Cara Dunlop of the Vancouver Islander University (VIU) Mariners is the 2022 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Soccer Player of the Year.

In addition, Dunlop was one of 14 student-athletes who have been named 2022 CCAA Women’s Soccer All-Canadians. See the full list below.

The student-athletes were honoured at the 2022 CCAA Women’s Soccer National Championship, hosted by Champlain College Saint-Lambert in Saint-Lambert, QC.

Dunlop led the Mariners to an 8-2-2 record and first-place finish in the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST). VIU went on to capture gold at the Conference Championships, earning a trip to the CCAA Championship.

“From PACWEST Rookie of the Year in her first season to CCAA Player of the Year in her final season, Cara has quietly and consistently represented excellence in the Mariners program,” said Marlene Ford, CCAA Women’s Soccer Convenor. “She is composed, dependable and consistently a ‘go-to player’ in the big games for VIU and I’m looking forward to seeing her in action this week at Nationals.”

Dunlop, a fourth-year defender, led the Mariners to a remarkable turnaround season, one year removed from a 2-6-1 record in the PACWEST.

The Mariners captain leads by example on the pitch and will play whatever role asked of her. In her final collegiate season, she showed immense quality as a shut-down defender – and her clean defensive play is a major reason VIU allowed the fewest goals against in the PACWEST.

Dunlop is the U4-U8 club lead at Nanaimo United FC and plans to continue coaching youth soccer after her university education is complete. She is also a member of the Nanaimo United FC Premier Women’s club team.

“Cara provided a masterclass of clean and dependable defending in every game, especially as VIU needed points down the stretch to claim the top spot in the conference,” said Matt Carter, Communications & Sports Information Coordinator at VIU. “She was also a core piece of the team's leadership – a team that had plenty of rookies and a brand-new coaching staff – and her solid play gave the team confidence to gel and find success.”

The CCAA Women’s Soccer Player of the Year receives a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA.

2022 CCAA Women’s Soccer All-Canadians

NAME: Cara Dunlop
CONFERENCE: PACWEST
TEAM: VIU Mariners
POSITION: Defender
ELIGIBILITY: 4^th year

NAME: Shea Battie
CONFERENCE: PACWEST
TEAM: VIU Mariners
POSITION: Defender/Midfielder
ELIGIBILITY: 5^th year

NAME: Sein Furuyama
CONFERENCE: ACAC
TEAM: Red Deer Queens
POSITION: Striker
ELIGIBILITY: 1^st year

NAME: Felicia Rodney
CONFERENCE: ACAC
TEAM: Keyano Huskies
POSITION: Striker
ELIGIBILITY: 4^th year

NAME: Elizabeth Crothers
CONFERENCE: ACAC
TEAM: Concordia Thunder
POSITION: Forward
ELIGIBILITY: 4^th year

NAME: Sara Boissonneault
CONFERENCE: MCAC
TEAM: Rouges de Saint-Boniface
POSITION: Striker
ELIGIBILITY: 3^rd year

NAME: Katie Moniot
CONFERENCE: MCAC
TEAM: Rouges de Saint-Boniface
POSITION: Midfielder
ELIGIBILITY: 5^th year

NAME: Kaitlynn Russell
CONFERENCE: OCAA
TEAM: Humber Hawks
POSITION: Striker
ELIGIBILITY: 2^nd year

NAME: Jordan Burke
CONFERENCE: OCAA
TEAM: Seneca Sting
POSITION: Defence
ELIGIBILITY: 3^rd year

NAME: Sydney Sica
CONFERENCE: OCAA
TEAM: Niagara Knights
POSITION: Forward
ELIGIBILITY: 5^th year

NAME: Alexie Bellerose
CONFERENCE: RSEQ
TEAM: Aigles d’Ahuntsic
POSITION: Striker
ELIGIBILITY: 3^rd year

NAME: Blessing Mayi Kith
CONFERENCE: RSEQ
TEAM: Elans de Garneau
POSITION: Defence
ELIGIBILITY: 3^rd year.

NAME: Amanda Piltzmaker
CONFERENCE: ACAA
TEAM: Crandall Chargers
POSITION: Striker
ELIGIBILITY: 5^th year

NAME: Madison Lavers
CONFERENCE: ACAA
TEAM: MSVU Mystics
POSITION: Centre back
ELIGIBILITY: 5^th year