IRVINE, Calif. – Four members of the Chaminade University women's soccer team were honored by the Pacific West Conference on Wednesday while taking three of the conference's five major awards in voting by the PacWest coaches.
Senior forward
Randi Fontes (Wahiawa, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Hawai'i/Pearl City HS) took the conference's top award, earning PacWest Player of the Year honors while sophomore
Hoku Schatz (Hau'ula, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Idaho/Kahuku HS) was the PacWest Newcomer of the Year.
Michelle Richardson, who guided the Silverswords to a 1-0-3 record and the Hawai'i pod title, was named Coach of the Year.
Fontes, Schatz and
Sharon Cain (Honolulu/Kamehameha-Kapalama) were all named to the PacWest Hawai'i Team.
Fontes led the PacWest in goals (5) during the shortened 2021 spring season. She also led the conference in goals per game (1.25), points per game (2.50) and shots per game (5.0). Fontes, a two-time All-PacWest Third Team honoree, is the first Silversword in team history to be recognized with the conference's top honor.
Schatz, a transfer from the University of Idaho, started all four matches and played all but two of a possible 360 minutes. She helped anchor a solid 'Swords defensive backfield.
Cain, a junior midfielder, was on the field at the start of all four matches after spending her first two years as a part-time starter.
Richardson, in her eighth year as coach, turned a struggling program when she took over in 2013 to one that competes regularly against the PacWest's more established programs like Point Loma and Azusa Pacific. Her teams also demonstrate sportsmanship with just 36 cautions during her tenure, the fewest by any team that has been a PacWest member since starting her tenure. Richardson is the first Chaminade head coach to be named Coach of the Year in women's soccer.
Point Loma took the other two of the PacWest's specialty awards. Emma Hinson was voted as the Goalkeeper of the Year and Lauren O'Malley was Defender of the Year.
