DENVER The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) named seven WAC soccer players to the 2002 all-Central team. Forward Tara Comfort of SMU was named to the first team. Goalkeeper Erin McLeod and defender Diana Kelm of SMU and forward Holly Cohen of UTEP were all named to the regions second team. On the third team are defender Sasha Andrews of SMU, midfielder Kelly Parker of UTEP and forward Danielle Fauteux of Tulsa.
Tara Comfort, a senior from Carrollton, Texas, scored seven goals with four assists on the season helping SMU to advance to the second round of the womens College Cup before falling to Texas A&M on penalty kicks. Comfort was a first-team all-WAC selection as well as being named to the WAC Preseason Player of the Year. She was a 2001 second-team all-Central selection in 2001.
SMU goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who landed a second-team all-Central region honor, was a 2001 first-team selection. She was the WACs top goalkeeper this season, leading the conference in goals against average at 0.96. McLeod, the WACs first-team keeper, had four shutouts in WAC play. Fellow Mustang, Diana Kelm, followed up both her WAC all-tournament and first-team all-WAC honors with a second-team all-Central region selection. UTEPs Holly Cohen, who finished the regular season fourth in the nation with 2.81 points per match, was a second-team all-Central region selection. Cohen had three hat tricks on the season, helping UTEP to a 16-3 record. Cohen, a first-team Verizon Academic All-American, was the 2002 WAC Tournament MVP.
Sasha Andrews of SMU earned a third-team all-Central region selection, after helping the Mustangs win their second-straight WAC Tournament title. Andrews is also a first-team all-WAC member. Kelly Parker of UTEP, who finished the regular season second in the nation in with one assist per game, picked up a third-team all-Central region selection. Parker was named a first-team all-WAC member. Tulsas Danielle Fauteux was one of four freshman on this years all-Central region team. Fauteux posted three hat tricks in 2002, while being named a first-team all-WAC selection.
The following are the 2002 teams:
First Team
Meghan Burke GK Sr. Saint Louis
Keeley Dowling D So. Tennessee
Laura Kram D So. Texas
Jessica Martin D Sr. Texas A&M
Katie McBain M Jr. Texas
Katie Antongiovanni M Sr. Denver
Kristen Strutz M Jr. Texas A&M
Kelly Wilson F So. Texas
Christine Latham F Sr. Nebraska
Lindsay Woodard F So. Texas A&M
Tara Comfort F Sr. SMU
Second Team
Erin McLeod GK So. SMU
Breanna Boyd D Sr. Nebraska
Diana Kelm D Sr. SMU
Jessica Hopkins-Brost D Sr. Texas
Kristen Menard M So. Mississippi
Kristen Warren M Sr. Denver
Jennifer Kehl M Sr. Saint Louis
Rhian Wilkinson F Jr. Tennessee
Holly Cohen F Sr. UTEP
Jamie Perry F So. Saint Louis
Kelly Renie F Fr. Mississippi
Third Team
Katie Jo-Spisak GK Fr. Texas A&M
Jamie Norwood D Jr. Denver
Sasha Andrews D So. SMU
Sara Vienberg D Jr. Louisiana-Lafayette
Jennifer Lewis M Jr. Vanderbilt
Fran Munnelly M Fr. Colorado
Kelly Parker M Sr. UTEP
Kelly McDonald F So. Texas
Marilyn Marin F Jr. North Texas
Danielle Fauteux F Fr. Tulsa
Lulu Quigley F Jr. Creighton