5 Lopes earn All-Pacific Region honors

The Grand Canyon women's soccer team was well represented in the United Soccer Coaches All-Pacific Region team with five players landing on the three teams.

Senior forward Gianna Gourley made the first team while sophomore midfielder Leah Pirro was selected to the second team. The third team featured junior goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, junior defender Aleisha Ganief and sophomore midfielder AJ Loera.

The Pacific region includes players from the Pac-12, Mountain West and the WAC. GCU led all selections from the WAC and non-Power 5 schools.

"I am so proud of our entire soccer family, and I feel so blessed that we were recognized with five all-region players," Lopes head coach Chris Cissell said. "It just shows what a great overall soccer family that we have, and what a great season we had as a team for five individuals to be recognized in one of the toughest, most prestigious regions in the country."

Gourley was the only player that wasn't from the Pac-12 to land on the first team of the Pacific region after her historic season. The senior from Las Vegas made the most of her final collegiate season as she was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player of the WAC Tournament. Gourley broke her own GCU single-season scoring record, finishing with 21 goals and 47 points for top-four marks in those national rankings. She is also the active Division I leader in goals with 55.

Pirro joins the second team and earns her first United Soccer Coaches honor. The sophomore midfielder was the playmaker for a GCU offense that scored 55 goals in 23 matches. Pirro led the team with 13 assists, a top-10 mark in the country, and added two goals. The Simi Valley, California, native was one of four Lopes to earn honors on the All-WAC first team.

Jackson, a third-team honoree, earned the starting goalkeeper job after joining the Lopes from Cal State Fullerton in the offseason. The GCU junior made an immediate impact, setting a new program record with seven individual shutouts while also contributing to a team-record nine shutouts . Jackson earned All-WAC second-team honors and was named to the WAC All-Tournament team. She finished with a 0.92 goals against average, second lowest in the conference.

One of the leaders of the GCU defense, Ganief joins Jackson on the third team. Appearing in all 23 matches at center back, the GCU junior was part of a back line that allowed less than a goal per game while also excelling on offense. Ganief scored four set piece goals in the span of three days against UT Rio Grande Valley and Stephen F. Austin. She earned All-WAC honors on the first team for her first time as a Lope.

Loera had a stellar sophomore campaign that concludes with her first United Soccer Coaches honor. Joning Jackson and Ganief on the third team, Loera collected seven assists and was the primary taker of set pieces. After earning WAC All-Freshman Team honors last year, the native of Thornton, Colorado, landed on the All-WAC first team this year.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Aleisha Ganief

Gianna Gourley

DeAira Jackson

AJ Loera

Leah Pirro

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