Abam Tabbed Senior CLASS All-America
November 30, 2017 02:44 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Forward Michaela Abam of the West Virginia University women's soccer team was named to the 2017 Senior CLASS All-America Second Team.
A Houston native, Abam is the fifth Mountaineer in four seasons to collect a Senior CLASS All-America honor. Today's award is Abam's second career All-America recognition; she was named to the NSCAA second team in 2016. One of two team captains, she also is a semifinalist for the 2017 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy.
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. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Stanford University midfielder Andi Sullivan was named the 2017 Senior CLASS Award winner for NCAA Division I women's soccer.
Abam, who was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region First Team earlier this week, leaves the WVU women's soccer program ranked No. 3 all-time with 42 career goals and No. 4 with 100 points (42 G, 16 A). She is the most experienced player in the program's 22-year history, having earned time in 95 career matches. Abam capped her four-year career with 79 starts.
For the fourth straight season, Abam led the Mountaineer offense, finishing the 2017 season with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists; she finished with double-digit goal totals in each season but her first. The 10 goals ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference, while the 23 points ranked No. 2. Four of her goals were game-winners, the 53rd-best total nationally.
Abam earned her third All-Big 12 First Team honor this season. She also was named to the All-Big 12 Championship Team and the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. Additionally, Abam was tabbed the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10.
In her four years at WVU, Abam helped the Mountaineers compile a 74-11-10 record. WVU earned four straight bids to the NCAA Tournament and finished as the 2016 NCAA National Runner-Up. The team reached the NCAA Third Round three times and the NCAA Quarterfinals twice. The Mountaineers claimed five Big 12 Conference titles and were ranked No. 1 nationally for nine total weeks.
An athletic coaching education major, Abam is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 Team honoree. She also was named to the Dean's List, the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and WVU's Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.
Throughout her four years at WVU, Abam has made visits to the WVU Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House with her teammates. Additionally, she has assisted in the program's efforts to raise money for breast cancer research, and she spent the summer of 2017 volunteering with Mountaineer United Soccer Club.
The award, chosen by a vote of Division I women's soccer coaches, national soccer media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I women's soccer.
The Senior CLASS Award was inspired by Duke men's basketball player Shane Battier and his decision to forego the NBA to remain in school all four years. Established in 2001, the award is presented in 10 NCAA sports and focuses on the total student-athlete, encouraging students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
A Houston native, Abam is the fifth Mountaineer in four seasons to collect a Senior CLASS All-America honor. Today's award is Abam's second career All-America recognition; she was named to the NSCAA second team in 2016. One of two team captains, she also is a semifinalist for the 2017 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy.
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. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Stanford University midfielder Andi Sullivan was named the 2017 Senior CLASS Award winner for NCAA Division I women's soccer.
Abam, who was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region First Team earlier this week, leaves the WVU women's soccer program ranked No. 3 all-time with 42 career goals and No. 4 with 100 points (42 G, 16 A). She is the most experienced player in the program's 22-year history, having earned time in 95 career matches. Abam capped her four-year career with 79 starts.
For the fourth straight season, Abam led the Mountaineer offense, finishing the 2017 season with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists; she finished with double-digit goal totals in each season but her first. The 10 goals ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference, while the 23 points ranked No. 2. Four of her goals were game-winners, the 53rd-best total nationally.
Abam earned her third All-Big 12 First Team honor this season. She also was named to the All-Big 12 Championship Team and the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. Additionally, Abam was tabbed the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10.
In her four years at WVU, Abam helped the Mountaineers compile a 74-11-10 record. WVU earned four straight bids to the NCAA Tournament and finished as the 2016 NCAA National Runner-Up. The team reached the NCAA Third Round three times and the NCAA Quarterfinals twice. The Mountaineers claimed five Big 12 Conference titles and were ranked No. 1 nationally for nine total weeks.
An athletic coaching education major, Abam is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 Team honoree. She also was named to the Dean's List, the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and WVU's Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.
Throughout her four years at WVU, Abam has made visits to the WVU Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House with her teammates. Additionally, she has assisted in the program's efforts to raise money for breast cancer research, and she spent the summer of 2017 volunteering with Mountaineer United Soccer Club.
The award, chosen by a vote of Division I women's soccer coaches, national soccer media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I women's soccer.
The Senior CLASS Award was inspired by Duke men's basketball player Shane Battier and his decision to forego the NBA to remain in school all four years. Established in 2001, the award is presented in 10 NCAA sports and focuses on the total student-athlete, encouraging students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
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