Irvine, CA—The Big West released its 2015 Women's Soccer All-Conference Teams today, and for the first time in program history, the Highlanders earned three First Team nods in the form of forward Tyler Cunningham, midfielder Blanca Barrio and defender Amber Marani. Goalkeeper Elizabeth Silas also earned All-Conference recognition, getting named to the Honorable Mention Team.

View UC Riverside's all-time list of all-conference honorees.

Cunningham finished the regular season ranked fifth in the conference in goals (7) and tied for fifth in points (17). Four of her scores this year were game winners. Early in the season she became the Highlanders career leader in assists, and she now ranks third in goals and points as well. Cunningham was named to the Big West First Team a season ago, and to the Second Team as a sophomore.

Barrio picked up her second all-conference award after finishing second in the Big West in assists (7) and tied for fifth in points (17). Two of her scores on the season were game winners, and after just two seasons with the Highlanders, Barrio is already tied for second on the team's career assist chart. She was named to the Honorable Mention Team last season.

Marani also earned her second consecutive All-Big West, First-Team honor, anchoring a Highlanders' defense that allowed a goals against average of 0.93. UC Riverside was just as stingy in conference play giving up just eight goals in eight matches, while pitching a pair of shutouts to close out the season.

Marani is the first UC Riverside Women's Soccer player to earn two First-Team, All-Conference honors since Tessa Lennala did so in 2007 and 2008.

Silas joined Marani in playing a huge role in the Highlanders defensive efforts, becoming just the third keeper in UC Riverside history to post a sub-1.00 goals against average. She also recorded six shutouts on the year.

For the second time in three years, the UC Riverside Women's Soccer Team is battling for a Big West Conference Tournament Championship. The first step in achieving that goal is a Thursday, November 5 match against #1 Long Beach State in the tournament semifinals at 5 pm PT. The championship match is slated for Sunday, November 8 at 1 pm.

Tickets go on sale Monday, November 2 at 12 pm, and may be purchased at FullertonTitans.com or by phone at (657) 278-2783. Cost is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and children 12 and under, $5 for students of participating Big West Conference schools with a valid ID, and $6 per person for groups of 20 or more.