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In 2021, the defense of Longwood University women’s soccer team was among the best in Virginia. Two key pieces of its backfield were recently recognized as two of the commonwealth’s best as well.

Longwood women’s soccer senior defender Carrie Reaver and goalkeeper Madison Van Dyke were both named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) All-State Team after leading the Lancers to a fourth-place Big South finish and 4-3-3 record in Big South play while anchoring a defense that registered five shutouts and surrendered just 10 goals in 10 games.

Both Reaver and Van Dyke were named to the VaSID All-State Team as second-team honorees, with Reaver cited as one of seven defenders on the 44-player squad and Van Dyke one of two goalkeepers. 

Reaver’s all-state selection is the second of her career, following her second-team appointment in 2017, while Van Dyke’s was her first. Longwood has now placed at least one player on the VaSID All-State Team for five consecutive years and in seven of the past eight years overall.

Reaver, who also graded as Longwood University’s co-valedictorian this past May, concluded a standout four-year career that began with her being named Big South Freshman of the Year and concluded with three consecutive All-Big South citations. A double major in biology and Spanish, she started 59 games in her career while logging nearly 6,000 minutes for a Longwood defense that surrendered the third-fewest goals in the Big South in her four years. 

Reaver punctuated her standout career with All-Big South first-team recognition in 2020-21 and her second consecutive Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor. She started all 10 games for a Longwood team that opened the year on a seven-game unbeaten streak and contributed to five shutouts, including an early-season stretch of five clean sheets in six games. 

Meanwhile, Van Dyke provided a strong final line of defense in front of Longwood’s goal for a third straight year, working her way toward All-Big South honorable mention honors for a second straight year. She tied for the Big South lead in shutouts and ranked among the league’s top four in goals against average and save percentage in her third year as the team’s starter.

Van Dyke finished her Lancer career ranked fifth in program history with a 1.07 goals against average and among the program’s all-time Division I-era top five in wins (16), saves (166) and save percentage (.783) and shutouts (13).

Reaver and Van Dyke were two of Longwood’s record seven Big South award winners this season joining, All-Big South second team forward Kiersten Yuhas and honorable mention selections Kylie Cahill, Kennedy Culbreath, Alex Dinger and Emily Mothersbaugh.