EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – UW-Eau Claire women's soccer coach Sean Yengo recently announced the winners of the annual team awards at the year-end banquet.
Gina Williams (Sr.-Madison, Wis./Verona Area) was selected as the team MVP and was also named the Offensive Player of the Year. Williams led the Blugolds and tied for first in the WIAC with 31 goals this season, a mark that ranked 10th best in program history for most points in a single season. She also led the Blugolds and WIAC with 14 goals and tied for first in the conference with five game-winners. She was named to the All-WIAC first team and earned Capital One Academic All-America Third Team honors, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, along with being named to the NSCAA All-North Region third team. She was named the team's most improved player in 2010.
Named Defensive Player of the Year was Nina Behrenbrinker (Jr.-St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall). Starting all 19 games in-goal this season, Behrenbrinker played more than 1,719 minutes and allowed just 22 goals for a goals-against-average of 1.15, third best in the conference. She had a .810 save percentage, fourth best in the league, as she stopped 94 shots.
Selected as the Practice Player of the Year for the second time in her career was Katie Richter (Sr.-Waukesha, Wis./West). Playing in 18 games, Richter recorded four goals and one assist for a total of nine points, third best on the team.
Ashley O'Connell (Fr.-Appleton, Wis./East) was honored by being named the Alumni Freshman Player of the Year. O'Connell started 18 games and was part of a defense that allowed 23 goals and 240 shots while the Blugolds finished with 29 goals and 288 shots. She was also named to the All-WIAC first team this season.
Honored with the Most Improved award was Ashley Seymour (Fr.-Verona, Wis./Verona Area). She played in all 19 games this season and assisted on one goal.
Allie Stone (Jr.-Madison, Wis./Verona Area) earned Playmaker of the Year honors for the second time in the past three years. Stone recorded four assists, second most on the team and tied for eighth in the conference. She also scored one goal, totaling six points for the season. An All-WIAC first team selection this year, she was also the Alumni Freshman Player of the Year in 2010.
Kara Ryan (Jr.-Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) received the Golden Shoe award. Ryan, who was an All-WIAC first team pick this year, scored one goal and picked up three assists as she played in 18 games.
The Blugolds finished the season with a 9-8-2 overall record while going 6-2 in the conference, taking second place.
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