FROSTBURG, Md. - The 2009 Frostburg State women's soccer squad handed out its annual team awards held at its team banquet in December at the Gunter Hotel in Frostburg.
Juniors
Lauren Russell (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) and
Heather Fleishell (Middletown, Md./Middletown) earned the top honors for the squad as Russell was selectedd the team's Offensive Most Valuable Player and Fleishell named the Defensive MVP.
Russell, the All Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, posted a FSU single-season record high in goals (27), assists (16) and points (70), leading both the team and the conference. She finished the year ranked fifth in the country in points per game (3.18), ninth in assists per game (0.73) and 11th in goals per game (1.2). Russell collected NSCAA Scholar All-East Second Team honors, NCAA Division III Women's All-Great Lakes Region third team honors, ECAC Division III South Women's All-Star Offensive Player of the Year and First Team honors and was a First Team All-AMCC honoree for the third-straight year.
Fleishell earned her second-straight AMCC first team honor after starting in all 22 games for the Bobcats and was a part of a defense that helped to hold its opponents to only 13 goals and 0.59 goals against average. The defense also posted 15 shutouts during the season, tying the team single-season record for shutouts.
Junior
Shonna Ferree (Frostburg, Md./Beall) earned the 2009 Unsung Hero Award for Frostburg State. Ferree played in all 22 games and finished the season with three assists from her midfield postion.
Sophomores
Olivia Winant (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) and
Kristin Prochniak (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) took home the award for the Most Improved Player this season. Winant played in 18 games for FSU, netting one goal and chipping in two assists for four points, while Prochniak participated in eight games and had two wins from her goal keeper position.
The 2009 Best New Player award went to freshman
Amanda Wharton (Mt. Airy, Md./South Carroll) and
Liz Seligman (Rockville, Md./St. Johns College). Wharton was named AMCC Newcomer of the Year and earned first team all-conference honors after finishing the season with 24 goals, nine assists and 57 points. She finished 19th in the nation in points per game (2.59) and 25th in goals per game (1.09) and was named to the ECAC Division III South Women's Rookie of the Year. Seligman, an AMCC second-team honoree, netted one goal and handed out six assists in her first year with the team from her defender position.
Junior
Kierstin Stevenson (Frostburg, Md./Beall) was awarded the Sportsmanship award after starting all 22 games for the Bobcats and earning conference honorable mention honors.
The 2009 Scholar Athlete award was taken home by sophomore
Meische Cox (Laurel, Md./Meade). As a defender, she played in 18 games for Frostburg State and handed out one assist while helping the Bobcats to 15 shutouts this season.