DENVER ?“ The 2005 women?™s soccer all-WAC teams were announced today, as selected by the conference?™s coaches. WAC regular season champion, Hawai'i, placed three on the conference?™s first team, while Fresno State led the way with four. The 2005 Offensive Player of the Year went to Hawai'i senior forward, Natasha Kai, her third honor. Junior defender, Rochelle Jagdeo of Fresno State was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year. This is the first season for both an offensive and defensive Player of the Year. Freshman of the Year was awarded to San Jose State forward Liz Behlen, while Coach of the Year went to Hawai'i?™s Pinsoom Tenzing, who went 5-2 in conference play. Tenzing also reached the 100-win plateau this season.
Kai, a native of Kahuku, Oahu, picked up her third Player of the Year honor, scoring eight goals in just six WAC matches. Including her two assists, she tallied 18 points in 2005. Kai posted a new WAC record with 58 shots. She passed her won record set in 2004 of 49. The senior picked up a hat trick late in the season, scoring three goals against Nevada. She also a set a single-match record with 16 shots against Louisiana Tech. Kai, a four-time first-team selection, has been among the top offense players in the nation for four years. She owns the WAC career shots record (438), second in goals (71) and points (160).
Jagdeo, a native of Vacaville, Calif., lived up to her preseason billing, anchoring a defense that allowed just five goals in WAC play. The Bulldogs tied for second in the WAC this year, their best finish since winning the regular-season title in 1999. Jagdeo, who played in all seven WAC matches this season, helped goalkeeper Angie Larsen to a WAC best 0.16 goals against average. The Bulldogs posted three shutouts in WAC play, allowing only one goal in their final six matches.
Behlen, a native of Sunnyvale, Calif., was second in the league in scoring, posting six goals and two assists for 14 points. Her offensive efforts also earned her a first-team all-WAC selection. Belhen also ranks fifth in the WAC with 22 shots, averaging 3.14 per match. The freshman leads an offense that has scored 19 goals over its last seven matches. A streak that has given San Jose State one loss in those matches.
Pinsoom, the only coach of the Hawai'i soccer program, led the Wahine to a 5-2 WAC record. It is the first outright league title for Hawai'i, sharing the title with SMU in 2003. The 10-year head coach reached the 100-win plateau with a, 2-0, win over San Jose State. This is his first Coach of the Year honor. Both of the Rainbow Wahine losses were by one goal, giving them the top defense in the league. Hawai'i allowed just three goals in seven matches, shutting out its opponents in each WAC win.
Fresno State led all teams, with four student-athletes on the all-WAC first team and one on the second. Forward Natasha Kai of Hawai'i earned her fourth first-team nod. Fresno State forward, Cortney Sobrero, joins freshman Liz Behlen of San Jose State and Charity Weston of Utah State as the league?™s top forwards. San Jose State?™s Nicole Irwin leads the midfield corps, setting up one of the WAC?™s top offenses. Joining Irwin are Kortney Lewis of Fresno State who tallied six points to lead the Bulldogs and Hawai'i?™s Jessica Domingo. There are three defenders on the first team, including Koren Takeyama who led the WAC?™s stingiest defense. Rochelle Jagdeo follows up her Defensive Player of the Year honor with a first-team selection. Utah?™s State Elizabeth Masson rounds out the defenders. The first-team goalkeeper belongs to Fresno State Angie Larsen who posted a 0.16 goals against average in 2005.
The WAC Tournament begins Thursday, Nov. 3, with four teams playing in the quarterfinal round at the Boas Soccer Complex in Boise, Idaho. Fourth-seeded Utah State takes on fifth-seeded Fresno State at 12:00 p.m. (MT), while third-seeded Nevada and sixth-seeded Boise State face off at 2:30 p.m. The winners advance to the semifinals to play top-seeded Hawai'i and second-seeded San Jose State, respectively, on Nov. 4. The championship match is set for 11:00 a.m. on Nov. 5.
The complete list of the all-WAC teams follows:
First Team
Fsssssssss Liz Behlen, Fr., San Jose State
Fsssssssss Natasha Kai, Sr., Hawai'i
Fsssssssss Cortney Sobrero, Jr., Fresno State
Fsssssssss Charity Weston, Jr., Utah State
MFssssss Jessica Domingo, So., Hawai'i
MFssssss Nicole Irwin, So., San Jose State
MFssssss Kortney Lewis, Sr., Fresno State
Dsssssssss Rochelle Jagdeo, Jr., Fresno State
Dsssssssss Elizabeth Masson, Sr., Utah State
Dsssssssss Koren Takeyama, So., Hawai'i
GKssssss Angie Larsen, Jr., Fresno State
Second Team
Fsssssssss Adria Campbell, Jr., Hawai'i
Fsssssssss Samantha Miller, Fr., Nevada
Fsssssssss Miranda Montejo, Fr., Nevada
MFssssss Aivi Luik, Jr., Nevada
MFssssss Tiffany McQueen, Sr., Utah State
MFssssss Alison Sill, Fr., Fresno State
Dsssssssss Krisha Kai, Jr., Hawai'i
Dsssssssss Randee Robinson, Fr., Nevada
Dsssssssss Allison Tsuchida, So., Boise State
Dsssssssss Jessica Wilcox, So., Nevada
GKssssss Kori Lu, Fr., Hawai'i
Offensive Player of the Year: Natasha Kai, Sr., F, Hawai'i
Defensive Player of the Year: Rochelle Jagdeo, Jr., D, Fresno State
Freshman of the Year: Liz Behlen, F, San Jose State
Coach of the Year: Pinsoom Tenzing, Hawai'i