Four members of MSU’s No. 9 women’s soccer team were named All-Region, with three making the 2025 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s All-North Region First Team and the fourth joining them on the second team. In addition, six players earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.
The Spartans tied their 2022 record with three first-team All-Region selections and shared the most players on the first team with Ohio State. The players to earn this distinction were senior defender Maggie Illig, junior forward Kennedy Bell, junior midfielder Kayla Briggs and redshirt-junior midfielder Emerson Sargeant.
Illig improved on her second-team selection in 2024, earning the honor by starting all 25 games at center back and leading the Spartan defense to a 1.15 goals-against average, allowing more than 1 goal in only four games. She also scored a career-best 3 goals, matching her total from the previous three years combined. Illig was named first-team All-Big Ten and appeared on the Hermann Trophy Watchlist, as well as being recognized as a Big Ten Player to Watch and United Soccer Coaches Defender to Watch.
Bell added to her accolades after finishing as the Big Ten’s top scorer. In addition to being named first team All-Region, she was honored as Big Ten Forward of the Year, earned All-Big Ten recognition and was added to the Hermann Trophy Watchlist midseason. Her team and conference-leading 11 goals, along with a shared team lead of 7 assists, gave her 29 points, ranking 34th nationally. This career-best season solidifies her transfer, more than tripling her offensive output from her previous school.
MSU’s other transfer, Briggs, was similarly effective. With 8 goals and 7 assists, she came second to Bell on the team with 23 points. She scored 5 game-winning goals, which ranks 24th nationally. Briggs is also the only player in the Big Ten to convert multiple penalty kicks, scoring 2. Starting all 25 games in midfield, she averaged 81 minutes per game and played the full 90 in 10 games. Briggs was also All-Big Ten.
Sargeant was named to the second team after a career-best season on her return from injury. Although she had a slow start — only nabbing one assist in the first 10 games — she ended the season with 8 goals, 3 assists and 19 points. She scored 4 game-winners, including a heroic performance against UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, scoring the equalizer and the OT golden goal winner. Sargeant was named All-Big Ten, as well.
Six Spartans excelled in the classroom as well as on the field. To be named College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Honors, players must be at least sophomore standing, be a starter or "significant reserve" and maintain a 3.5 GPA. Illig, Bell and Sargeant were all named, as well as juniors Bella Najera, Mimi Hallier and Renee Watson. Each school is limited to six honorees.
With these honors, the Spartans add even more accolades to an already decorated season.
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