KELOWNA, B.C. – Aileen Ryou has established herself as one of the top up-and-coming soccer players in the Canada West conference.
Ryou was selected to the Canada West All-Rookie Team when the conference announced its award winners and all-stars on Monday.
The Calgary native stepped onto campus and made an instant impact, starting in 11 of 14 regular-season games, while notching her first-career assist in a 2-2 draw with the UFV Cascades on Sept. 19.
"It's such a fantastic accolade for such a young player to come in and impact the program the way she has," said head coach Craig Smith. "She has brought such a rich personality and joy, and the team has allowed her to thrive, so it's a win-win. They've really helped her settle in because we've got such a great culture here that's been built by the players."
As a central midfielder for the Heat, Ryou played a crucial role throughout the season, showcasing creativity on the ball and the vision to create opportunities for her teammates.
"Her game insight is sensational as she sees the game differently," Smith said. "It can be very unpredictable at times, and that's what we want because we want our attack to be unpredictable. In the attacking areas, she's shown she is very good in tight spaces."
Ryou becomes the latest member of the Heat to make the Canada West All-Rookie Team, marking the third time in the past four seasons a UBCO women's soccer player has received the recognition. Maya Letellier was selected in 2024 while both Bre Wong and Eleni Georgacacos earned all-rookie recognition the year prior.
WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-STARS
Pacific Division
Forward / Sophie Crowther / Trinity Western Spartans
Midfield / Bailey Doerksen / UBC Thunderbirds
Forward / Maddy Norman / UBC Thunderbirds
Forward / Mansha Sidhu / Trinity Western Spartans
Forward / Jayda Thompson / UBC Thunderbirds
Defender / Sophia Ferreira / UBC Thunderbirds
Midfield / Sophie Fingarson / Victoria Vikes
Midfield / Taiya Dennehy / UBC Thunderbirds
Midfield / Felicia Hanisch / UBC Thunderbirds
Winger / Sara Kuusimäki / Thompson Rivers WolfPack
Goalkeeper / Floor Ursem / Thompson Rivers WolfPack
Prairie Division
Bianca Cavalcanti / Forward / Manitoba Bisons
Ella Djuranic / Forward / Calgary Dinos
Isabelle Lachance / Forward / Saskatchewan Huskies
Gabrielle Linford / Midfield / Mount Royal Cougars
Lillie Pearson / Forward / MacEwan Griffins
Sofia DiGiacomo / Midfield / Calgary Dinos
Nammi Nguyen / Midfield / Saskatchewan Huskies
Jenna Steacy / Midfield / Saskatchewan Huskies
Ruby Szautner / Defender / Mount Royal Cougars
Mykena Walker / Defender / Calgary Dinos
Cheridan Johnson / Goalkeeper / Calgary Dinos
All-Rookie Team
Felicia Hanisch / Midfield / UBC Thunderbirds
Allison Hill / Midfield / Thompson Rivers WolfPack
Ivy Kunn / Forward / MacEwan Griffins
Frankie LaPeter / Forward / Manitoba Bisons
Brooke Miller / Midfield / Mount Royal Cougars
Sicily Ramunno / Defender / UNBC Timberwolves
Aileen Ryou / Midfield / UBCO Heat
Hannah Saxon / Winger / Thompson Rivers WolfPack
Mia Sieminski / Midfield / UBC Thunderbirds
Ally Tannas / Forward / MacEwan Griffins
Elaina Tetteh-Wayoe / Defender / Calgary Dinos
Hazel Turnbull / Defender / Saskatchewan Huskies
