Nov. 2, 2004

Irving, Texas - Conference USA announced its 2004 all-league teams and postseason award winners for women's soccer on Tuesday, one day before the start of the 10th-annual C-USA Tournament scheduled for Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 3-6 at Robert R. Hermann Stadium in St. Louis. The awards are selected by the league's head women's soccer coaches.

Coming off their first regular season title since 1999, the top-seeded and tournament host Saint Louis Billikens were well represented in the individual awards. Head Coach Tim Champion earned Coach of the Year honors after guiding his squad to a 9-1 record in league play, while Billiken defender Courtney Hulcer was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

The Coach of the Year honor is Champion's second in his nine seasons with the school. Saint Louis midfielder Dee Guempel and goalkeeper Amanda Martin joined Hulcer on the All C-USA First Team.

UAB forward Tara Kidwell is the first Blazer in school history to be named the league's Offensive Player of the Year. The senior leads C-USA in goals (13) and points (31) entering the tournament. Kidwell was also the top goal scorer in league games this season with nine. Kidwell was joined by teammate Brianna McCarty on the All C-USA First Team.

Charlotte midfielder Lindsey Beam garners the league's Freshman of the Year honor after leading the 49ers in goals (5), assists (5) and points (15) this season. She is third 49er rookie to earn the top freshman accolade (Courtney Crandell, 2002; and Jill Currie, 1997). Beam also earned spots on the second-team All C-USA squad and All-Freshman team.

Joining Hulcer, Guempel, Morris, Kidwell and McCarty on the league's first team are Louisville forward Jamie Craft, East Carolina forward Meghan McCallion, DePaul midfielder Julianne Sitch, Marquette midfielder Julie Thompson, and defenders Gina Lower of Louisville and Leanne McGee of Memphis.

McCallion and Sitch, who was the conference's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, both earned first team all-league honors a season ago. Craft was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2003.

Saint Louis had the most All-Conference selections with five and was the only team to place three players on the all-league first team. Marquette, UAB and USF each had four all-conference picks, with UAB putting two players on the first team squad.

2004 CONFERENCE USA WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS
All C-USA First Team
F       Jamie Craft, Louisville
F       Tara Kidwell, UAB
F       Meghan McCallion, East Carolina
MF      Dee Guempel, Saint Louis
MF      Julianne Sitch, DePaul
MF      Julie Thompson, Marquette
D       Courtney Hulcer, Saint Louis
D       Gina Lower, Louisville
D       Leanne McGee, Memphis
D       Brianna McCarty, UAB
GK      Amanda Martin, Saint Louis
All C-USA Second Team
F       Jamie Perry, Saint Louis
F       Jessie Moore, TCU
MF      Lindsey Beam, Charlotte
MF      Jenny Rynders, UAB
MF      Katie Reed, USF
MF      Kelly Ferguson, Saint Louis
MF      Nikki Hawkins, Houston
D       Renee Balconi, USF
D       Ashley George, Marquette
D       Jill Leeder, Charlotte
GK      Katie Bissen, Marquette
All C-USA Third Team
F       Meghan Connelly, Marquette
F       Lauren Prewitt, Southern Miss
F       Carla Scanniello, Memphis
MF      Jackie Obert, Tulane
MF      Erin Walter, DePaul
MF      Stacci Sastre, USF
MF      Melissa Savage, Memphis
D       Rachel Cabecerias, East Carolina
D       Pam Cooney, UAB
D       Amy Seng, Louisville
GK      Breck Bankester, USF
All-Freshman Team
Jen Avila, Louisville
Lindsey Beam, Charlotte
Jennifer Dyer, DePaul
Monique Gjini, Louisville
Natalie Haerens, Memphis
Maureen Kole, Marquette
Sally Palmer, UAB
Jill Porto, UAB
Erica Robinson, Louisville
Carla Scanniello, Memphis
Cassi Winchell, Saint Louis
Shannon VanMatre, Saint Louis
Coach of the Year
Tim Champion, Saint Louis
Offensive Player of the Year
Tara Kidwell, UAB
Defensive Player of the Year
Courtney Hulcer, Saint Louis
Freshman of the Year
Lindsey Beam, Charlotte