Women's Soccer Trio Earns Conference USA Honors
November 01, 2005 | Soccer
Nov. 1, 2005
IRVING, Texas - Conference USA announced its 2005 all-league first and second teams and postseason award winners for women's soccer today, as selected by the conference's head coaches. The awards are announced one day before the start of the 11th Annual C-USA Tournament, which is scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 2-6, at the Rice Track & Soccer Stadium in Houston, Texas.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Pirates (8-11-0, 4-5-0) placed multiple players on the yearly All C-USA teams. Senior Meghan McCallion became the second Lady Pirate to earn all-conference honors all four years at ECU with her second-team selection. The Long Island, N.Y. native currently leads the team in goals (9), assists (6) and points (24). This season she became the schools all-time scorer (96) and all-time goal scorer (39).
A pair of Pirate defenders also took home C-USA honors on Tuesday as sophomore Kat Norris (Houston, Texas) was named to the second-team with McCallion and Nicole Moore (Springdale, N.C.) was named to the All-Freshman Team.
UCF and SMU earned regular season co-champion honors their first season in the conference. The Golden Knights earned the top seed in the tournament and were led by 2005 C-USA Defensive Player-of-the-Year Courtney Baines, who anchored a backfield that allowed only seven goals in October. Teammate Roberta Pelarigo joins Baines on the All-Conference first-team.
SMU head coach John Cossaboon was named the C-USA Coach-of-the-Year and the Mustangs had a conference-best four selections to the all-conference first team. SMU was represented at each position on the first team from forward Kimber Bailey, midfielder Susanne Collins, defender Carley Phillips and goalkeeper Ashley Gunter. Phillips and Gunter were also selected to the All-Freshman Team.
Memphis junior forward Shoko Mikami is the first Tiger to be named the league's Offensive Player-of-the-Year. Mikami leads C-USA in points (38) and is tied for first in goals (14) entering the tournament and was selected to the All-Conference USA first-team.
UAB midfielder Nasra Absullah garners the league's Freshman-of-the-Year honor - a first for the Blazers. Abdullah also earned spots on the All Conference first team and All-Freshman squad. She was joined on the first team by teammate Jill Porto, a sophomore midfielder and member of the 2004 C-USA All-Freshman Team.
Houston midfielder Sophia Mundy and Rice defender Erin Droeger were also selected to the All-Conference USA first-team.
2005 C-USA AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year
Shoko Mikami, Memphis
Defensive Player of the Year
Courtney Baines, UCF
Freshman of the Year
Nasra Abdullah, UAB
Coach of the Year
John Cossaboon, SMU
All-Conference First Team
F: Kimber Bailey, SMU
F: Shoko Mikami, Memphis
F: Roberta Pelarigo, UCF
MF: Nasra Abdullah, UAB
MF: Susanne Collins, SMU
MF: Sophia Mundy, Houston
MF: Jill Porto, UAB
D: Courtney Baines, UCF
D: Erin Droeger, Rice
D: Carley Phillips, SMU
GK: Ashley Gunter, SMU
All-Conference Second Team
F: Meghan McCallion, East Carolina
F: Sally Palmer, UAB
F: Caitlin Robbins, Rice
F: Jami Tullius, UTEP
MF: Asuka Kubota, Memphis
MF: Jennifer Montgomery, UCF
MF: Kaletia Roberts, UTEP
D: Pam Cooney, UAB
D: Beth Martin, Rice
D: Kat Norris, East Carolina
GK: Brittany Popoff, UTEP
All-Freshman Team
Nasra Abdullah, MF, UAB
Courtney Gaines, MF, Houston
Ashley Gunter, GK, SMU
Kylie Hayes, F, Memphis
Jennifer Kacergis, MF/F, Tulsa
Ashley Lucas, MF, Rice
Sarah McFadden, F, Southern Miss
Nicole Moore, D, East Carolina
Kirsten Moran, MF, SMU
Caitlin Robbins, F, Rice
Carley Phillips, D, SMU
