East Texas A&M Universitysoccer star Kaydence Ramirez has been named the Southland Conference Player of the Year, a notable achievement that adds to her record-setting season. Announced Monday, November 11, Ramirez’s award highlights four Southland Conference honors for the Lions, affirming her as one of the standout athletes in program history. Ramirez, a forward from Waxahachie, also claimed the title of Forward of the Year, making her the first player from A&M-Commerce to earn a Southland Conference Player of the Year award.
Ramirez is only the second Lion in program history to earn the conference player title, following Vicky Back’s recognition in 2016. Despite missing six non-conference games, Ramirez led the Southland with nine goals and 20 shots on goal, while her 20 points ranked third in the conference. She also scored eight goals during conference play, which included two in the team’s victory over regular-season champion Stephen F. Austin. Her ability to perform in high-stakes moments was evident, with three match-winning goals in conference games, contributing significantly to the Lions’ third-place finish in the standings. Ramirez’s consistency has marked her as the first Lion since Leslie Campuzano to be named first-team all-conference in back-to-back seasons.
Ramirez wasn’t the only Lion recognized: sophomore forward Hannah Bell from Duncanville, defender Mindy Shoffit from Wichita Falls – Rider, and midfielder Melissa Storey from Tyne and Wear, England, were named to the second team all-conference. Bell, a rising talent, was named to the all-conference team for the second time in her career, scoring seven goals over the season, two of which were match winners. Shoffit’s third consecutive second-team selection made her the first three-time honoree for A&M-Commerce since Campuzano in 2019-2021. Playing on the backline, Shoffit recorded one goal and three assists, contributing to crucial wins over Northwestern State and Houston Christian. Storey started in 12 of her 17 appearances, totaling two goals and two assists, including a goal and an assist in the win at Houston Christian and another assist in the win over Southeastern.
The Lions will now set their sights on the Southland Conference Tournament quarterfinals, where they will face sixth-seeded University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in Corpus Christi on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
