2009 All-MIAA Soccer Team Announced

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Five players from the 2009 MIAA Champion Truman soccer team were named All-MIAA First Team to headline the all-conference team released by the league office Thursday. The selections were made by the league's nine head coaches, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
Nebraska-Omaha freshman forward Nicole Baier is the 2009 MIAA Player of the Year after leading the conference in points (43), goals (16) and assists (11). The Omaha, Neb., product tied for the league lead with six game-winning goals. Baier was also a unanimous All-MIAA First Team selection.
 
Truman forward Olivia Hayes was voted 2009 MIAA Freshman of the Year after a season in which she tied for the league lead with six game-winning goals, ranked second in the conference in goals (12) and third in points (24). The Clayton, Mo., native was a unanimous All-MIAA First Team selection as well.
 
Truman head coach Mike Cannon was named 2009 MIAA Coach of the Year for the eighth time after leading the Bulldogs to their ninth MIAA Championship in 11 years. Truman earned a berth in the 2009 NCAA Division II Tournament and will now have eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament under Cannon.
 
Central Missouri and Nebraska-Omaha tied for the second-most first team honorees with three apiece, followed by Northwest Missouri with one.
 
Truman (No. 4 seed) and Nebraska-Omaha (No. 5 seed) will play each other in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament Friday at Noon CT in Canyon, Texas, on the campus of West Texas A&M. The winner will move on to face No. 1 seed West Texas A&M in the second round Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. Truman and Nebraska-Omaha split their two meetings this season, with UNO winning 4-1 Sept. 12 in Omaha, Neb., and TSU winning 1-0 Sept. 26 in Kirksville, Mo.

2009 ALL-MIAA SOCCER TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nicole Baier, Fr., F, Nebraska-Omaha
 
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Olivia Hayes, F, Truman
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Cannon, Truman
 
FIRST TEAM
GK: Kira Lazenby, Sr., Northwest Missouri
D: Megan Jensen, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha
D: Jenna Stones, Fr., Central Missouri
D: Theresa Bauler, Sr., Truman
D: Kelsey Richters, Sr., Truman
MF: Katie Reuck, Sr., Truman** [r1][r1]
MF: Alyssa Rhodes, So., Central Missouri [r1]
MF: Megan Buri, So., Truman
F: Melanie Hall, Sr., Central Missouri** [r1]
F: Nicole Baier, Fr., Nebraska-Omaha**
F: Olivia Hayes, Fr., Truman**
F: Jessica Powers, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha
 
**Unanimous Selection
[r1] - Repeat first team selection from last season
[r1][r1] - Repeat first team selection from the last two seasons
 
SECOND TEAM
GK: Lauren Bamvakais, Sr., Central Missouri
D: Katie O'Keefe, So., Central Missouri
D: Jessica Braun, Sr., Northwest Missouri
D: Audrey Copenhaver, So., Missouri Southern
D: Jessica Decker, So., Emporia State
D: Caitlin Tull, Sr., Southwest Baptist
D: Dani Sicard, Jr., Washburn
MF: Lauren Henry, So., Washburn
MF: Kayla Shain, Fr., Central Missouri
MF: Kelsey Twellman, Fr., Truman
F: Abby Widrig, Fr., Missouri Western
F: Andrea Tritz, Sr., Northwest Missouri
F: Leah Talley, Fr., Washburn
F: Tia Stovall, Fr., Washburn
 
[Note: Ties in voting created two additional spots at defender]
 
HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Kelsie Hanson, Fr., MF; Cara Hennahane, So., F
 
Emporia State: Tessa Pettyjohn, So., D
 
Missouri Southern: Jentri White, Sr., MF; Michelle Dimza, So., MF; Stephanie Heines, Sr., F
 
Missouri Western: Molly Slattery, So., D; Erin Widrig, Fr., D; Ashlyn Castillo, Fr., MF; Jessica Martin, Jr., F; Audrey Henderson, So., F
 
Nebraska-Omaha: Lauren Fox, Jr., GK
 
Northwest Missouri: Jacque Dedovesh, So., D; Heidi Sobota, Sr., MF; Sara Meidlinger, Sr., MF
 
Southwest Baptist: Megan Link, Fr., GK; Taylor Vick, Fr., D/F; Vanessa Roher, Sr., D; Kelly Isaac, So., MF; Lindsey Boden, Jr., MF; Jaymye Ross, Jr., F
 
Truman: Jayne Grisham, So., GK
 
Washburn: Jordan Shefte, Jr., D; Angela Wiseman, Sr., MF; Ashley Taylor, Sr., F