LA MIRADA, Calif. --- When Head Coach Erin Brunelle took over at the helm of Biola Women's Soccer this past Spring it was unknown what the team could accomplish this season coming off a 2014 season that ended too soon for everyone's liking.
 
Well, the new coach got the best out of her players consistently throughout the season and the result was the first Golden State Athletic Conference championship for the program since 2004.
 
Now the hard work and accomplishments of the team have been recognized in a big way as the conference coaches voted freshman defender Madyson Brown the GSAC Newcomer of the Year, awarded Brunelle the GSAC Coach of the Year honor and selected five Eagles to the all-conference team presented by Under Armour.
 
Brown made an immediate impact on Biola's back line during her first year with the team. She logged 1,562 total minutes (second-most on the team) and partnered with Cat Newberry at center back to shut down even the most potent offenses throughout the season in helping Biola to its 13-2-3 (7-1-2 GSAC) regular season.
 
"Her caliber of play was no surprise to us," said Brunelle. "Her ability to adjust every single game to the college level came quickly. I think she plays beyond her years and right away she filled a role for us that was much needed. She stepped up and found a voice as a freshman and done a phenomenal job shutting down very talented players. She took everything that was thrown at her and stepped up and excelled in every practice and game."
 
Joining Brown on the all-conference team was junior midfielder Jessie Burns, junior forward Taylor Venegas, sophomore forward Samantha Verduzco and junior defender Kayla White.
 
Burns got off to a quick start to the year by scoring two of Biola's goals in its season-opening 3-0 win over visiting Viterbo. She would go on to score five goals and add an assist in piling up 11 points on the season (third on the team). This is her first all-conference honor in her third year of constant production for the team.
 
"Jessie is one of the most skilled players on our team," said Brunelle. "Anywhere we put her she is an attacking threat. Her love and care for her teammates off of the field flows onto the field in that she works solely for the betterment of the team and puts herself last. She tries to make the other players around her better and does that day in and day out. She provides something that no other player on our team does."
 
Venegas came into this season with the lofty goal of scoring 10 times in her junior season. Things got off to a challenging start when she was held without a goal through the first four games as she helped the team to a 3-0-1 record to start. She broke out with a hat trick in the fifth game and never looked back in setting a new career-high for goals with still the conference and, hopefully, national tournament to play. This is Venegas's second all-conference honor.
 
"Taylor came into the season with high expectations for herself to score a bunch of goals," said Brunelle. "She was doing a ton of work for us up top by being a nuisance and drawing attention for herself that opened up chances for other players to put the ball in the back of the net. Then she got herself on a bit of a run and she just continues to excel and learn what we are trying to implement into our attack. She's been one of the most consistent attackers that we have that gives the other team trouble all day long."
 
It's hard to believe that Verduzco is in just her second season of collegiate soccer. She broke out in a big way this year as a dominating physical presence up front for the Eagles that had a knack for finishing in pressure situations.
 
She appeared in 16 matches this season and accumulated six goals and three assists to sit just behind Venegas with 15 total points.
 
"She's grown in her confidence on the ball and there are times I have to remind myself she's just a sophomore," said Brunelle. "This is a great honor in light of all the work she does in practice and the teammate she is. She is truly loving and caring for her teammates, which really comes out in her play as she wants to do her best for them."
 
The last All-GSAC honoree on the 2015 roster is White. White worked her way into a starting role on the team midway through last season and there was no doubt that spot was hers this year as she proved to be a valuable two-way player for Brunelle from start to finish in 2015.
 
White is a defender that can play, and does play, on either flank and is able to take the ball all the way down the field and help setup the Eagles' offense with consistency making her value almost immeasurable. She added the first two goals of her career this season and an assist to her stellar defensive play.
 
"Kayla has been tremendous for us this season defensively and offensively," said Brunelle. "She pretty much runs the whole flank of the field whatever side she is on. She's someone we've moved on both sides of the flank to matchup against whatever stronger attacker we think the other team might have. She has a tireless work rate and is constantly striving to make herself better."
 
Brunelle earns her first conference coach of the year honor in her first season as a head coach and deflects the credit to all of her fellow coaches that helped her grow as she came into this position.
 
"It's tremendously humbling," said Brunelle. "I've had a lot of support from my own coaching staff and also from some of the other coaches in the department. They have let me talk and ask questions that helped me gain wisdom from them. I definitely owe a lot of gratitude to them for helping me through this season. The greatest thanks goes to Todd [Elkins] for being a great mentor over the past six years."
 
Brunelle's team earned a first round bye for winning the GSAC regular season championship and will play the lowest remaining seed among No. 6 San Diego Christian, No. 5 Menlo and No. 4 The Master's on Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m. in the GSAC Tournament Semifinals.