FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Thomas Wehner, Ferrum
(540) 365-4306

December 13, 2006


Va. Wesleyan, W&L Earn Top College Women’s Soccer Honors in 2006

FERRUM, Va. –Midfielder Kelly Donnelly and Jeff Bowers, both of Virginia Wesleyan College, have been named 2006 College Division Women's Soccer Player and Coach of the Year, respectively by the Virginia Sports Information Directors. Maggie Sutherland of Washington and Lee University rounded out top honors as 2006 VaSID Rookie of the Year.

2006 VaSID College Division Women's Soccer All-State Team

Donnelly registered three goals and four assists this season. She was the 2006 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District first team selection. She helped the Marlins only allow nine goals all season, including a program-record 20 shutouts, win the 2006 ODAC Tournament, and advance to the final four of the 2006 NCAA Division III Tournament.

Bowers led Virginia Wesleyan to a 18-4-4 record. The Marlins won the ODAC Tournament and earned the automatic bid in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Bowers directed Virginia Wesleyan to the Final Four.

Sutherland helped anchor the Generals defense that went 19-2-2 this season and had an NCAA All Divisions best 0.126 goals-against-average and a school record 20 shut-outs. She was named the 2006 ODAC Rookie of the Year.

Christopher Newport University had three players and Washington and Lee had two named to the All-State first team.  Forward Jackie Trono, midfielder Hillary Carnie, and defender Ashley Glover claimed honors for the Captains, while W&L had forward Anne Van Devender and defender Haley Bunting honored on the first team.

Rounding out the All-State first team were forward Missy Kuhns, midfielder Laura Jackson, defenders Kristen Byrnes and Courtney Benitez, and goalie Lindsey Williams from Virginia Wesleyan, and Lauren Askey from Lynchburg College.

All-State teams are selected by active members of the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association.  For more information, please visit the VaSID site at http://www.ferrum.edu/athletics/vasid.

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