By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the Tennessee Tech soccer season nearly a month in the rearview mirror, the awards keep on rolling in for the purple and gold thanks to the selection of three Golden Eagles to the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region teams.
Yao Giada Zhou and Katie Toney secured spots on the All-South second team, while Neve Renwick stamped her place on the All-South third team to wrap up Tech's trio of accolades. The Golden Eagles were responsible for three of the six total selections across the Ohio Valley Conference.
Giada Zhou's honor marks the second-consecutive season in which she reserved a spot on the All-South Region squad after securing the achievement in 2022. The San Michele al Tagliamento, Italy native adds to her robust 2023 postseason resume that includes the prestigious OVC Midfielder of the Year award for the second-straight season to go along with an All-OVC first-team distinction as well. Giada Zhou paced the conference in goals with seven, points with 20 and finished second in the league in assists with six.
Katie Toney's first time on the All-South Region team is well warranted after the 5-foot-5 sophomore took home the 2023 OVC Forward of the Year in addition to capturing a place on the All-OVC first team. The McMinnville, Tenn. product put together a banner campaign that saw her lead the conference in assists with seven, while finishing in second in goals with six and points with 19.
Neve Renwick rounds out TTU's All-South Region accolades after reserving a distinction on the third team. The Sheffield, England native burst on the collegiate scene on her way to seizing the OVC Freshman of the Year award to go along with an All-OVC first-team honor in her first season in Cookeville. The rookie forward finished tied for third in the league with five goals and 14 points in addition to piloting the OVC in total shots behind 79 attempts, 24 more than any other player in the conference.
Giada Zhou, Toney and Renwick were all key pieces in a 2023 Golden Eagle puzzle that featured the program's second-straight OVC regular-season championship and third-ever conference crown.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
