Women's Soccer: Soccer Buzz Award Winners
January 28, 2009 05:35 PM | General
By Tim Goodenow for MSNsportsNET.com
January 29, 2009
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| Greer Barnes | Carolyn Blank |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University women’s soccer players Greer Barnes and Carolyn Blank were named Soccer Buzz Second Team All-Americans, while rookie Blake Miller earned Fourth Team Freshman All-America recognition.
Barnes was recently taken in the fourth round of the 2009 Women’s Professional Soccer Draft by the Los Angeles Sol. She wrapped up her career playing outside back her final two seasons and was named an NSCAA All-American for the second-straight year. The senior was able to get forward in the attack to total 34 shots and five points in 2008.
A Rye, N.Y., native, Barnes is a two-time First Team All-BIG EAST (2007-08) defender, along with a Second Team All-BIG EAST nod in 2006. Barnes, a two-time All-Mid-Atlantic Region player, appeared in 82 career matches for the Mountaineers at midfield and defender.
Blank was earlier named an NSCAA Second Team All-American at defensive midfield. The junior started all 23 games, totaling 12 points on five goals and two assists, earning First Team All-BIG EAST and BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year honors.
The Toms River, N.J., native was also named a 2008 TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Season First Team pick. A team captain, Blank was named to the 2008 BIG EAST Championship All-Tournament Team.
Miller, a St. Louis, Mo., native, was named All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention in her first season in Morgantown. She became only the second Mountaineer to lead WVU in goals as a rookie with her 10 scores – the most-ever by a WVU freshman. Miller tied two-time Hermann Trophy winner Kerri Hanks of Notre Dame for most game-winning goals by a BIG EAST player – each had six.
Several Mountaineers landed a spot on Soccer Buzz All-Mid-Atlantic Region teams. Barnes and Blank were first team selections while Deana Everrett and KerriButler earned Second Team honors.
Midfielder Amanda Cicchini was named a Third Team choice. A pair of freshman forwards in Miller and Erica Henderson earned a spot on the Freshman All-Mid-Atlantic Region team.
The Mountaineers finished the 2008 season with a 14-3-6 record, tying the school record for fewest losses in a season. West Virginia advanced to its ninth straight NCAA tournament, and sixth trip to the NCAA Round of 32.
