Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina women's soccer continues to garner well-deserved postseason praise as junior Isabella DeMarco and senior Naya Marcil were named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's All-Southeast Region team on Tuesday afternoon. The Catamount duo was named third-team All-Southeast Region by the coaches organization.
The plaudits mark the second consecutive all-district team honors for the Catamount pairing. DeMarco was named All-Southeast second team last season, while Marcil earned a spot on the third team. The duo are still only the second and third Catamounts to earn a United Soccer Coaches postseason accolade, joining Natalie McNally, who was third team in 2021, as the only other Catamount to receive the honor.
WCU's two all-district selections were joined by Mercer's Larkin Thomason who collected a fourth-team placement.
The United Soccer Coaches District honors are one of several postseason accolades for these two Catamounts this year. Marcil and DeMarco were both named first-team All-Southern Conference for their performances on the pitch, while Marcil earned recognition for her efforts in the classroom as well as she was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team.
The Southern Conference's preseason player of the year, Isabella DeMarco lived up to her billing as the third-year starter was one of three Purple and Gold-clad Catamounts to record 25 or more points last season. DeMarco set career highs in assists (9), shots on goal (42), and game-winning goals (3) in the 2024 campaign including the game-winner over the Furman Paladins that clinched back-to-back regular season titles for the first time in program history. Arguably her best offensive performance of the season came in the Catamount's 5-1 road win over the Wofford Terriers, where DeMarco posted a brace – two goals in the same match – on only two shots in Spartanburg.
Over her 60 career matches the past three seasons, DeMarco has 64 total points with 22 goals and 20 assists coming on 174 shots including 87 on target. She has notched five game-winning goals while amassing over 3,200 minutes on the pitch in a Catamount kit.
A senior leader and engine of this year's Catamount attack, Naya Marcil enjoyed a historic season as she helped guide WCU to a 15-3-3 record. A product of Saint Jean Sur Richelieu, Canada, Marcil became one of only nine Catamounts to post double-digit goals in a single season after she tallied her 10th goal of the season in a 2-0 SoCon semifinal victory over the Chattanooga Mocs. She finished 2024 with 10 goals scored and five assists, becoming one of only three Catamounts to post 20 or more goals and assists in her career, joining Nardia Moore (1999-2002) and Lauren Atkinson (2004-07).
The United Soccer Coaches accolade is not the first national honor for Marcil this season as she was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week following a three-goal, one-assist performance to open the SoCon tournament against Wofford.
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).
