The Northern Athletics Conference announced its 2009 women's soccer All-Conference Team and
post-season awards. The Aurora University Spartan women's soccer team, winners of the NAC Women's Soccer Championship for the fourth consecutive season, had sophomore forward
Haley Pschirrer (Peoria, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame HS) named Offensive Player of the Year, junior defender
Cait Hartman (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa HS) named Defensive Player of the Year and freshman defender
Britney Schenck (St. Charles, Mo./Orchard Farm HS) named Freshman of the Year.
The Spartans also placed fo
ur players on the First-Team All-Conference Team, two players on the Second-Team, two players on the All-Freshman Team and one player on the All-Sportsmanship Team. The AU women's soccer program will make its sixth NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship appearance in the last nine seasons. AU captured the Northern Athletics Conference championship with a 10-1 regular season record and went 2-0 in the NAC tournament to capture the automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
On the season, the Spartans out-scored their opponents 60 to 19 (21 games). The Spartan women finished the regular season with a 16-5 overall record and captured their 11th conference title in the 16 seasons of the program's existence.
Pschirrer was named the NAC Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Conference after posting 21 goals, six assists and five game-winning goals on the season. Her 21 goals places her third in the
AU women's soccer single-season record book.
Hartman was named the NAC Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Conference, having started in all 21 games for the Spartans at the important sweeper position in the AU defense. The AU defense has allowed 19 goals, with 10 shutouts and a 0.89 goals against average.
Schenck was named the NAC Freshman of the Year, Second-Team All-Conference and All-Freshman Team, having started all 21 games in her first collegiate season as
a Spartan, accumulating four goals, a team-leading 10 assists and one game winning goal. She is a key part of the Spartan defense that has allowed 19 goals, with 10 shutouts and a 0.89 goals against average.
Those garnering NAC women's soccer All-Conference First-Team recognition were Pschirrer, Hartman, senior forward Jessica Novickas (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park HS) with 11 goals, nine assists and five game-winning goals and senior midfielder Nikki Counsell (Oconomowoc, WI/Oconomowoc HS) with four goals, two assists and one game-winning goal.
Schenck and senior midfielder
Amanda Hertz (Las Vegas, Nev./Silverado HS), who had two goals and two assists, were selected as NAC Second-Team All-Conference.
Schenck and goalkeeper Liz Wong (Tucson, AZ/Canyon Del Oro HS) were named to the NAC All-Freshman Team. Wong currently has a 13-4 record with 59
saves, nine shutouts and a 0.73 goals against average.
Rounding out the conference recognition for the Spartans is freshman midfielder Molly Thayer (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley HS). Thayer was named to the NAC All-Sportsmanship Team. On the year she has two goals, one assist and a game-winning goal.
