Five Soccer players named Honorable Mention NAIA All-Americans
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Three Kansas Wesleyan Women's Soccer players and two Men's Soccer players have earned NAIA Honorable Mention All-American honors.

The women's honorees include Jessica Resendez, Juliet Cervantes and Heather Muilenburg.

Resendez

Resendez (Sr., DEF, Saugus, Calif. / Canyons (Calif.)) was named Honorable Mention NAIA All-American. She was part of a staunt KWU defensive front that allowed only 13 goals all season, including only two in regular season KCAC play. The Coyotes also posted 15 shutouts on the season as a team. Resendez shared KCAC Defensive Player of the Year honors with fellow teammate Kelly Holloway in addition to being named All-KCAC in late October. She also earned First Team NAIA All-Region IV honors last month.

Cervantes

Cervantes (Jr., MF, Rowland Heights, Calif. / Mt San Antonio (Calif.)) was named Honorable Mention NAIA All-American. Cervantes scored ten goals and had 13 assists on the season in helping the Coyotes win their first ever KCAC Championship on the women’s side. Cervantes was named First Team All-KCAC and was voted as the KCAC Newcomer of the Year for 2006. She also earned First Team NAIA All-Region IV honors last month.

Muilenburg

Muilenburg (Fr., F, Salina, Kan. / Salina Central) was also named Honorable Mention NAIA All-American.. Muilenburg averaged a KCAC best 1.00 goal per game average with 22 goals, while also recording four assists. She also led the KCAC in points per game at 2.18. Muilenburg was also named First Team All-KCAC and KCAC Freshman of the Year. He broke the KWU single season goals scored record this season with 22 goals, passing Angelica Mendez’ 16 goal mark in 2005. She also earned First Team NAIA All-Region IV honors last month.

The women finished the 2006 season with an 18-3-1 overall record, including a 9-0 record in the KCAC. The Coyotes captured their first ever KCAC Championship, went on to win the KCAC Post-Season Tournament and advanced to the Region IV Championship Match.

Tremayne Thompson and Wayne Johnson have been named as NAIA Men’s Soccer Honorable Mention All-Americans for the 2006 season.

T. Thompson

Thompson (Sr., F, Mesa, Ariz. / Arizona State) led the Coyotes with 18 goals, and was ranked fourth in the KCAC in the final post-season statistics in goals per game at .86, and fourth in the KCAC in offensive points per game at 2.00. Thompson was also voted as the KCAC Offensive Player of the Year this season in addition to being named a First-Team All-KCAC selection.

Johnson

Johnson (Sr., GK, Canyon Country, Calif. / Canyons (Calif.)) led the KCAC in goals against average, only giving up .72 goals per 90 minutes. He only allowed 15 goals all season, while recording 11 shutouts. Johnson set a new Kansas Wesleyan record for career shutouts with 19, eclipsing the record of 18 held by Frank Bustos, set in 2000. He was named as the KCAC Goalkeeper of the Year, the KCAC Defensive Player of the Year as well as being named First Team All-KCAC for the second straight season.

The men finished second in the KCAC during the regular season, going 8-1 in KCAC play, and captured the KCAC Post-Season Tournament Championship with a 1-0 overtime victory over Friends. The Coyotes advanced to the NAIA Region IV Tournament, defeating McPherson in the first round, before falling to Bellevue (Neb.) in the regional semifinals. KWU finished the season with a 17-4 record.

-- KWU SI --