Roeders, Kulla and McBride Claim Major BIG EAST Awards
11/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 4, 2010
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Six members of the Marquette University women's soccer team as well as head coach Markus Roeders were honored Thursday night by the BIG EAST Conference at its annual awards banquet preceding the semifinal games of the BIG EAST Championship in Piscataway, N.J. Natalie Kulla and Kerry McBride received the programs first major BIG EAST awards and were named the league's goalkeeper and defensive player of the year, respectively, while Roeders took home BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season.
Senior Ashley Bares and junior Rachael Sloan earned All-BIG EAST First Team honors, senior midfielder Rosie Malone-Povolny was named to the third team and freshman Maegan Kelly walked away with All-BIG EAST Rookie Team accolades. Not only is it the first time in program history a Marquette student-athlete has won a major BIG EAST Award, but it is also a program first for multiple Golden Eagles to earn All-BIG EAST First Team accolades.
"It is a great night for our program to be honored," said head coach Markus Roeders. It's been a remarkable year; we can't deny that. These six awards show how deep we are as a team. I can't say enough about these young ladies and how much they push each other and play together. It's been so much fun this season just to coach them, be together and we want to keep that going."
Roeders, in his 15th season at the helm of the Golden Eagles, has guided his squad to a 15-3-2 overall record and an unprecedented 11-0-0 BIG EAST mark for the first time in program history en route to the Golden Eagles' straight BIG EAST American Division title this season.
The coach of the year honor marks the second consecutive season and fifth time overall Roeders has been honored with conference coaching honors. He was named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2009, and earned similar accolades in Conference USA in 1996 and 2000.
"Coach of the year is such a great honor. I know how much work Frank, Hideki and Aleks do and very much are apart of this award as well. More than anything the credit should always go to our players because they are out there playing. We are just trying to make them better. They keep playing hard and keep rising to another level. It's a great honor and to us more than anything it is team of the year award. It reflects what we have done as a group and what we have done as Marquette women's soccer," said Roeders.
Kulla followed up her BIG EAST's Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year selection by being named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year. She has played every minute of every match and owns nine shutouts, including five in BIG EAST play. Kulla anchored a team, which ranked third in the BIG EAST with a 0.73 goals against average and second in the league overall with a 0.67 goals against average. Along with goalkeeper of the year honors, Kulla was also named to the All-BIG EAST First Team.
McBride earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors while anchoring Marquette's back line as its sweeper this season. She has helped lead one of the league's best defenses to allow just eight goals in 11 conference games. McBride help limit the opposition to just 3.6 shots on goal per game, including just 3.5 shots on goal in BIG EAST play. McBride was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 25 following a pair of shutouts that secured Marquette its second straight BIG EAST American Division Title. Along with defensive player of the year honors, McBride was also named to the All-BIG EAST First Team.
Sloan, one of Marquette's most dangerous forwards, is third on the team with 14 points on six goals, three of which are game winners, and two assists. Two of her game winners came in BIG EAST play in wins over Georgetown and St. John's. This is Sloan's second consecutive All-BIG EAST First Team selection. She is the only player in program history to earn repeat All-BIG EAST First Team Honors.
Bares, another member of MU's potent attack, is in the midst the best all-around performance of her career with 15 points on five goals and five assists. All five of her goals came in BIG EAST play, including the game-winner in a pivotal road victory at Connecticut. This is Bares second All-BIG EAST selection. She was named to the All-BIG EAST Third Team in 2008.
Malone-Povolny, a mainstay central midfielder, has started in all 20 games this season. She has a career-best 11 points on four goals and three assists. Two of her goals came in BIG EAST play against in wins over Louisville and Syracuse. It is the second straight season Malone-Povolny has been named to the All-BIG EAST Third Team.
Kelly, who has been a spark off the bench for the Golden Eagles, leads the team with 18 points on seven goals and four assists. Five of her goals came in BIG EAST play including two game winners against West Virginia and Syracuse. Kelly was twice named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week on Aug. 30 following her performance in the MKE Cup and on Oct. 25 for her play in wins over Syracuse and St. John's.
Bares, Sloan, Malone-Povolny and Kelly have been integral members of Marquette's attack that ranked second in league games in points (80), goals (26) and goals per game (2.26).
The American Division Champion Golden Eagles will take on No. 3 American Division seed USF at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J. at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on CBS College Sports with Jason Knapp and Tammy Blackburn calling all of the action from the pitch.
