| NCCSIA Announces 2008 College Division Women's Soccer All State Team |
| Wednesday, December 17, 2008 | |
Raleigh, N.C. –
Eleven student-athletes representing six institutions were selected to the
sixth annual North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA)
College Division All-State women’s soccer team. Senior forward Melanie Cobb
(pictured right) from the University of North Carolina Pembroke was the only
unanimous pick. Returners from last year’s
NCCSIA All State honorees include defender Alyssa Schoenberg of Catawba College
and midfielders Alex Calvert of Meredith College and Tessa Hall of Greensboro
College.
The team consists of student-athletes from NCAA Division II and Division III colleges and universities throughout the state. North Carolina sports information professionals submitted nominees and NCCSIA members selected the teams. The All-State unit consists of one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders, and three forwards. All student-athletes involved with ties in the voting process were included on the All-State team. The team is highlighted by three members from UNC Pembroke and two members from Meredith College to gain NCCSIA All-State selections. Melanie Cobb was the lone unanimous pick on the women’s team and led the group of forwards. The Richlands, N.C. native is a three-time all-region (2006-08), two-time all-conference (2005, 2008) and two-time All-Peach Belt Tournament (2006, 2008) team honoree. She is the UNC Pembroke career record holder in points, goals scored and hat tricks and also holds the single season school records in points, goals scored and shots. Cobb ranked 23rd nationally in points per game and 28th in goals per game. Lauren Linehan of Lenoir-Rhyne University and Maggie Hart of Meredith College complete the team at the forward position. Linehan, a freshman from San Diego, Calif., led the Bears this season to a 13-6-2 record, the team’s most victories since the 2002 season. Linehan was named to the 2008 All-South Atlantic Conference First Team after scoring 16 goals and dishing out five assists for 37 points. Hart, a junior from Mooresville, N.C., earned 2008 USA South Women's Soccer All-Conference First Team honors and was the USA South Women's Soccer Player of the Week once during the season. Hart was tied for the season team high in goals and points, provided four game winners, and helped lead Meredith to their second NCAA tournament in three years. The midfield position was led by Meredith College’s Alex Calvert. Calvert was named the 2008 USA South Women's Soccer Tournament Most Valuable Player and earned 2008 USA South Women's Soccer All-Conference First Team honors. The Wilson, N.C. native tied the team high in goals and points and had five game winners. Calvert scored two goals in Meredith’s win over Christopher Newport to earn the USA South Conference Tournament Championship and NCAA tournament bid. Rounding out the midfielder honors are Tessa Hall of Greensboro College, Danielle Minichello of Methodist University and Megan Blevins of Pheiffer University. Hall, the junior from Greensboro, N.C. was named to the 2008 USA South first team and had a hat trick in Greensboro College’s win over NCAA bound Meredith College. Hall also earned USA South player of the week honors during the season Minichello, the freshman for Eden, N.C., saw action in 17 games and scored 14 goals with two assists, including four game winners. Minichello earned Rookie of the Week honors three times, was named USA South Rookie of the Year and was placed on the USA South First Team. Blevins, the junior from Copley, Ohio, notched four goals and nine assists this season for the Falcons, including two game winners. Blevins was a 2008 1st team All-Conference and 2008 NSCAA 2nd team All-Region selection. Blevins led her team through the Conference Carolinas Championship game and appearance in the NCAA regional tournament. The goalkeeper voting was dominated by the University of North Carolina Pembroke’s Whitney Beverly, earning all but one vote for the position. The Richland, N.C native was named 2008 Daktronics all-American & all-region, Peach Belt all-conference and all-tournament. She matched the Peach Belt single season shutout record with 14 while shattering the UNC Pembroke record. Beverly tallied a goal against average of .566 which also ranked second in the Peach Belt and 14th nationally. Three defenders dominated the voting in their position. Alyssia Schoenberg of Catawba College, Amanda Maddock of Belmont Abbey College and Lauren Townsend of the University of North Carolina Pembroke. Schoenberg, the senior from Woodbury, Minn., was named first team All-South Atlantic Conference and first team All-Southeast Region. She helped Catawba equal a school-record 16 wins as the Lady Indians advanced to the NCAA II region semifinal. Schoenberg has twice earned All-SAC and all-region honors and has been named to the SAC All-Tournament team three times. Maddock, the junior from Phoenix, Ariz., was a third-team All-America selection by Daktronics. She played right back on a defense that allowed just one goal in conference play and 0.11 goals against average. Maddock scored three goals and assisted on four others. Townsend, the senior from Fuquay-Varina, N.C, was named 2008 Daktronics all-region, all-conference and All-Peach Belt Tournament. She has started all 23 games as an integral part of a UNC Pembroke defense that ranks 14th in the nation in shutout percentage (14 of 23) and 14th in goals against average. About NCCSIA Founded in 2002, NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions from the state of North Carolina. The organization seeks to promote collegiate athletics and student-athletes at all schools. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina, and whose area of responsibility lies within sports information. NCSSIA selects All-State teams for men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball on the College (Division II, III, NAIA) and University (Division I) levels. More than 650 student-athletes have been recognized on NCCSIA All-State teams since 2003. The 2008 NCCSIA College Division Women’s Soccer All State Team – College Division Goalkeeper: Whitney Beverly, senior, University of North Carolina Pembroke, Richlands, N.C. Defender: Alyssa Schoenberg, senior, Catawba College, Woodbury, Minn. % Defender: Amanda Maddock, junior, Belmont Abbey College, Phoenix, Ariz. Defender: Lauren Townsend, senior, University of North Carolina Pembroke, Fuquay-Varina, N.C. Midfielder: Alex Calvert, sophomore, Meredith College, Wilson, N.C. % Midfielder: Tessa Hall, junior, Greensboro College, Greensboro, N.C. % Midfielder: Danielle Minichello, freshman, Methodist University, Eden, N.C. Midfielder: Megan Blevins, junior, Pfeiffer University, Copley, Ohio Forward: Melanie Cobb, senior, University of North Carolina Pembroke, Richlands, N.C. # Forward: Lauren Linehan, freshman, Lenoir-Rhyne University, San Diego, Calif. Forward: Maggie Hart, junior, Meredith College, Mooresville, N.C. -- # Unanimous NCCSIA All State selection % 2007 NCCSIA All State Pick |