TopDrawerSoccer announced its Freshman Best XI Teams on Wednesday, with Virginia Tech women’s soccer players Taylor Price and Natalie Mitchell representing the Hokies’ freshman class.
A native of Ashburn, Va., Price received First-Team honors for being one of the top ranked freshmen in the NCAA. Price ended the regular season ranked second among freshmen in the ACC in both goals (8) and points (19). Overall in the NCAA she is tied for 34th with four game-winning goals. Near the end of the regular season, TopDrawerSoccer ranked her fifth on the Freshmen Top 100 list, and she was named to the ACC All – Freshmen team and All-ACC Third Team. Price scored the first goal of the match five times this season including the game-winning goal against #22 NC State (1-0) and the tie against #13 Virginia (3-3).
Originally from Temecula, Calif., Mitchell led the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman class with eight assists during the regular season and was ranked fourth overall in the conference. Shel started all 19 matches this season, taking 52 shots and going two for two on penalty-kick goals. She earned 14 points with three goals and eight assists, ranking third in overall points for Tech. During the season, TopDrawerSoccer ranked her 11th on the Freshman Top 100 list. Mitchell’s accomplishments on the pitch earned her TopDrawerSoccer Second Team honors.
The Hokies ended the 2022 season with an overall record of 10-7-2 and received an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament.