Specialty awards to Georgia Gwinnett College freshman Johanna Buck and Head Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano headline Grizzlies earning 2026 Continental Athletic Conference women's soccer all-conference team honors.

Buck was named the league's Newcomer of the Year while Dr. Giuliano was chosen Coach of the Year. The postseason awards were announced on the eve of the conference championship, as voted on by league coaches based on performances during the fall season.

Starting all 16 matches for the Grizzlies, Buck helped GGC's defense post five shutouts this season.

Giuliano guided GGC to the No. 1 seed for the CAC Championships and the team reached a No. 18 national ranking during the season. A 4-0 victory at Point University (Georgia) on September 16 was the 500th victory of Giuliano's illustrious coaching career.

Buck joined sophomores Barbora Kadlecova and Hannah Lorenz along with junior Nova Eskelinen in receiving first-team all-conference team honors. Juniors Elle Sarter and Kathrine Lindenberg were second-team selections. Senior Paula Ortiz was named to the CAC's Champion of Character team.

Kadlecova leads the team with eight goals and 18 points during the regular season. She has found the back of the net in five of the Grizzlies' last six matches.

Lorenz found the back of the net seven times this fall, including a pair of match-winning tallies.

Eskelinen provided four goals and three assists to the team's offensive attack.

Sarter made a team-high 33 saves and posted a 1.88 goals against average across nine matches.

Lindenberg scored a pair of goals and started 15 of GGC's 16 regular-season matches in 2026.

Georgia Gwinnett (7-8-1) is scheduled to host No. 4 seed Hesston College (Kansas) in a semifinal match on Sunday, November 8, at the Grizzly Soccer Complex, starting at 5 p.m.

Below are GGC's all-conference team honorees:

2026 Continental Athletic Conference Women's Soccer All-Conference Team

Newcomer of the Year: Johanna Buck
Coach of the Year: Dr. Mike Giuliano

First Team
Defender – Johanna Buck
Defender – Barbora Kadlecova
Midfielder – Nova Eskelinen
Forward – Hannah Lorenz

Second Team
Goalkeeper – Elle Sarter
Midfielder – Kathrine Lindenberg

Champion of Character Team
Paula Ortiz