Women's Soccer: Soccer Buzz Honors Announced
February 07, 2003 11:40 AM | General
February 7, 2003
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| Abbott |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Juniors Chrissie Abbott and Lisa Stoia earned 2002 Soccer Buzz All-America honors and led a barrage of West Virginia University women's soccer players who recorded Mid-Atlantic Division recognition.
Abbott, a North Olmstead, Ohio, native, earned first team All-America honors. The BIG EAST offensive player of the year scored 20 goals, nine of which were game-winners, in 2002. Abbott added seven assists for a team-high 47 points on the season. For her efforts, she was also named first-team All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), just the second Mountaineer in program history to earn such honors.
A second-team All-American honoree, Stoia, a native of Shirley, N.Y., led the team in assists with 10, a program-tying best in 2002 while also scoring eight goals for 28 total points. The junior midfielder joined Abbott as a BIG EAST major award winner by being named conference midfielder of the year as well first team all-BIG EAST.
Both Abbott and Stoia were also named SoccerBuzz first-team all-Mid-Atlantic Region
Senior Rachel Kruze and junior Jenn Lewis earned second-team all-Mid-Atlantic region honors. Kruze, a Webster, N.Y., native and Stoia's counterpart in the midfield, totaled four goals and six assists in her last season as a Mountaineer. She was recently drafted by the WUSA's Philadelphia Charge. Lewis, an integral part of the West Virginia defensive unit that allowed only 13 goals in2002, started every match in the backfield for the Mountaineers, registering two assists for two points.
Both Kruze and Lewis were second-team NSCAA selections in 2002 as well.
Sophomore forward Laura Kane earned third-team all-region honors while freshman Marisa Kanela was named to Soccer Buzz's all-freshmen team. Kane was the team's second-leading scorer in 2002 with 10 goals and eight assists for 28 points. A consistent threat from off the bench, Kanela tallied three goals and three assists in her inaugural season as a Mountaineer.
Rounding out the Soccer Buzz honors, head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown was named Mid-Atlantic Division coach of the year. Izzo-Brown was also named NSCAA regional coach of the year as well as BIG EAST coach of the year for her efforts in leading West Virginia to a program-best 18-3-1 record. This is her second Soccer Buzz coach of the year honor.
