Seven Southland Student-Athletes Named to CoSIDA All-District VI Women's Soccer Team
FRISCO, Texas - Seven Southland Conference student-athletes were named to the 2009 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN the Magazine Academic All District VI Women's Soccer Team in an announcement from the CoSIDA office on Thursday. District VI encompasses all the Division I schools in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and New Mexico.
First-team selections include Dana Mayer of Southeastern Louisiana, Jenny Pence of Sam Houston State and Alana Clark of McNeese State. Lamar's Erin Binagia, Stephen F. Austin's Megan Cash and Texas State's Brittany Curry were second-team selections, while Chelsea Zimmerman of UTSA was placed on the third-team. The Southland is the only conference in District VI with three first-team selections. First-team selections will be placed on the ballot for Academic All-American honors.
Mayer, a biology major with a 4.0 grade point average, marks her third consecutive season to the Academic All-District team, as the Toronto, Ontario, native was a first-team selection as a sophomore and a second-team pick in 2008. Mayer was also a first-team All-Southland and All-Academic selection in 2007 and 2008, while also earning All-South Region Academic honors as a junior.
Pence, a junior goalkeeper from Kingwood, Texas, is a kinesiology major with a 4.0 GPA. She started 17 games her freshman year, 16 games her sophomore season, and 17 so far this season. Pence holds nearly all of Sam Houston's career goalkeeping records and currently leads the conference in saves with 128.
Clark, a junior midfielder from Tucson, Arizona, holds a 3.51 GPA in health and human performance. She has started at least 18 games in each season with McNeese. Clark is currently second in the Southland in shots with 57 and 3.35 per game. She is also tied for sixth in points with 19. Clark has scored eight goals and notched three assists this season for the Cowgirls.
Binagia, a native of Nederland, Texas, made history in becoming the first player in Lamar's program history to achieve such an honor. She was one of just 12 defenders named to the three teams. Binagia, who was named to the second-team with a 4.0 grade point average in exercise science, has appeared in 41 career games and is one of four three-year letterwinners at Lamar since the program began in 2007. She is a two-time member of the Southland Conference Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll and a four-time President's List honoree.
Cash, a senior from Austin, Texas, is a communication studies major with a 3.91 GPA. She is the leading goal scorer for Stephen F. Austin with seven and is tied for the lead in points with 17. Cash is a two-time All-Southland selection and was an Academic All-Conference selection in 2007.
Curry, a junior from Cypress, Texas, is an accounting major with a 3.32 GPA. She is the all-time leading goal scorer for Texas State, and is the current Southland leader in points with 38 and goals with 16. Curry is a two-time all-conference athlete.
Zimmerman, a junior midfielder from Mansfield, Texas, holds a 3.38 GPA in business. She is currently third on the team in points with 10 and second in assists with four.
To be nominated for inclusion on the Academic All-District teams, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position listed to be eligible. No student-athlete is eligible until he or she has completed one full calendar year at his/her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The teams are selected by the sports information directors members of CoSIDA.
2009 Academic All-District VI Women's Soccer Team
First Team
Pos. -- Name - School - Class - Hometown - GPA - Major
GK - Jenny Pence - Sam Houston State - Jr. - Kingwood, Texas - 4.00 - Kinesiology
MF - Alana Clark - McNeese State - Jr. - Tucson, Ariz. - 3.51 - Health and Human Performance
MF - Jael Fanning - New Mexico - So. - Albuquerque, N.M. - 4.14 - Nutrition
MF - Ashley Farrand - Oklahoma - Sr. - Tulsa, Okla. - 3.87 - Zoology
D - Emily Anderson - Texas - Sr. - Austin, Texas - 4.00 - Accounting/MPA Program
D - Melissa Desilets - Texas-El Paso - Jr. - Edmonton, Alberta - 4.00 - Chemistry
D - Dana Mayer - Southeastern Louisiana - Sr. - Toronto, Ont. - 4.00 - Biology
D - Katelyn Ostendorf - Rice - Sr. - Zionsville, Ind. - 4.00 - Biochemisty and Cell Biology/Pre-Med
F - Alexis Ball - New Mexico - Jr. - Albuquerque, N.M. - 4.14 - Biology
F - Rachel King - Louisiana Tech - So. - O'Fallon, Mo. - Kinesiology and Health Promotion
Second Team
Pos. -- Name - School - Class - Hometown - GPA - Major
GK - Amanda Hall - North Texas - Jr. - Colleyville, Texas - 3.78 - History
MF - Danielle Johnson - Mississippi - Sr. - Baton Rouge - 3.55 - Management
MF - Bridget Miller - Oklahoma State - Sr. - Wylie, Texas - 3.78 - Health and Human Performance
MF - Rachel Shipley - Texas A&M - Jr. - Plano, Texas - 3.69 - Business
D - Mackenzie Ayer - Tulsa - Sr. - Lake Quivara, Kan. - 3.93 - Communication
D - Erin Binagia - Lamar - Jr. - Nederland, Texas - 4.00 - Exercise Science
D - Amy Davis - Southern Mississippi - So. - Vestavia Hills, Ala. - 4.00 - Nursing
D - Emily Peterson - Texas A&M - Sr. - Tulsa, Okla. - 3.92 - Finance
F - Kelsey Breadthitt - Mississippi - So. - Lexington, Ky. - 3.73 - Biological Science
F - Megan Cash - Stephen F. Austin - Sr. - Austin, Texas - 3.91 - Communication Studies
F - Britney Curry - Texas State - Jr. - Cypress, Texas - 3.32 - Accounting
F - Lizzy Karoly - TCU - Sr. - Escondido, Calif. - 3.46 - Advertising PR/Communications
F - Jana Mason - Southern Mississippi - Jr. - Tupelo, Miss. - 4.00 - Nutrition and Dietetics
Third Team
Pos. - Name - School - Class - Hometown - GPA - Major
GK - Alley Ronaldi - Mississippi - So. - The Woodlands, Texas - 3.71 - Biological Science
MF - Courtney Chadney - Tulsa - Sr. - Humble, Texas - 3.85 - Communication
MF - Amanda Collins - New Mexico - So. - Aurora, Colo. - 3.85 - Athletic Training
MF - Annika Niemeier - Oklahoma State - Jr. - Willingen-Ussein, Germany - Mechanical Engineering
MF - Kristen Semko - Arkansas-Little Rock - So. - El Paso, Texas - 4.00 - Business
MF - Chelsea Winbush - Texas-El Paso - Sr. - Allen, Texas - 3.41 - English and American Literature
MF - Shelley Wong - Rice - Sr. - Virginia Beach, Va. - 3.79 - Economics and Managerial Studies
MF - Chelsea Zimmerman - Texas-San Antonio - Jr. - Mansfield, Texas - 3.38 - Business
D - Michelle Alexander - Oklahoma - So. - Sugarland, Texas - 3.65 - Energy Management
D - Erica Campanelli - Texas - Jr. - Plano, Texas - 3.83 - Sport Management
D - Meredith Snow - Mississippi - So. - Cincinnati, Ohio - 3.48 - Liberal Arts
F - Kelsey Perlman - North Texas - So. - Allen, Texas - 4.00 - Journalism
Bold indicates Southland Athletes