Denver- The 2008 women’s soccer All-WAC
teams were announced Wednesday night, as selected by the conferences eight head
coaches. WAC regular season champion, Utah State,
placed three on the conference first team, as well as four on the second team.
Aggie head coach Heather Cairns and freshman Shantel Flanary took home Coach of
the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, respectively.
Hawaii swept the Player of the Year
honors as Taryn Fukuroku was named Offensive Player of the Year and Nicole
Mikula was voted Defensive Player of the Year. The Rainbow Wahine also placed
three players on the first team and one on the second. This marks the second
year in a row Hawaii
has won both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Fukuroku, a senior from Maui, Hawaii
(Maui HS), earned her first Player of the Year honor after she scored three
goals and added two assists during conference play. This marks the third time
in four years the forward has earned first team honors.
Mikula, a sophomore from Richboro, Penn.
(Council Rock HS), was voted Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in
her career as she anchored the defense for the Rainbow Wahine. This also marks
the second time she earned an all-WAC first team nod.
Flanary, a freshman from Highland,
Utah (Lone Peak HS), helped lead Utah State
to its first undefeated season and the regular season WAC championship. The
forward led all freshmen with three goals and one assist for seven points in
conference action.
Cairns, who is in her sixth season, led the Aggies to school
records in overall regular-season wins (12) and conference wins (7). USU also
has won a school-record seven-straight matches. Utah State
finished the regular-season without a loss or tie to end the 2008 campaign 7-0.
It marks the first time since 2001 that a WAC team has accomplished the feat.
1st team
Nicole
Gutierrez, Sr., F, Fresno
State
Taryn
Fukuroku, Sr., F, Hawai?i
Candice
Clark, Sr., F, Utah
State
Alison
Sill, Sr., MF, Fresno
State
Mari
Punzal, So., MF, Hawai?i
Cristen
Drummond, So., MF, Nevada
Chandra
Salmon, Fr., MF, Utah
State
Selena
Gill, Sr., D, Fresno
State
Nicole
Mikula, So., D, Hawai?i
Lindsey
Smart, Jr., D, Utah
State
Kaitlyn
Revel, So., GK, Fresno
State
2nd team
Shannon
Saxton, So., F, Boise
State
Ambree
Ako, Jr., F, Hawai?i
Shantel
Flanary, Fr., F, Utah
State
Lauren
Hansen, So., F, Utah
State
Brandy
Hickcox, Fr., MF, Boise
State
Molly
Nizzoli, Fr., MF, Fresno
State
Miranda
Montejo, Sr., MF, Nevada
Kendall
VanDine, Fr., D, Fresno
State
Patrice
Godwin, Sr., D, Nevada
Alyssa
Lowry, Sr., D, Utah
State
Ali
Griffin, Sr., GK, Utah
State
Freshman
of the Year ? Shantel Flanary, F, Utah
State
Offensive
Player of the Year ? Taryn Fukuroku, Sr., F, Hawaii
Defensive
Player of the Year ? Nicole Mikula, So., D, Hawaii
Coach of
the Year- Heather Cairns