the Week, Grover's single-season goals and points total currently rank tied for first and second, respectively, in program history, while for her career, Grover has moved into fourth all-time in points (83) and third in goals (37).
 
Defensive Player of the Year/1st Team:
Megan Pung (SR, D, Loveland, OH/Mount Notre Dame) – 2nd All-UAA honor (2021 2nd Team); A staple on the 'Jackets back line, Pung has started every game for Rochester this season, playing more than 1,600 minutes and every minute of all seven conference games. Overall, Pung notched three assists and took 27 shots (12 on goal) during the regular season, providing both stellar defense and set-piece delivery for Rochester. Pung tallied one of her three assists in conference play and helped contribute to two other conference scores with free kicks against No. 1 Washington University in St. Louis. While defensively, Pung serves as a senior leader in the center-back position, playing dominant defense in the air and as a 1-on-1 defender.
 
Coaching Staff of the Year:
Ashley Van Vechten, Lauren Pien, Justin Miles – 1st Coaching Staff of the Year honor; In just their second season at the helm, Van Vechten and her staff guided the Yellowjackets to their first undefeated regular season in program history and their highest finish in the UAA since 2009. Rochester finished second in the UAA with a 12-0-5 (3-0-4 UAA) record, allowing just six goals in conference play, and eight goals overall. The Yellowjackets upset a pair of ranked foes, No. 1 WashU and No. 21 SUNY Cortland, and tied three more, rising the No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, their highest ranking since 2005. Rochester earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, its first since 2018, where they hosted and beat Penn St. Behrend and No. 24 Misericordia in the opening rounds at Fauver Stadium and will host Sectionals this weekend against No. 16 NYU.
 
2nd Team:
Natalie Kocsis (JR, M, White Lake, MI/Lakeland) – 2nd All-UAA honor (2021 HM); Kocsis has started every game this season in the Yellowjacket midfield, totaling four goals and three assists on 18 shots (nine on goal) during the regular season, including a game-winner against SUNY Geneseo. The junior played 594 of 630 possible minutes in conference play, scoring the first goal then-No. 1 WashU allowed all season in UR's upset of the Bears on Oct. 29. Kocsis also added an assist in the 'Jackets 2-2 draw at UChicago to open conference play, taking five shots overall against UAA foes. Kocsis consistently finds herself around the ball and makes plays both offensively and defensively for Rochester.
 


Grace Kuropatkin (JR, G, Marshfield, MA/Thayer Academy) – 1st All-UAA honor; Kuropatkin started every game in goal for Rochester this season, tallying 54 saves in 1,472 minutes during the regular season, and has since added 12 more in the 'Jackets postseason wins over Penn St. Behrend and No. 24 Misericordia. The junior ranked third in the UAA and 18th in DIII with a 0.489 goals against average during the regular season, as well as second in the UAA and 28th in DIII with eight shutouts, and second in the UAA and 37th in DIII with a 0.871 save percentage. Overall, Kuropatkin is 14-0-5 this season with 10 shutouts, including the postseason, and has faced 136 shots and made 65 saves, allowing just 10 goals in 1,652 minutes in goal. The Marshfield, MA native's 14 this season are tied for the fourth-most in program history, while the junior currently ranks fourth in program history with a 0.57 goals against average and seventh with a 0.847 save percentage.
 
Emma Cohen (JR, D, Cincinnati, OH/Seven Hills) – 1st All-UAA honor; Cohen has started every game at center back for UR, playing 1,694 of 1,710 possible minutes this season. Statistically, Cohen notched a goal on three shots, while helping the Yellowjackets allow just eight goals during the regular season and post 10 shutouts. During conference play, Cohen was one of three 'Jackets, along with Kuropatkin and Pung, to play every minute against all seven UAA foes, allowing just six goals in conference play. Cohen helped UR post an undefeated regular season for the first time in program history and an undefeated UAA record for the first time since 2005. Consistently making plays on defense, including multiple team saves, Cohen's timing and decision-making on defense are unmatched, while she is also adept at pushing forward, offensively, from her center-back position, causing issues for the opposing defense.