SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina sophomore Isabella DeMarco was today named The Southern Conference women's soccer Offensive Player of the Month for August as the league announced its monthly honors Thursday afternoon.

In five matches in August, DeMarco scored a team-best five goals while taking a team-best 18 shots. The Charleston, S.C. native opened the season with the lone goal in WCU's 1-0 victory at UNC Asheville. She netted the second hat trick in as many seasons and sixth in program history with three goals as part of WCU's 5-1 win at Winthrop on Aug. 23. In WCU's 2-2 tie against Georgia State on Aug. 31, DeMarco scored the second of WCU's two goals with an assist from her sister, Alexis DeMarco.

DeMarco wins the award for the first time in her career and is the first Catamount player to win a monthly honor since Melody Mezzina earned Defensive Player of the Month honors in February 2021 during the 2020-21 season. Further, she is the first Catamount to earn Offensive Player of the Month honors since the league split its monthly award into offensive and defensive categories prior to the 2019 season.

The Catamounts host former Southern Conference rival Appalachian State tonight at 7 p.m. Thursday's rivalry match is a part of WCU's "White Out Week," which culminates with Saturday's home-opening "White Out Whitmire" football game against defending SoCon champion Samford. Fans are encouraged to wear their white WCU gear to the home soccer match.

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