Nov. 4, 2008

MEMPHIS, TENN. - Five members of the University of Memphis' 2008 C-USA regular season champion women's soccer team received All-Conference USA honors as announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon.

Sophomore midfielder Vendula Strnadova received C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, and for the second year in a row was named to the All-C-USA first team. Senior midfielder Emiko Schwab, sophomore defender Kelsey Bakker, and freshman forward Lizzy Simonin received All-C-USA second team honors. Freshman midfielder Lizzy Hildebrandt and Simonin earned All-Freshman selections. Simonin was also named Co-Freshman of the Year.

Strnadova played in 17 games for the Lady Tigers recording seven goals and scoring in five consecutive C-USA games against Houston, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and Marshall. She added three assists on the year for a total of 17 points in 2008 including three game winning goals. She was All-Freshman of the year in 2007.

As team co-captain, Schwab registered three goals and an assist playing all 18 games for the 2008 Lady Tigers in a versatile role in both the midfield and the defensive backfield. She was named to the All-C-USA second team in 2007.

Bakker was part of a defensive backfield that logged a 1.06 goals against average in 2008 and only 9.8 shots per game. She was named C-USA defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 13.

Simonin was Oct. 27 C-USA Offensive Player of the week. She is the Memphis scoring leader with eight goals and three assists totaling 19 points including three game winning goals.

Hildebrandt has scored three goals in 2008 while playing in all 18 games for the Lady Tigers in her freshman campaign.

The Memphis squad kicks off their 2008 C-USA Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Rice Soccer and Track Stadium against UAB. The last game of the regular season for the Lady Tigers was against the same UAB team who they beat 2-1 to clinch a share of the 2008 C-USA regular season championship.

2008 C-USA WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Year
Vendula Strnadova, Memphis

Defensive Player of the Year
Amber Campbell, East Carolina

Midfielder of the Year
Vendula Strnadova, Memphis

Co-Freshmen of the Year
Lizzy Simonin, Memphis
Tiffini Turpin, UAB

Coach of the Year
Rob Donnenwirth, East Carolina

All-Conference First Team
F: Erin Scott, Rice
F: Tameka Sumter, UTEP
F: Tiffini Turpin, UAB
MF: Vendula Strnadova, Memphis
MF: Becca Thomas, UCF
MF: Shelley Wong, Rice
D: Madison Keller, East Carolina
D: Nikki Moore, UCF
D: Kim Peabody, SMU
D: Molly Uyenishi, Colorado College
GK: Amber Campbell, East Carolina

All-Conference Second Team
F: Yvonne George, UCF
F: Kelly LaVoie, Colorado College
F: Sarah McFadden, Southern Miss
F: Lizzy Simonin, Memphis
MF: Kate Edwards, Rice
MF: Emiko Schwab, Memphis
MF: Chelsea Winbush, UTEP
D: Kelsey Bakker, Memphis
D: Alexa Coralli, Rice
D: Jessica Rathweg, Houston
D: Savanna Russo, East Carolina
GK: Aline Reis, UCF

All-Freshman Team
Kelsey Wise, MF, Colorado College
Caitlin Hulyo, GK, Colorado College
Amanda Malkiewicz, F, East Carolina
Stephanie Derieg, D, Houston
Angela DeSumma, F/MF, Marshall
*Lizzy Simonin, F, Memphis
Lizzy Hildebrandt, MF, Memphis
Hope Ward, F, Rice
Logan May, F, SMU
Carolyn Polcari, MF, UAB
*Tiffini Turpin, F, UAB
Stacie Hubbard, MF, UCF
Aline Reis, GK, UCF

*unanimous selection