Six Women’s Soccer players earn All-KCAC honors
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Benton

Muilenburg

Kansas Wesleyan placed five women’s soccer players on the First Team All-KCAC list and one on the Second Team as the All-KCAC teams were announced by the Kansas Conference on October 23. KWU also won four of the six individual awards from the conference.

KWU head coach Mike Dibbini earned his third consecutive KCAC Coach of the Year award on the women’s side. Since taking over the program for the 2005 season, Dibbini’s women’s teams have had a collective 51-7-3 record through the completion of the 2007 regular season.

Brownell

Macy

Heather Muilenburg, last year’s KCAC Freshman of the Year was named the Offensive Player of the Year. She had a KCAC best 43 points during the regular season, and was second in the KCAC in goals scored.

Kat Benton was named the KCAC Newcomer of the Year in her first season with the Lady Coyotes. Benton was fourth in the KCAC in total points, fifth in the conference in goals and led the KCAC with 10 assists.

Marisa Brownell was named KCAC Defensive Player of the Year, along with McPherson’s Andrea Swanson. Brownell is the center back anchor of a stiff Wesleyan defense that allowed only five goals all season long, and only a single goal in KCAC play.

Parada

Beatty

Muilenburg, Benton and Brownell all join Eliana Parada and Janna Macy as First Team All-KCAC selections for the 2007 season.

Despite having only one goal scored on her during the entire regular season, including not having a single goal scored against her in KCAC play, and leading the NAIA in goals against average at .071, goalkeeper Kelli Beatty was a surprising Second Team selection.

Wesleyan (18-1-1) cruised through the regular season, posting a 17-1 overall record, including a second straight season with a perfect 9-0 record in KCAC play. The Lady Coyotes outscored the opponents 81-5 throughout the season, including a 48-1 advantage in KCAC play. The Lady Coyotes went on to win the program’s third consecutive KCAC Tournament title with a 3-2 shootout win over McPherson in the Championship match after the match ended in a tie at 1-1 after two overtime periods.

KWU advances to the NAIA Region IV Tournament as the No. 1 seed, and will host the regional tournament which begins Wednesday with the first round matches played at the site of the higher seeds. Wesleyan earned a first round bye and will face the winner of Wednesday’s McPherson at Saint Mary (Neb.) match on Friday at 11 a.m. at Salina Stadium.

-- KWU SI --