February 1, 2008

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . Five Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) women’s soccer players have been named to the D3Kicks.com All-Central Region Teams as announced by the online publication Thursday, January 31.

Wartburg College junior forward Rachel Oswald (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert) and Loras College senior defender Lauren Schaeflein (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet Catholic) and senior midfielder Katie Ryan (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) were named to the Second Team, while Wartburg College senior midfielder Katelin Gannon (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) and freshman defender Amber Bennett (Sussex, Wis./Catholic Memorial) were named to the Third Team.

Oswald was named the 2007 IIAC Most Valuable Player, a first for a Wartburg women’s soccer player. She led the Knights to a school-record 18 victories, the school’s first league postseason tournament title, and its first berth in NCAA Division III championship field where they advanced to the Round of 16. Oswald led the IIAC in scoring with 34 points on six assists and a league-high 14 goals. She also had a league-high six game-winning goals.

Schaeflein, a First Team All-IIAC selection, appeared in 14 games and helped lead a Loras defense that allowed only five goals and posted a 0.61 goals-against average while going undefeated in league play. The Duhawks also posted seven shutouts in 21 games. Schaeflein is a repeat selection to the D3kicks.com All-Central Region Second Team and finished her career as a four-time All-IIAC selection.

Ryan, a First Team All-IIAC selection, led the Duhawks in scoring with 30 points on 12 goals and six assists. Her point and goal totals ranked third and second, respectively, in the IIAC.

Gannon, a two-time First Team All-IIAC selection, was Wartburg’s third-leading scorer in 2007 with 20 points on eight goals and four assists, posting three game-winning goals.

Bennett, a First Team All-IIAC selection, was a key part of a Wartburg defense that allowed 17 goals in 23 games this season, an IIAC-low average of 0.74 goals per game. The Knights also posted 10 shutouts. Individually, Bennett was Wartburg’s fifth-leading scorer with 15 points on four goals and seven assists. Her assist total was fourth in the IIAC.

The entire 2007 D3Kicks.com Women’s All-Central Region Team follow this release.

2007 D3Kicks.com Women’s All-Central Region Team
FIRST TEAM
Pos.	Name	Yr.	School
GK	Allie Rivard	Jr.	Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
D	Allison Smith	Jr.	Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
D	Anna Talbot	Sr.	Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
D	Kira Davis	Sr.	Wheaton (Ill.) College
MF	Bethany Barton	Sr.	Wheaton (Ill.) College
MF	Caryn Rosoff	So.	Washington (Mo.) University
MF	Liz Kooistra	Jr.	Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
MF	Natalie Lappe	Sr.	Greenville College
F	Grace King	Jr.	Macalester College
F	Sarah Richardson	Sr.	Wheaton (Ill.) College
F	Taryne Lee	So.	Wheaton (Ill.) College
SECOND TEAM
Pos.	Name	Yr.	School
GK	Carrie Sear	Sr.	Washington (Mo.) University
D	Erin Flynn	Jr.	College of Saint Benedict
D	Kari Scheelk	Sr.	Carroll College
D	Lauren Schaeflein	Sr.	Loras College
MF	Chrsity Capkovic	Fr.	Webster (Mo.) University
MF	Kari Klynstra	Jr.	Wheaton (Ill.) College
MF	Katie Ryan	Sr.	Loras College
MF	Ramsey Weyenberg	Jr.	Univ. of Wisconsin-La Crosse
F	Amanda Prawat	Jr.	Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
F	Rachel Oswald	Jr.	Wartburg College
F	Tessa Roberts	Sr.	Augustana (Ill.) College
THIRD TEAM
Pos.	Name	Yr.	School
GK	Jessica Kozeny	Jr.	Webster University
D	Alex Contreras	Sr.	Aurora University
D	Amber Bennett	Fr.	Wartburg College
D	Libby Held	So.	Washington (Mo.) University
MF	Katelin Gannon	Sr.	Wartburg College
MF	Nicole Seviola	Jr.	Northwestern (Minn.) College
MF	Sue Obermiller	Fr.	Concordia College-Moorhead
MF	Trisha Konkol	Sr.	Carroll College
F	Amy Smith	Jr.	Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
F	Jessica Novickas	So.	Aurora University
F	Kelsey McClure	So.	Webster University

-30-