EAST LANSING, Mich. — No. 5 Michigan State women’s soccer collected a program-best seven Big Ten postseason honors on Tuesday, two days before the Spartans open conference tournament play.
Four Spartans made the All-Big Ten first team for a second year in a row. Kennedy Bell, a senior forward, and Kayla Briggs, a senior midfielder, were unanimous picks, joined by senior forward Emerson Sargeant and Renee Watson, a first-time honoree. Bella Najera made the second team, Kaleigh McPherson the third team, and Ella Janz was named the Spartans’ Sportsmanship Award winner.
The old team mark was six honorees, set in 2022 and tied last season. Since Jeff Hosler became head coach in 2021, 25 Spartans have earned All-Big Ten recognition.
Bell, the 2025 Big Ten Forward of the Year, finished the regular season with eight goals and nine assists and ranks second in the league in points. Briggs is tied with Bell for the team lead in assists and has four game-winning goals, and every one of her seven goals this fall opened the scoring for Michigan State. Sargeant, a three-time all-conference pick, scored six goals despite injuries. Najera became just the second player in school history, after Laura Heyboer, to earn all-league honors in all four seasons.
Michigan also landed on the lists. Junior forward Ella Jablinsky was a first-team pick, senior midfielder Lilley Bosley made the second team, and freshmen Melisa Kekic and Torah Betteridge were named to the All-Freshman Team. Adi Walick was the Wolverines’ Sportsmanship Award honoree.
Postseason play starts Wednesday with the conference tournament in Missouri. The Spartans draw No. 21 Washington on Thursday at 5 p.m. Eastern with a semifinal spot on the line.
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