Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer added an exclamation point to its 2024 regular-season championship clinching week on Tuesday as Isabella DeMarco and Abbie Wise were today named the Southern Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for their performances in a 2-0-0 week to close out conference play. WCU concludes the regular season with 10 weekly honors on the year.
Wise earned the first defensive player of the week honor of her career, while the offensive player of the week accolade is the second for Isabella DeMarco – two coming in the last three weeks. DeMarco is now the fifth Catamount to record two or more weekly awards in a single season, joining Leanne Trudel (2024), Milla Syska (2024), Becca Campbell (2023), and Naya Marcil (2023).
Abbie Wise is the seventh Catamount to earn an award this season, joining Kirsten Hahn (Week 1, Offense), Milla Syska (Week 3 and Week 5, Offense), Becca Campbell (Week 4, Defense), Leanne Trudel (Week 6 and Week 9, Defense), Naya Marcil (Week 8, Offense), and Isabella DeMarco (Week 7 and Week 10, Offense) to have collected honors this season.
DeMarco recorded the game-winning goal to clinch the regular-season crown in the 54' last Thursday versus the Furman Paladins. The junior striker added in an assist on her sister Alexis DeMarco's insurance marker against the Paladins in the 79'.
Wise, a product of Greensboro, N.C., headlined two shutout efforts last week, going the full 90 against Furman and Chattanooga to finish off the regular season. Wise added a pair of shots on goal in the road tally against the Mocs in the season finale.
Wise, DeMarco, and the Catamounts are back in action Friday night in the Southern Conference Women's Soccer Championship quarterfinals with two matches to be hosted at the Catamount Athletics Complex. WCU faces the winner of Tuesday's opening round match between No. 9 seed VMI visiting No. 8 seed Wofford in Spartanburg, S.C. The winner of the quarterfinal matchup will face the winner of No. 5 Chattanooga vs No. 4 Mercer who play in Friday's first quarterfinal in Cullowhee.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount women's soccer and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @Catamountsoccer).
