IRVING, Texas – It was a historic showing for Oklahoma State with the release of the 2022 All-Big 12 soccer awards, and five Cowgirls were honored by the conference for their play this season.
Headlining the list is freshman Jordan Nytes, who was named the Big 12 Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and also earned a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
Nytes is the first-ever Cowgirl to earn Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Year accolades (the league started this honor in 2020), and she shares the award with West Virginia’s Kayza Massey. Nytes is also just the second OSU freshman to be named first-team all-conference, joining AD Franch (2009), and the sixth to be named All-Big 12.
Joining Nytes on the All-Big 12 First Team is Grace Yochum, who placed herself in rare company with that feat as the midfielder became only the fourth OSU player to earn first-team status three times in a career. Franch was a four-time honoree, while Cowgirls Yolanda Odenyo and Melinda Mercado were also named to the first team three times.
OSU also placed two on the All-Big 12 Second Team as forward Olyvia Dowell and defender Ally Jackson earned that distinction. Dowell becomes just the sixth Cowgirl to be named All-Big 12 four times in a career, joining Yochum, Odenyo, Franch, Courtney Dike and Natalie Calhoun, while it marks the first honor for Jackson.
Rounding out OSU’s list of honorees is forward Gracie Bindbeutel, who joins Nytes on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
Nytes’ impressive season has seen her start 17 games and play just over 1,475 minutes in goal. She has tallied six shutouts while playing a part in three others as OSU is tied for the league lead with 10 clean sheets.
A native of Aurora, Colo., Nytes has recorded 58 saves and leads the Big 12 with an .841 save percentage while ranking second with a 0.67 goals against average.
Nytes’ six shutouts are tied for the eighth most in a season in Cowgirl history, and her 0.67 goals against average currently ranks as the third best in an OSU season.
Yochum continued her storied career as a fifth-year senior in 2022, cementing her place as the most prolific scorer in OSU history.
The Houston native is atop the Cowgirls’ career goals list with 41 and is also the all-time leader with 91 points.
In 17 games this season, Yochum has a team-high eight goals and an assist. Five of her goals have been game winners, which ranks in the top 10 nationally.
Dowell is also among the top scorers in school history as she ranks fifth in goals (31), sixth in points (82) and ninth in assists (20).
A native of Longview, Texas, Dowell leads the Cowgirls with 18 points this season on the strength of eight goals and a pair of assists in 16 games.
Jackson will go down as one of the most consistent defenders in OSU history as the Texan has played in 94 games, 83 as a starter, over her five-year career. She has led the Cowgirls in minutes played among field players in each of the last four seasons.
Along with anchoring an OSU defense that leads the league with 10 shutouts and has allowed just 14 goals in 19 games this season, Jackson is tied for the team lead with three assists.
Bindbeutel has been a key contributor to the OSU attack this season as the O’Fallon, Mo. native ranks third on the squad with four goals.
In 17 games this season, Bindbeutel has recorded a .575 shots on goal percentage, with 23 of her 40 attempts on frame.