KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the second-consecutive year, a member of the Campbellsville University women's soccer team earned NAIA All-America honors as freshman defender
Naia Landaluce was named an Honorable Mention, the NAIA announced.
"This is an incredible honor for Naia," head coach
Alex Adams said. "She is one of the most passionate players that I have ever had the pleasure of working with, her enthusiasm and energy is contagious throughout the team."
Landaluce, a native of Orozko, Spain, finished her first season at CU as a central defender where she started all 20 contests for the Lady Tigers in 2019. She averaged over 90 minutes per game as she played full time in every game but two during the season and had over 70 minutes played in the two games that she was subbed out.
She also scored three goals on the season on three different games, one against Brescia on Sept. 4, one against University of the Cumberlands on Oct. 16, and the game-winning goal on Senior Day against Cumberland University in the Lady Tigers' 1-0 win on Nov. 2.
Her biggest impact on the field for CU has been on the defensive back line, working with senior
Jordan Stallings in the middle, Landaluce and the Lady Tigers only allowed 18 total goals on the season for a 0.86 goals against per game average.
"Individual awards are amazing, but they aren't possible without the leadership and ability of the other girls," Adams said. "The quality and support of the players around Naia really allowed her the freedom to perform at a high level throughout her freshman season. She has a very bright future, and I cannot wait to see her continue to develop into a leader both on and off the field."
Largely due in part to the work of Landaluce and others on Campbellsville's defensive unit, Lady Tiger goalkeepers only faced 8.4 shots per game on their way to recording 11 shutouts on the season, which ranked 16
th in the NAIA.
Landaluce becomes the first freshman in the history of Campbellsville women's soccer to earn an All-American honor as well as becoming just the fourth player to accomplish the feat. She joins
Lakin Walls (2018), Amanda Howard (2015-16), and Mhairi Fyfe (2014-15), as the only Lady Tiger NAIA All-Americans as Howard and Fyfe earned honors twice during their careers.
The Lady Tigers earned their first trip the NAIA Championship Opening Round since the 2015 season after going 12-5 during the regular season. They also went to the NCCAA Championship tournament where they advanced from the group stage to the knockout rounds where they fell in penalty kicks in the semifinals.
Campbellsville finished the 2019 season with a 13-6-2 overall record in the first season under Adams and will move into 2020 with more championship goals in sight.
