Awujo, Duran Named to First Team, Flores Freshman of the Year as Nine Trojans Earn Pac-12 Awards

Women’s Soccer | November 07, 2023

LOS ANGELES – The Pac-12 postseason awards were announced on Tuesday and nine Trojans were honored, including Simi Awujo and Kayla Duran being named to the All-Pac-12 first team, and Maribel Flores earning the conference’s Freshman of the Year award.
 
In addition to Awujo and Duran on the first team, Simone Jackson, Zoe Burns, Kayla Colbert and Helena Sampaio were all named to the second team, and Flores and Brooklyn Courtnall earned spots on the third team. Flores and Alyssa Gonzalez were also named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.
 
SIMI AWUJO – ALL-PAC-12 FIRST TEAM
 
Awujo controlled the midfield for the Trojans all season long, appearing in 16 games and making 13 starts over the course of her junior season. She posted a pair of assists on the year and played a total of 1,070 minutes. Awujo was also a force defensively for the Trojans, helping USC to nine shutouts on the year and the Pac-12’s second best shutout percentage at 0.529. The stellar season came on the heels of Awujo spending most of the preseason with the Canadian National Team at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She also missed one contest due to a midseason call-up from the Canadian National Team.
 
KAYLA DURAN – ALL-PAC-12 FIRST TEAM
 
Duran showed herself to be one of the most impactful grad transfers in the country this season as she stepped in and anchored the USC defense after joining the program in the offseason. Duran started all 17 of USC contests at center back, leading the team in minutes played with 1,471. She also led the Trojans to nine shutouts on the year, including helping USC be the only team to shut out No. 4 Stanford on the year. USC’s 0.529 shutout percentage is second in the Pac-12 and 29th in the country. Duran also scored one goal and provided a pair of assists.
 
SIMONE JACKSON – ALL-PAC-12 SECOND TEAM
 
For the third straight season, Jackson earns All-Pac-12 recognition after she was named to the first team last year and the second team as a freshman in 2021. Jackson’s five goals on the year are second on the team and tied for 17th in the conference in 2023. She also leads the conference in shot accuracy with, putting 56% of her shots on target this year. The USC forward has scored at least five goals in all three of her collegiate seasons thus far.
 
ZOE…