LONG BEACH, Calif. – Five Lipscomb Women's Soccer players including Shelby Craft, Katia Hanger, CJ Graham, Molly Grant, and Cami Rogers, have been selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region teams the organization announced Tuesday.
 
This season's five selections are the most Lipscomb has ever received in the program's NCAA Division I history. In previous seasons the Bisons have had four selections in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, as well as two more in the 2017 season.
 
Hanger and Craft become the first to be selected to the All-Region First Team since Olivia Doak received the honor in 2018; Doak was also named to the All-American team the same year. Craft and Hanger anchored a defense that gave up just five or less shots on goal on fourteen occasions this season while limiting teams to five or less total shots on five occasions.
 
Craft, the reigning ASUN Defensive Player of the Year over the last two seasons, made a positional shift after her first season at Lipscomb. The center back was spectacular while anchoring a three-back system but was moved up the pitch to a holding midfield role within a 4-4-2 formation. Craft did not flinch at the opportunity as she put together yet another stunning defensive season. In addition to locking down the Bisons end of the pitch, her freedom to get forward and attack resulted in a four-goal season. Craft's production led the Bisons to their third ASUN title in four seasons as she was named ASUN Tournament MVP.
 
Hanger makes her second career appearance on the All-Region teams. She was named to the second team in the 2018 and has now been named to the first team after receiving ASUN First-Team honors for the first time in her career as well. The center half provided an unmatched aerial presence within the conference in addition to making a habit out of snuffing out crucial chances for the opposition on the last line of defense.
 
Graham adds an All-Region Second Team selection to the laundry list of awards she has collected in her first season as a starter. The goalkeeper was named Defensive Player of the Week, First Team All-ASUN, ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year, and was named to the ASUN All-Tournament team. Graham finished the season with a save-percentage of .862; a mark that ranks sixth in the nation. She also tied an ASUN record, originally set by Lipscomb's Anna Buhigas, for the most shutouts in a single season with 13.
 
Grant joins her goalkeeper with a second team selection. The forward proved to be the Bisons most dangerous attacking weapon as she tallied eight goals and 21 total points, leading the team in both categories. Grant was also named to the All-ASUN Second Team for the second time in her career, but the striker found another level in postseason play. She showed up on the scoresheet in every game Lipscomb played on its way to the ASUN Championship while tallying eight total points in just the first two matches of the ASUN Tournament.
 
Rogers earns a third team selection for the first time in her career after an impressive season on the attacking end of the field. Her contribution of seven goals and three assists proved to be a difficult challenge to defend as she continually scored from wide positions on the left wing. Rogers, a captain for the Bisons, was named to the All-ASUN Second Team this season.
 
"I am super excited for the deserved recognition of our five outstanding players!" said head coach Kevin O'Brien. "To have that many girls make a USC All-Region team is another first for our program and one that I am very excited about. These players have led our team so very well this season both on and off the field…I am proud of each player and their contributions. I am also grateful to all my coaching colleagues who voted for our players. I must say that I agree with their selections. The best news is that all these players will be returning for the 2022 season, so I am optimistic that we can have another strong campaign." he added.