Nov. 5, 2008

C-USA All-Academic Teams

MEMPHIS, TENN. - Four student-athletes from the Memphis women's soccer team earned spots on the 2008 C-USA Women's Soccer All-Academic Teams which was announced by the league office Wednesday morning.

Senior defender Kate Murphy and 2008 C-USA Offensive Player and Midfielder of the Year, sophomore midfielder Vendula Strnadova, earned C-USA All-Academic first team honors. Junior midfielder Laura "Lauf" Laufenberg and sophomore Kelsey Bakker earned C-USA All-Academic second team awards.

Murphy has held a 4.0 at the University of Memphis since she stepped on campus. She received her third-straight C-USA All-Academic Team honor. Murphy has been a four year contributor in the defensive backfield for the Lady Tigers. She is team co-captain for the second year and international business major with minors in political science and Spanish.

Strnadova, receives her first All-Academic Team honor. The sophomore is majoring in health and human performance and has a 3.97 GPA and is second on the Lady Tiger offense in points (17) and goals with seven.

Laufenberg leads the Lady Tigers in assists with seven and has scored two goals in 2008. The junior holds a 3.63 grade point average in her major of international business.

Bakker, the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week of Oct. 13, grabbed her first All-Academic Team honor. The sophomore has a 3.82 grade point average at the University of Memphis and is undecided on her major.

The Lady Tigers play on Wednesday, Nov. 5 against UAB in the first round of the 2008 C-USA Championship at 5:30 p.m. The Tournament is held at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

A complete list of the Conference USA All-Academic winners follows:

2008 CONFERENCE USA WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMS

First Team Name School
Class GPA Major

Madison Keller East Carolina
Senior 3.75 Biology

*Nicole Moore East Carolina
Senior 4.00 Exercise Psychology

*Shelby Scott Houston
Senior 3.92 Psychology

*Erin Johnson Marshall
Senior 3.86 Pre-Medicine

*Kate Murphy Memphis
Senior 4.00 International Business

Vendula Strnadova Memphis
Sophomore 3.97 Health and Human Performance

Erin Scott Rice
Junior 4.00 Psychology

Shelley Wong Rice
Junior 3.72 Economics, Managerial Studies

Renee Hrappman Southern Miss
Junior 3.72 International Business

Rachel Robinson Tulsa
Senior 3.79 Chemical Engineering

Danielle Blair UAB
Junior 4.00 Marketing and Management

Sarah de Leon UCF
Senior 3.78 Hospitality Management

Second Team Name School Class GPA Major

Ericka Baer Colorado College
Junior 3.65 Biology

Islara Rodriguez Houston
Sophomore 3.82 Business

Kelsey Bakker Memphis
Sophomore 3.82 Undecided

Laura Laufenberg Memphis
Junior 3.63 International Business

Alexa Coralli Rice
Junior 3.60 Political Science

Christine Petric Rice
Senior 3.47 Economics

Kellen Schugart Rice
Junior 3.72 Mathematical Economic Analysis

Liz Hamlin Southern Miss
Junior 3.76 Exercise Science

Kendall Harcelode Tulsa
Senior 3.39 Biology

Melissa Desilets UTEP
Sophomore 4.00 Pre-Science

Cara Nordin UTEP
Senior 3.62 Psychology

* Repeat Selection