2025 GPAC Women’s Soccer All-Conference Teams
First Team: Kierstynn Garner; Niah Kirchner; Kyana Rios; Triniti Rowe
Second Team: Guadalupe Sanchez
Honorable Mention: Sadie Mares; Elena Ruiz; Taylor Slaymaker
SEWARD, Neb. – After putting three players on the conference’s first team in 2024, Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer boosted that number to four in 2025. As announced by the league office on Thursday (Nov. 13), 2025 First Team GPAC All-Conference honors have been awarded to Kierstynn Garner, Niah Kirchner, Kyana Rios and Triniti Rowe. Additionally, Guadalupe Sanchez was named to the league’s second team and honorable mention status was achieved by three Bulldog upperclassmen.
Head Coach Nick Smith’s ’25 team stands at 13-2-5 after having been defeated in the GPAC tournament semifinals. Concordia is hopeful of receiving an at-large bid to the national tournament after reaching the second round of nationals in 2024.
A senior from Kearney, Neb., Garner will go down as one of the all-time greats in program history. Garner has earned all-conference honors in each of her four seasons, pulling in second team accolades as a freshman before landing in the first team in three straight seasons. As a senior in 2025, Garner has compiled 19 goals, 13 assists and 51 points – all figures that rank within the top two of the GPAC. In 79 career collegiate games, Garner has tallied 68 goals, 31 assists and 167 points. She is the program’s all-time leader for career game-winning goals (23) while ranking second in goals, second in points and third in assists. Garner has also been honored as an All-Midlands Team selection (Omaha World-Herald) and eight-time GPAC Player of the Week throughout her career.
Like Garner, Kirchner has collected three career First Team All-GPAC awards. The Omaha native and Millard West High School product has starred as one of the league’s best holding midfielders throughout her time as a Bulldog. Kirchner has played a major role in Concordia outscoring its opponents by a combined total of 57-20 with her efforts in possession and passing. Kirchner has notched a goal and an assist on the season. In 80 career games (75 starts), Kirchner has tallied six goals and eight assists. She has also been recognized as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Academic All-District honoree and All-Midlands Team choice.
An Omaha South High School alum, Rios moved up from the GPAC’s second team in 2024 to the first team in 2025. Rios increased her goal scoring count from four last season to nine this season (eighth most goals among GPAC players). She notched multiple goals in both the wins over Briar Cliff and Waldorf. She was credited with the game winner in the victories over Dakota State, Briar Cliff and Midland. In two seasons at Concordia, Rios has appeared in 42 games (23 starts) and has amassed 13 goals and four assists.
A sophomore out of Millard South High School, Rowe became an immediate starter last season as a freshman and has helped anchor the back line. Her efforts have played a role in the Bulldogs limiting their opponents to 20 goals scored over 20 games in 2025. In her two collegiate seasons, Rowe has played in 39 games with 34 starts. She is a first time all-conference honoree.
In her freshman season, Sanchez has provided another attacking threat. The Grand Island, Neb., native has played in 19 of 20 games (nine starts) and has contributed seven goals and four assists. Sanchez recorded her first career multi-goal game in the win at Dakota State. She earned credit for a game winner versus Nebraska Wesleyan.
The GPAC honorable mention list includes Sadie Mares, Taylor Slaymaker and Elena Ruiz. A fifth-year Bulldog, Slaymaker was also named honorable mention in 2023 and to the first team in 2024. The Kearney, Neb., native has knocked in three of her four career goals in 2025. Slaymaker has played in 82 career games (72 starts) for the fifth most in program history. She has teamed up with Rowe for a strong back line. Slaymaker has been a key figure for teams that have won a combined 40 games over the past three seasons.
A senior out of Omaha South High School, Ruiz has played in 76 games (65 starts) over the past four seasons. In 2025, she has posted one goal and four assists in 17 games in the midfield. Ruiz was also tabbed Honorable Mention All-GPAC in 2024. Her career totals stand at nine goals and seven assists. A junior out of Scottsdale, Ariz., Mares has picked up her first All-GPAC award. She was named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and CSC Academic All-District in 2024. Mares has recorded two goals and three assists in 20 games (16 starts) this season. She has appeared in 60 games (49 starts) in three seasons as a Bulldog.
Now Concordia will wait to see if it is selected to compete at the 2025 NAIA National Championships. The NAIA’s selection show will air on YouTube at 6 p.m. CT on Friday.