Buchanan, Schwindel Earn All-America Honors
December 05, 2014 04:09 PM | General
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| Buchanan |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sophomore defender Kadeisha Buchanan of the West Virginia University women’s soccer team has been named to the 2014 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire All-America First Team.
“Kadeisha is so deserving of this honor, and I’m very proud of her,” said Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Kadeisha puts forth countless hours of work every day to become the best player.”
A second-team honoree in 2013, Buchanan, a native of Brampton, Ontario, is the only sophomore named to the first team and the first sophomore in program history to earn first-team honors. Buchanan is WVU’s first NSCAA First Team All-American since current associate head coach Lisa Stoia earned the honor in 2003. In total, four Mountaineers have earned one first-team honor since 2000, and Izzo-Brown has coached 11 players to 16 NSCAA All-America honors in 19 seasons.
“I am honored to win this award,” said Buchanan. “This wouldn’t be possible without the support of my teammates and my coaches. I give them so much credit because they push me to be a better player.”
Buchanan has collected a slew of honors in the past month, including a spot on the semifinalist list for the 2014 Missouri Athletic Club (M.A.C.) Hermann Trophy. The two-time reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, she also is a two-time All-Big 12 honoree.
A starter at center back for all 20 matches she was available for this season, Buchanan helped the No. 7-ranked Mountaineers post 12 shutouts, two short of the program single-season record. WVU did not allow a goal on the road in Big 12 play, marking the first time in the program’s 19-year history the team posted a shutout in each of its conference road matches. The Mountaineers rank No. 20 in shutout percentage (0.545) and goals-against average (9.651).
Buchanan posted a career-high eight points (3 G, 2 A) in 2014; her points, goals and assist totals were career highs.
An All-Big 12 Academic Soccer Team honoree, Buchanan, a communications studies major, is a member of the Dean’s List, the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll and the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
A member of the Full Canadian National Team, she was unavailable for two matches this season, as she was called up for a pair of friendlies in October. Buchanan is a nominee for the 2014 BMO Canadian Player of the Year and U20 Player of the Year awards; she won the U20 honor in 2013.
Also announced today, senior forward Kate Schwindel was named to the Senior CLASS All-America Second Team. The Livingston, New Jersey, native is the first Mountaineer to earn the award.
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| Schwindel |
“This honor is a great way for Kate to cap off a fantastic four-year Mountaineer career,” said Izzo-Brown. “She exemplified what a senior leader should be, and I’m so glad her efforts were recognized with an All-America award.”
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.
One of three team captains, Schwindel, a child development and family studies major, is a three-time member of the Academic All-Big 12 Soccer Team and is expected to graduate in four years. She is active in many community service activities, including the WVU 4v4 Small-Sided Breast Cancer Tournament and WVU Relay for Life.
Despite playing with an injury for most of the season, Schwindel, a three-time All-Big 12 honoree, led the Mountaineers in game-winning goals (4) and finished second in points (15) and goals (7). She ranked No. 2, No. 8 and No. 5, respectively, in the Big 12 in each category. Schwindel helped the Mountaineers capture their second straight Big 12 Championship title in November, as she scored the lone goal in the team’s 1-0 win over Oklahoma on Nov. 9.
Schwindel ranks No. 5 in the Mountaineer record book in career shots (259), No. 6 in career goals (33) and career points (88), and No. 7 in career assists (22).
Seattle University forward Stephanie Verdoia was named the 2014 Senior CLASS Award winner.
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