DURHAM –
A total of seven awards were given out on the evening including Freshman of the Year, Most Inspirational Player, Coaches Award, Most Valuable Offensive Player, Most Valuable Defensive Player, Iron Blue Devil and Team MVP. All awards except for the Coaches Award and Iron Devil Award were voted on by the student-athletes.
Sophomore standout Michelle Cooper took home both the MVP and Most Valuable Offensive Player awards, following one of the best individual seasons in school history. Cooper, a product of Clarkston, Mich., rewrote the Duke record book with a school-record 49 points and school-record 19 goals. She went on to become the first Blue Devil to be awarded the MAC Hermann Trophy. Cooper was the only player in the nation to rank in the top-10 in points, goals and assists.
After starting all 23 matches on the defensive side, junior Emily Royson was tabbed the Most Valuable Defensive Player. A native of Toms River, N.J., Royson tallied three assists and helped lead the Blue Devil defense to 11 shutouts as a team.
Rookie Kat Rader received the Freshman of the Year award, following an impressive first season at Duke. Rader, who is from Stuart, Fla., posted 12 goals and five assists for 29 points on the year. Her 12 goals ranked tied for first on Duke’s single-season freshman charts and her 29 points were tied for second on the freshman list. She led all NCAA freshmen in points and ranked tied for second in goals.
Emmy Duerr was tabbed the Most Inspirational Player and the Coaches’ Award winner. Duerr, a senior from Cary, N.C., appeared in 57 matches over the last four years, including four starts. She was heavily involved in the Team Impact program at Duke. Duerr is also a member of the College Athlete Pre-Medical Experience (CAPE) program, while involved in the Duke Athlete Ally and Morgan’s Message programs. She received the ACC Top Six for Service Award in 2020.
Duerr also received the Coaches Award, while Sophie Jones was awarded the Iron Devil Award.
As a team, Duke posted a 15-5-3 overall and 6-2-2 ACC mark. The Blue Devils totaled seven wins against ranked opponents on the season.
2022 Duke Women’s Soccer Awards
MVP – Michelle Cooper
Most Valuable Offensive Player – Michelle Cooper
Most Valuable Defensive Player – Emily Royson
Freshman of the Year –…
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