Murphy, Thakar earn All-PAC yearly awards

Seven players honored

11/12/2024 8:10:00 PM

TRAFFORD, Pa.--The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) announced its 2024 individual award winners and all-conference selections Tuesday night. Westminster College junior Morgan Murphy (Yardley, Pa., Villa Joseph Marie) captured PAC Defensive Player of the Year honors while head coach Girish Thakar was tapped as the league's Coach of the Year.

Seven Westminster players earned All-PAC Tuesday. Murphy, along with senior midfielder Brooke Horvath (Murrysville, Pa., Franklin Regional) and senior defenders Gabby Hunter (New Baltimore, Mich., Anchor Bay) and Lydia Ohm (Pittsburgh, Pa., North Hills), were named First Team All-PAC. Senior forward Allie Augustine (Cortland, Ohio, Lakeview), sophomore forward Jocelyn Gratchic (Connellsville, Pa., Connellsville) and junior defender Emma Maloberti (Cranberry Township, Pa., Seneca Valley) were Honorable Mention All-PAC selections.

Murphy, a goalkeeper, was named First Team All-PAC for the third time in her career (2022-24). Recognized as the PAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 31, she spearheaded Westminster's defensive effort that finished with five shutouts and limited its opponents to a 1.88 goals per game average in 2024. In nine PAC regular season appearances (8 starts), Murphy went 8-0-1 with a 0.77 goals-against average (GAA). She claimed United Soccer Coaches All-America honors last December, securing a spot on the Third Team.

In 51 career starts, Murphy owns a 36-13-2 record while sporting a 1.00 GAA, an .841 save percentage and 13 shutouts. She is Westminster's second-straight PAC Defensive Player of the Year selection (Sophia Galietta, 2023).

Horvath, a four-time All-PAC selection, is a two-time first team choice (2021, 2024). Named the PAC Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 4 for the sixth time of her career, she finished the year with 28 points on 11 goals and six assists. She finished with 18 points (7G, 4A) during a 7-0-1 October run. In Westminster's 6-1 victory over visiting Washington & Jefferson College on Oct. 30, Horvath eclipsed 100 career points with three goals and an assist. It was her third career match scoring seven or more points.

A two-time United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection, Horvath has scored 106 points (39G, 28A) in 66 career starts (70 appearances).

Hunter is a two-time All-PAC honoree. She was a second team pick following her sophomore season. Hunter netted the game-winner in Westminster's 2-1 come-from-behind win over visiting Saint Vincent College on Oct. 18. She also scored in the Titans' 5-1 season-opening victory over Juniata College.

Ohm was recognized as an all-conference selection for the first time in her career. In 18 starts she totaled 24 points on 11 goals and two assists. Ohm scored a pair of goals in league wins over Chatham University and Bethany College this fall and had a team-high four game-winning goals. Ohm made 67 career appearances (26 starts) and finished with 42 points on 18 goals and six assists.

Gratchic and Maloberti were both named All-PAC for the first time in their careers. Augustine, a three-time all-conference selection, totaled 10 points on three goals and four assists in 18 appearances (16 starts) this year. In 72 career matches (58 starts), Augustine posted 55 points on 21 goals and 13 assists. In 17 appearances (15 starts) this season Gratchic totaled nine points on four goals and an assist. She scored the game-winner in Westminster's 1-0 victory over Franciscan University on Oct. 4 and also had the game-winner in a 2-1 win at Allegheny College on Oct. 15. Maloberti started in each of Westminster's 18 matches this fall, posting a goal and two assists. She played a program-high 1,571 minutes this season.

Senior Hannah Burtner (Slippery Rock, Pa., Slippery Rock) was recognized as a member of the PAC's Sportsmanship Team. The PAC Sportsmanship Teams were established to recognize student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior and are an ongoing effort to recognize and encourage positive sportsmanship among all PAC teams.

Thakar, in his 23rd year leading the women's program, was recognized as the PAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time (2002, 2005, 2006).

Westminster clinched the PAC's regular season title with its 9-0-1 league record and secured the No. 1 seed in the PAC Championship Tournament for the fourth time in the last six years. After earning a 1-0 semifinal win over Saint Vincent on Nov. 6, the Titans suffered a 4-3 loss to No. 2 Grove City College in the league's title match on Nov. 6 at the UPMC Sports Complex in New Wilmington. Westminster wrapped up its season with an 11-6-1 record.

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