MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sophomore defender Kadeisha Buchanan was named Team MVP at the West Virginia University women’s soccer season-ending banquet, held Saturday, Feb. 21, at Touchdown Terrace.

 

Buchanan, a native of Brampton, Ontario, also was named the team’s defensive MVP, her second straight honor. A starter at center back for all 20 matches she was available for this season, she helped the Mountaineers post 12 shutouts, two short of the program’s 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 Mountaineer defense finished the year ranked No. 19 nationally in goals-against average (.651) and No. 20 in shutout percentage (.545).

 

A National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire All-America First Team honoree, Buchanan has collected a slew of awards this year, including her second straight Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year recognition. Additionally, she was a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy and named to the All-Big 12 First Team, the TopDrawerSoccer.com Best XI First Team, the ECAC Division I Women’s Soccer All-Star First Team and the Soccer America Women’s MVP First Team. A starter for the full Canadian National Team, Buchanan also is the two-time reigning Canadian U-20 Player of the Year.

 

Senior forward Kate Schwindel was named the team’s offensive MVP. A Livingston, New Jersey, native, Schwindel, one of three team captains, 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 Conference in each category. A three-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree, she 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 November 9. The program’s first Senior CLASS finalist, Schwindel was named to the Senior CLASS All-America Second Team. She graduates ranked 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).

 

Junior defender Maggie Bedillion was voted the team’s most improved player. Following two seasons in which she saw time in a combined 17 matches, the Washington, Pennsylvania, native earned the start at outside back in all 22 matches this year. In addition to helping the Mountaineer defense post 12 shutouts, Bedillion finished with seven points on three goals and one assist. She tallied her first career score in the Mountaineers’ 4-1 win over Duquesne on September 14. Additionally, she was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week following the squad’s 4-2 win over then-No. 15 Texas Tech on October 10, as the Mountaineer back line helped WVU navigate playing one man down for the final 35 minutes and held TTU to just four shots. She also evened the score at 1-1 in the eighth minute.

 

Seniors Ali Connelly and Katie Osterman were selected for the Mountaineer S.O.C.C.E.R. award. The award is given by the coaches to the student-athletes who display good sportsmanship, optimism, character, concern, effort and respect.

 

Connelly, a midfielder out of South Bend, Indiana, returned to action in 2014 following a season-ending ACL injury and saw time in seven matches. A two-time All-Big 12 Academic Soccer Team honoree, the elementary education major was one of 11 honorees this year to earn the recognition with a 4.00 grade point average (GPA). She also earned the 2012-13 WVU Female Student-Athlete Community Service Outreach Award.

 

Osterman, a goalkeeper out of Virginia Beach, Virginia, served as one of the team’s three captains in 2014. A member of the All-Big 12 Academic Soccer First Team, the sport management major also is a member of the President’s and Dean’s Lists, the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the Garett Ford Academic Honor Roll.  

 

All other team awards were voted on by the student-athletes.

 

Saturday’s banquet celebrated the team’s Big 12 championship season and the careers of seniors Schwindel, Osterman, Connelly and Jess Crowder. The Mountaineers successfully defended their Big 12 regular-season and championship titles in 2014, giving them five Big 12 titles in three seasons and pushing their program conference title haul to 13. The senior class leaves Morgantown with seven conference titles.

 

The Mountaineers (16-2-4, 7-0-1) finished the year ranked No. 15 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire College rankings and advanced to their 15th consecutive NCAA Tournament.