Tess Brenneman, a Kalispell native and senior defender on the University of Montana women’s soccer team, was named All-Pacific Region. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America awarded Brenneman second-team honors, the highest NSCAA honor for a Grizzly since 2000.
Brenneman, a center back who started all 20 matches this fall, was voted first-team All-Big Sky Conference last month for the second straight year. The former all-state Flathead Bravette didn’t miss a match in her university career, playing in all 81 of Montana’s games the last four seasons, two off the program record of 83, set by Shannon Forslund. Brenneman started the team’s last 69 matches, 77 overall, the fourth-highest total in program history.
Montana went 9-6-5 in Brenneman’s final season and tied for third in the Big Sky with a 5-2-3 league record. The Grizzlies led the Big Sky in both goals-against average (0.80) and shutouts (9).
The All-Pacific Region honor recognizes Brenneman as one of the best Division I soccer players from the Big Sky, Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences.
“This is a well-deserved award for Tess and a nice way to highlight the work she put in over the last five seasons,” said Montana’s sixth-year head coach Mark Plakorus.
Brenneman redshirted in the 2012 season. She was one of Montana’s starting outside backs in 2013 and 2014. She moved to center back for the 2015 season and was on the field for all but 58 of the team’s nearly 4,000 minutes of game action the last two seasons. She was voted first-team All-Big Sky both years.
“Tess put in the work to become a better player every year she was a member of the team,” said Plakorus. “She is going to be hard to replace.”
Brenneman is the sixth player to earn NSCAA all-region honors under Plakorus. Kalispell native Maddey Frey earned third-team honors in 2013, along with Erin Craig in 2012 and Tyler Adair, Brooke Moody and Hallie Widner in 2014. The last Montana player to earn second-team Pacific Region honors was Forslund in 2000.
Brenneman was one of five players from the Big Sky to earn All-Pacific honors.