Women's Soccer: Four Earn BIG EAST Honors
November 04, 2004 09:46 PM | General
November 4, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Four members of the West Virginia University women’s soccer team earned BIG EAST honors at the annual conference banquet held Thursday night in Vernon, Conn.
Headling the group of honorees is freshman midfidler Ashley Banks. Banks, a native of Annadale, Va., was tabbed conference co-rookie of the year, sharing the honor with Kia McNeill of Boston College. A starter in 18 of the 19 matches at outside midfield, Banks scored eight goals and added seven assists in her inaugural season as a Mountaineer. Her 23 points is tied for second on the team and is the most-ever by a WVU freshman.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Ashley,” head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “She worked hard and had a great year for us. We are very proud of her.”
Senior Laura Kane earned first team all-conference recognition for the second straight season after boasting seven goals and a career-high nine assists for 23 points. A Pottstown, Pa., native, Kane joins former Mountaineers Chrissie Abbott, Lisa Stoia and Katie Barnes as multiple-year first team all-BIG EAST honorees.
“Laura impacted our offense in every way this season,” added Izzo-Brown. “It’s an amazing honor to be first team all-BIG EAST two years in a row. It’s a well-deserved recognition for Laura in her senior season.”
Junior midfielder Marisa Kanela, senior defender Ashley Weimer and Banks were each named to the all-BIG EAST second team as well.
Kanela, a member of the 2002 BIG EAST all-freshman team is the Mountaineers’ leading scorer heading into the NCAA tournament with 11 goals and four assists for 26 points.
Weimer, a first-time all-conference honoree, set a career-high for points in 2004 with 12 off three goals and six assists.
Banks is the first West Virginia freshman in school history to be named to an all-BIG EAST team other than the conference all-freshman squad. She is also the second Mountaineer ever to be named co-rookie of the year (Lisa Stoia in 2000).
“I’m very excited for all of our award winners,” Izzo-Brown said. “They worked very hard throughout the entire year and we want them to enjoy their honors from such a powerful and talented soccer conference as the BIG EAST.”
West Virginia is awaiting the announcement of the 2004 NCAA Women’s College Cup field. Pairings will be announced at 3:30 p.m., on Monday, November 8. The selection show can be seen on ESPNews
