Atlantic Sun Announces 2015 @ASunSoccer Postseason Awards
Atlantic Sun Announces 2015 @ASunSoccer Postseason Awards
2015 Women's Soccer Postseason Awards and Honors
MACON, Ga. - For the second-straight season, four of the top-five Atlantic Sun Women's Soccer postseason awards were claimed by Emma Blackwell, Jim Blankenship, Anna Buhigas & Tabby Tindell, while Lipscomb's Maycie McKay collected the A-Sun Freshman of the Year accolade.
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FGCU's Tindell becomes the third-player in A-Sun history to win back-to-back Player of the Year honors as the junior forward totaled a conference-best in points (38), goals (15), assists (8) and game-winning goals (6). The Ocala, Fla. native sits in the top-10 of the A-Sun record books for career points (120; 10th), goals (50; 6th) and game-winners (22; 1st).
Tindell's teammate Emma Blackwell sits as the first player in the A-Sun to win two Defensive Player of the Year accolades as she earned the honor in 2014 as well. A senior from Jenks, Okla., Blackwell led an FGCU backline that held conference foes to 3.9 shots per game as the Eagles totaled nine shutouts; four in A-Sun games.
Lipscomb's Anna Buhigas, the A-Sun Goalkeeper of the Year, led the conference in multiple categories including GAA (0.52), save percentage (.901) and shutouts (12), while racking up 91 saves. Buhigas becomes the first-ever keeper to earn the award on two occasions. Her 12 shutouts are tied for the A-Sun single-season record.
Buhigas' teammate Maycie McKay tied for third in the A-Sun for goals with eight, while her 19 points sit alone in third. McKay is the first A-Sun Freshman of the Year from Lipscomb as she helped the Bisons to a program record for overall and conference wins. McKay delivered game-winning goals against Jacksonville & Alabama A&M in 2015.
For the fourth-straight season, FGCU's Jim Blankenship was selected as the A-Sun Coach of the Year, which sets the conference record for most all-time honors. The Eagles captured their sixth-straight A-Sun Regular Season title with an undefeated record of 6-0-1 and enter the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed.
Two other Eagles joined Blackwell and Tindell on the A-Sun First Team All-Conference as sophomore midfielder Nikki Hudson & senior midfielder Ally Kasun graced the team. Kasun becomes the second player in A-Sun history to land on the A-Sun First Team on four occasions joining Jacksonville's Keri Zwikker (2005-08).
McKay & Buhigas are accompanied by sophomore defender Niamh Rawlins on the first team to give the Bisons three first-team selections for the second-straight season. Lipscomb enters the A-Sun Championship as the No. 2 seed after a 11-3-4 regular season and 6-1 record in league matches.
Two Jacksonville student-athletes adorned the first team with freshman defender Lauren Short & senior forward Marie Weckhurst. Short started in all 15 games as the Dolphin defense heads into the A-Sun Championship as the No. 3 seed allowing only one combined goal in their last four matches.
Kennesaw State's Hannah Churchill & Stetson's Sarah Collins completed the A-Sun First Team selections. Churchill and the Owls locked up the No. 4 seed as the senior midfielder tallied three goals and two assists, while Collins finished second in the A-Sun for goals (10) and points (24) to guide the Hatters to a 9-7-1 record.
The 2015 A-Sun Women's Soccer Championship begins on Friday, October 30 with first-round matches between No. 4 Kennesaw State vs. No. 5 Stetson in Kennesaw, Ga. and No. 3 Jacksonville and No. 6 North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. Both matches can be seen on ESPN3.
All-Atlantic Sun First Team
GK - Anna Buhigas, Lipscomb
*D - Emma Blackwell, FGCU
D - Lauren Short, Jacksonville
D - Niamh Rawlins, Lipscomb
MF - Nikki Hudson
MF - Ally Kasun, FGCU
MF - Hannah Churchill, Kennesaw State
*F - Tabby Tindell, FGCU
F - Marie Weckhurst, Jacksonville
F - Maycie McKay, Lipscomb
F - Sarah Collins, Stetson
All-Atlantic Sun Second Team
GK - Sara Wicks, Jacksonville
D - Shea Rhoney, FGCU
D - Ida Hepsoe, Kennesaw State
D - Abby Roth, Kennesaw State
D - Makeshia Lucien, Stetson
MF - Joelle D'Entremont, Jacksonville
MF - Alex Hickey, Lipscomb
MF - Haley Gethin, USC Upstate
MF - Mara Keomanivane, Stetson
F - Paulina Speckmaier, FGCU
F - Cassie Elmore, Jacksonville
F - Kim Fincher, Kennesaw State
F - Krista Colubiale, North Florida
- A tie in the voting led to a 13-person second team
All-Atlantic Sun Freshmen Team
*F - Maycie McKay, Lipscomb
*D - Camile Knudstrup, FGCU
*MF - Kyra Cloutier, Jacksonville
*D - Lauren Short, Jacksonville
*D - Carly Pressgrove, Kennesaw State
*F - Krista Colubiale, North Florida
*MF - Kate Winegarner, USC Upstate
F - Darien Davis, FGCU
MF - Brooke Brenner, Lipscomb
MF - Arianna Gerber, NJIT
D - Annette Morton, Stetson
* - Denotes a unanimous vote
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