2023 UNITED SOCCER COACHES DIVISION III WOMEN'S ALL-REGION TEAMS
MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg University women's soccer forward
Jayla Ponce (SR, Kuna, Idaho/Kuna HS) was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region IX Team for NCAA Division III women's soccer as a second-team honoree, it was announced on Tuesday.
The award is the latest for Ponce, who earned
All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors for the second straight year in 2023. A business administration/economics major with a 4.00 grade-point average, Ponce also earned
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors earlier this year.
It's the 33rd time that an Augsburg women's soccer player has earned United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) All-Region honors in program history. A total of 37 players from colleges and universities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois were named to three All-Region IX teams -- a 12-player first team, 12-player second team and 13-player third team.
Ponce was one of the best all-around players in the MIAC this season, both as a dynamic scorer and playmaker. She finished her second season as an Auggie, after transferring from Division II Fort Lewis (Colo.), with team highs of 11 goals, 14 assists and 36 points,
leading the MIAC in assists while standing second in goals and points. Her 14 assists, the second-most in a single season in Augsburg history, are currently tied for
third-most among all NCAA Division III players nationally, with her 0.74 assists per-game average fifth-best. Her 36 points are 39th among NCAA Division III players nationally.
Playing in all 19 games in 2023, she played 1,533 minutes (80.7 minutes per-game), the third-most minutes of any Auggie. She had a goal or assist in 14 games, with three multi-goal games, including a three-goal, one-assist effort in Augsburg's 5-0 win over Wisconsin-River Falls on Oct. 18. Playing in 37 games in two seasons as an Auggie (2,995 minutes, 80.9 minutes per-game), Ponce scored 17 goals (tied for 12th in Augsburg history) with 22 assists (ninth) for 56 points (11th) in her Auggie years.
Under first-year head coach
Clara Webby, Augsburg finished 11-4-4 overall, 4-3-3 in MIAC play in 2023, its 17th double-digit win season and program history, and ninth since the 2012 campaign. Augsburg made its 13th appearance in the MIAC postseason playoffs since 2004, and ninth playoff appearance in the last 11 full seasons.
(NOTE: This story includes information taken from Augsburg's 2023 All-MIAC women's soccer release.)
