The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 21 Soccer lands four on United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Teams
12.03.2024 | Soccer
Missimo, Justus, Villarreal, Lapomarda earn all-region honors following 2024 season
AUSTIN, Texas – Lexi Missimo (First Team), Mia Justus (Second Team), Amalia Villarreal (Third Team) and Lauren Lapomarda (Fourth Team) were all selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Teams, the organization announced on Tuesday afternoon, marking the third time over the last four seasons The University of Texas women's soccer program have landed four student-athletes on all-region teams.
Missimo becomes Texas' first four-time all-region first-team selection since Kasey Moore achieved the feat from 2005 to 2008 and just the third student-athlete in program history to do: Missimo (2021-2024), Moore (2005-08) and Kelly Wilson (2001-04). Justus is the first Longhorn goalkeeper to earn all-region honors in back-to-back seasons since Abby Smith (2013-15) was selected over a three-season span. Villarreal is the first freshman UT student-athlete to earn all-region honors since Lexi Missimo was selected in 2021, while Lapomarda is the first Texas defender selected since EmJ Cox in 2022.
Missimo, in 2,077 of a possible 2,092 minutes on the pitch, recorded her second consecutive double-digit goal and assist season as the senior midfielder scored 12 goals and was credited with 13 assists for 37 points. She scored at least one point in nine of Texas' 10 regular season SEC matches. For the season, the Southlake, Texas native was credited with at least one point in 20 of 23 matches for the Longhorns. She also tied the program's record for consecutive matches with a point at nine straight.
Justus played her best when the spotlight was on the program as the second-year Longhorn earned SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors after recording two clean sheets in three postseason conference tournament matches. By season's end, the Ohio native tied the program's single-season wins record with 17, while also setting a new single-season clean sheet record by keeping 13 different opponents out of the scoring column.
Villarreal was named the SEC's Freshman of the Year en route to finishing her first season of collegiate women's soccer with nine goals and eight assists for 26 points throughout 1,605 minutes played in 23 appearances on the pitch. Not only did she score a goal against her hometown school – Michigan State – during the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but she also scored Texas' first goal in a SEC match as well as a SEC Tournament match.
Lapomarda's senior season was highlighted by the game-winning goal in the 109th minute of Texas' 2-1 overtime win against Arkansas in the semifinal of the SEC Soccer Tournament. As an outside back, the fifth-year senior totaled 1,955 minutes throughout 23 starts on the back line and helped Justus to a program record 13 clean sheets throughout the season. She was also credited with five assists, which were the sixth most by a Longhorn on the season.
FOLLOW US
For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
