PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference was recognized with two United Soccer Coaches All-Americans as announced on Thursday evening. Memphis senior defender Oliva Gauthier was selected to the All-America second team while USF junior striker Evelyne Viens earned her second-straight third team accolade.
Gauthier, who was named first-team All-South Region earlier this week, capped her career as the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. A four-time all-conference selection, the Saint John, New Brunswick native tallied five assists for the Tigers this season and anchored a back line that pitched 13 shutouts.
Thursday's honor marks the first All-American selection for the women's soccer program since 2011. Gauthier is the sixth overall All-American honoree in the program's 24-year history.
Gauthier helped lead the Tigers to a 17-4 record this season and captured the school's first American Athletic Conference tournament championship.
Viens is one of just eight All-Americans this season to be named for the second or third time. She broke three USF records, including season goals (20), season points (47) and career goals (48).
Viens, a MAC Hermann watch list candidate, was named The American Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and was unanimously selected to the preseason all-conference team. Viens was also a regular season all-conference unanimous selection and The American Offensive Player of the Year. Viens was also named to The American All-Tournament team.
Viens garnered national attention as the NCAA statistical leader in goals per game (1.05), points per game (2.47), total goals (20) and total points (47). She tops the active career leader list in points per game (2.04) and goals per game (.84), and checks in at second in goals (48) and third in points (116). This season, Viens reached 48 career goals and 20 career assists, becoming one of just eight active women’s soccer players in NCAA Division I soccer with 30 goals and 20 assists, ranking third overall on that list.
She helped the Bulls to their first American Athletic Conference regular season championship. The junior scored two or more goals in six games, and had her second career hat trick against Florida College (Sept. 21). She scored the lone goal in USF’s 1-0 War on I-4 win over UCF, clinching the regular season title for USF. During postseason, Viens scored one goal and recorded two assists in the Bulls’ historic 5-1 victory over UAlbany in the first round.