Photo by: Steven Prunty
St. Georges Named Team MVP
April 29, 2018 12:12 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Junior defender Bianca St. Georges was named Team MVP at the West Virginia University women's soccer season-ending banquet, held Saturday, April 28, at the WVU Art Museum.
A 2017 co-captain, St. Georges, a native of St. Felix de Valois, Quebec, anchored a Mountaineer defense which tallied 13 shutouts en route to a third-round appearance in the 2017 NCAA Tournament and a 16-4-3 overall record. She also finished ranked No. 2 on the team with six assists, the fifth-best total in the Big 12. St. Georges recorded her first career goals this season and finished the year with 10 points (2 G, 6 A), the seventh-best total on the team. A two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team.
The undisputed team leader in the classroom, St. Georges boasts a 4.0 grade point average and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team in November, as well as the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Second Team. A member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, she also has landed on the President's List, the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.
Senior co-captain Michaela Abam was named the Offensive MVP for the second straight season. The Houston native again led the Mountaineer attack for the fourth year, pacing the WVU offense with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists. The 10 goals ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference, and the 23 points ranked No. 2. Four of Abam's scores were game-winners, the 53rd-best total nationally.
The most experienced player in program history, having earned time in 95 career matches, Abam capped her four-year career with 79 starts. She ranks No. 3 all-time with 42 career goals and No. 4 with 100 points (42, G, 16 A).
A three-time All-American, Abam was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. A Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honoree on Oct. 10, she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team for the third time and also landed on the All-Big 12 Championship Team.
In January, Abam was drafted fourth overall by Sky Blue FC in the 2018 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft.
Junior Easther Mayi Kith was named the team's defensive MVP. A starter at center back in all 23 matches, the Quebec City, Quebec, native played a big part in the backline's 13 clean sheets. An All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, she was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5. Mayi Kith also was named to the United Soccer Coaches Women's Scholar All-South Region Second Team and to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
Juniors Vanessa Flores and Grace Cutler shared the Most Improved Player honor.
Flores, a native of Baytown, Texas, started all 23 matches at center back. She tallied her first career goal this year, a game-winner at No. 20 Princeton, and finished with three points (1 G, 1 A). Flores was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honor, as well as a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week, on Sept. 19. She also was named to the United Soccer Coaches Women's Scholar All-South Region Third Team and the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
After moving to midfield early this season, Cutler started the final 20 matches and finished with four points (1 G, 2 A). A native of Fort Collins, Colorado, Cutler was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
Senior Amandine Pierre-Louis was selected for the Mountaineer S.O.C.C.E.R award. The award is given by the coaching staff to the student-athlete who displays good sportsmanship, optimism, character, concern, effort and respect. The Montreal, Quebec, native enjoyed a stellar final season, as she was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team and was the co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. A starter at outside back in all but the final match of the season, Pierre-Louis also was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and the All-Big 12 Championship Team. She finished the season ranked No. 5 on the team with 11 points (5 G, 1 A), and she ranks No. 3 in program history in career matches played (92).
In January, Pierre-Louis was drafted sixth overall by Sky Blue FC in the 2018 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft.
All other team awards were voted on by the student-athletes.
Saturday's banquet was a celebration honoring the 2017 team's success, as well as the careers of seniors Abam, Pierre-Louis, Heather Kaleiohi, Alli Magaletta and Carla Portillo.
A 2017 co-captain, St. Georges, a native of St. Felix de Valois, Quebec, anchored a Mountaineer defense which tallied 13 shutouts en route to a third-round appearance in the 2017 NCAA Tournament and a 16-4-3 overall record. She also finished ranked No. 2 on the team with six assists, the fifth-best total in the Big 12. St. Georges recorded her first career goals this season and finished the year with 10 points (2 G, 6 A), the seventh-best total on the team. A two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team.
The undisputed team leader in the classroom, St. Georges boasts a 4.0 grade point average and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team in November, as well as the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Second Team. A member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, she also has landed on the President's List, the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.
Senior co-captain Michaela Abam was named the Offensive MVP for the second straight season. The Houston native again led the Mountaineer attack for the fourth year, pacing the WVU offense with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists. The 10 goals ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference, and the 23 points ranked No. 2. Four of Abam's scores were game-winners, the 53rd-best total nationally.
The most experienced player in program history, having earned time in 95 career matches, Abam capped her four-year career with 79 starts. She ranks No. 3 all-time with 42 career goals and No. 4 with 100 points (42, G, 16 A).
A three-time All-American, Abam was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. A Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honoree on Oct. 10, she was named to the All-Big 12 First Team for the third time and also landed on the All-Big 12 Championship Team.
In January, Abam was drafted fourth overall by Sky Blue FC in the 2018 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft.
Junior Easther Mayi Kith was named the team's defensive MVP. A starter at center back in all 23 matches, the Quebec City, Quebec, native played a big part in the backline's 13 clean sheets. An All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, she was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5. Mayi Kith also was named to the United Soccer Coaches Women's Scholar All-South Region Second Team and to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
Juniors Vanessa Flores and Grace Cutler shared the Most Improved Player honor.
Flores, a native of Baytown, Texas, started all 23 matches at center back. She tallied her first career goal this year, a game-winner at No. 20 Princeton, and finished with three points (1 G, 1 A). Flores was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honor, as well as a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week, on Sept. 19. She also was named to the United Soccer Coaches Women's Scholar All-South Region Third Team and the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
After moving to midfield early this season, Cutler started the final 20 matches and finished with four points (1 G, 2 A). A native of Fort Collins, Colorado, Cutler was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
Senior Amandine Pierre-Louis was selected for the Mountaineer S.O.C.C.E.R award. The award is given by the coaching staff to the student-athlete who displays good sportsmanship, optimism, character, concern, effort and respect. The Montreal, Quebec, native enjoyed a stellar final season, as she was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team and was the co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. A starter at outside back in all but the final match of the season, Pierre-Louis also was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and the All-Big 12 Championship Team. She finished the season ranked No. 5 on the team with 11 points (5 G, 1 A), and she ranks No. 3 in program history in career matches played (92).
In January, Pierre-Louis was drafted sixth overall by Sky Blue FC in the 2018 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft.
All other team awards were voted on by the student-athletes.
Saturday's banquet was a celebration honoring the 2017 team's success, as well as the careers of seniors Abam, Pierre-Louis, Heather Kaleiohi, Alli Magaletta and Carla Portillo.
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