KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Tuesday morning, the United Soccer Coaches awarded
Kristina Akselsen the highest athletic honor an individual can achieve in Division III women's soccer, naming her the 2023 National Player of the Year. Less than two weeks ago, Akselsen was named a First Team All-American for the second-straight season and on Tuesday she adds another major honor to her mantle.
Akselsen becomes the sixth different player in program history to be named the National Player of the Year while claiming the seventh honor. Amanda Naeher was a two-time winner, claiming the honor in 2008 and 2010. Overall, Akselsen becomes the 23rd Messiah student-athlete to be named the National Player of the Year in their respective sport.
"Kristina impacts the game on both sides of the ball," said Messiah women's soccer head coach
Scott Frey. "That's the big thing. For a midfielder to win this award, they don't have the flashy stats on either side of the ball, but her impact is constantly felt."
Akselsen has played at a high level for the Falcons in the midfield across the entirety of her career, particularly the last two seasons. In 2022, Akselsen was named a First Team All-American in the midfield, playing primarily a defensively minded midfielder role. This season, Akselsen was asked to move a few steps up the field and become more engaged in the Falcons' attack.
"We asked her to play somewhere that isn't in her comfort zone this season," said coach Frey. "She's a little bit more of a defensive, break pressure type of player than get the ball and go to goal. So, I think it took her I think a little bit to get comfortable."
In her new role, Akselsen continued to find her footing throughout the season. While her final season stats show eight goals and four assists, she made her tallies count. Beginning with one of the more dramatic early season moments you will ever see, Akselsen netted an Olimpico in the final seconds against the Stevens Ducks on Sept. 2. With time winding down, Akselsen skipped in a perfect delivery with 14 seconds remaining on the clock, giving Messiah the 2-1 victory in the process.
"The goals she scored for us this season were all in games when we needed someone to get us one," said Frey of Akselsen's propensity for the moment. "She gets that one in a game when nobody else is getting it. When the teams needs her to do something a little special, she finds a way to make it happen. She so often facilitates her teammates, but when she has to, she makes it happen.
"She had four of her goals on penalty kicks, but I thought the huge one was against Amherst in the NCAA Tournament. It was the game swing, if we miss it, they're excited. If we make it, we break their back. She walked right over and picked up the ball and said I'm taking it. She's the one that says 'I'm responsible.' That was the difference in that game."
Two games after her clutch penalty kick, Akselsen found the back of the net in the Final Four against WashU, scoring a beautiful, left-footed strike late in the opening half to level the match. While the Falcons fell in penalty kicks, Akselsen's 25-yard, left-footed tally showed on a national stage the offensive ability in big moments that she has shown throughout her career.
"Kristina has willingness and ability to make everybody around her better, that's what she does. That's what the greats do, that's what (Amanda) Neaher did, that's what Nikki (Elsaesser) did," said coach Frey. "As good as they were, it was never about them, even though they're central to the team. Kristina is the same way. She views herself as, 'Oh I just win balls, pass to people, and every now and then go find a goal.' And that goal tends to really really matter for us!"
Akselsen certainly won balls for the Falcons this season. Messiah's typical possession-based approach was in full-effect during the 2023 season. The Falcons held opponents to just 11 goals on the season while only conceding six in the final 18 matches. Akselsen was a key piece of slowing down opponents, nipping and getting a piece of so many passes in the midfield.
"Kristina is athletically there. She's quick, she's dynamic, she works hard, she's technical," said coach Frey of his junior midfielder. "She's the kind of player you have to keep an eye out for if you're an opponent, because of her work-rate to win possession back while also having the ability to be dynamic going forward and breaking pressure."
In addition to her National Player of the Year honors, Akselsen was named a First Team All-American in each of the last two seasons while also picking up First Team All-Region honors in 2022 and 2023. Last year, she was celebrated as the MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Year while claiming All-Conference accolades in each of her first three years with the Falcons, including First-Team nods in 2022 and 2023. With one year of eligibility remaining, Akselsen will return to the Falcons for her senior season in 2023, which is slated to begin in early September.
