Five student-athletes from Northern Michigan University's women's soccer team have been recognized by the United Soccer Coaches (USC) as part of the All-Midwest Region First Team. The players named are Brooke Pietila, Hannah Kastamo, Maria Storm, Justina L'Esperance, and Molly Pistorius.
All five athletes secured spots on the first team, occupying five out of 12 available positions.
Brooke Pietila, a key player for the Wildcats and GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year, started every match this season. She was second in minutes played and achieved 10 goals and 10 assists with four game-winning goals. Pietila has received numerous awards this season, including being named to the First Team All-America. This marks her third consecutive USC All-Region First Team honor.
Hannah Kastamo also earned a place on this list due to her outstanding performance in 2024. As a starter in all 22 matches, she recorded the third-most minutes played behind Pietila. The GLIAC Defender of the Year scored five goals and seven assists for 17 points while contributing to a team average of 0.68 goals against per game.
Maria Storm led in minutes played and was a significant contributor to the team's defensive success this season. She added three goals and two assists to her defensive efforts. This is Storm's second consecutive USC All-Region First Team recognition.
Justina L'Esperance emerged as one of the region's most dominant goal scorers this season. She tied NMU's single-season points record with 37 through 15 goals and seven assists after missing last season due to injury.
Molly Pistorius earns her third-consecutive USC All-Region First Team honor for her role in NMU's offense in 2024. She set a program record for assists in a single season with 11 while also scoring seven goals and three game-winning goals for a total of 25 points.
The full release can be found here
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