MAC Women's Soccer Announces Post Season Awards
Complete Release in PDF Format
![]()
![]()
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Nov. 6, 2003
Kalamazoo, Mich. -- The Mid-American Conference announced its women's soccer All-MAC teams, as well as Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year at the 2003 MAC Women's Soccer Tournament Banquet on November 6 in Kalamazoo, Mich. In addition, the league coaches voted on an all-freshman team for the first time ever.
The MAC Player of the Year honors went to junior forward Ashley Swinehart from Miami University. Swinehart finished the regular season as the league leader in goals (16) and points per game (1.89), and was tied for first with 34 points. Swinehart gives the Miami program three consecutive MAC Player of the Year honors as she joins Danielle Berkemeier (2002) and Andrea Cunningham (2001) in winning the honor.
Ohio forward Tiffany Horvath took home MAC Freshman of the Year honors and joins fellow Bobcat Mindy Boggs (1997) as winner of the award. Horvath helped guide the Bobcats into the MAC Tournament with a regular-season 21 points on eight goals and five assists. Her 21 points were the seventh highest total in the MAC. She was also tied for seventh in assists (5) and assists per game (0.26).
Kent State's Rob Marinaro was tabbed as the MAC Coach of the Year for guiding the Golden Flashes to a regular-season co-championship with Eastern Michigan as both squads went 8-2-2 in league play. The eight victories in MAC play marked the best total in KSU women's soccer history, as does the team's 12 overall wins. Marinaro is in his third campaign as KSU head coach after serving as an assistant coach the previous four seasons.
The All-MAC team was highlighted by two repeat first-team selections from last year with Swinehart of Miami and Dee Nocero of Ball State (forward) being honored. In addition, Buffalo defender Devon Russell, a 2001 All-MAC first-team selection and 2002 second-team honoree, was named to the league's top squad. Russell was joined on the first-team honors by teammates Brenna McJury (defender) and Emily Russell (forward). The Russells are twin sisters.
Six other schools, each with one first-team honoree, comprise the league's top 11 players as voted by the 13 MAC head coaches. The three midfielders are Mirka Mohs of Akron, Samantha Meister of Bowling Green and Kendra Hornschemeier of Ohio. Also on the squad is forward Melissa Lesage of Toledo, defender Jackie Pecjak of Kent State and goalkeeper Ashleigh Woods of Marshall.
The All-MAC second team is highlighted by three selections each from Kent State, two each from Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Ohio and one each from Akron and Ball State. Kent State had Jenn Frey (midfielder), Lauren Caminati (forward) and Alicia Fernandez (goalkeeper) selected. Co-MAC Champion EMU is represented by Trisha Roberts (midfielder) and Abi Morrell (defender).
Western Michigan placed Katie Ruzinsky (midfielder) and Michelle Palazzolo (defender) on the second team while Ohio had forwards Christel Schiering and Tiffany Horvath honored. Rounding out the team are defenders Naomi Cummings of Akron and Michelle Dineen of Ball State.
The 2003 Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals kick off on Friday, November 7 at the WMU Soccer Complex in Kalamazoo, Mich., when No. 5 seed Central Michigan faces off with No. 8 Bowling Green at 11:00 a.m. (EST) and No. 3 seeded Western Michigan takes on No. 7 seed Ohio at 2:00 p.m. The winners of both games take to the field at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 9 for the right to be named MAC Women's Soccer Tournament Champion. The winner of the tournament will earn the conference's automatic bid into the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
2003 MAC Women's Soccer honorees
Player of the Year
Ashley Swinehart, Miami
Freshman of the Year
Tiffany Horvath, Ohio
Coach of the Year
Rob Marinaro, Kent State
First team All-MAC
POS. NAME SCHOOL YR. HOMETOWN
MF Mirka Mohs Akron Jr. Hanover, Germany
MF Samantha Meister Bowling Green So. Cincinnati, Ohio
MF Kendra Hornschemeier Ohio Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio
F Dee Nocero* Ball State Jr. Kirtland, Ohio
F Emily Russell Buffalo Sr. Averill Park, N.Y.
F Ashley Swinehart* Miami Jr. Worthington, Ohio
F Melissa Lesage Toledo Sr. Trois Rivieres, Quebec
D Brenna McJury Buffalo Jr. Brockport, N.Y.
D Devon Russell#& Buffalo Sr. Averill Park, N.Y.
D Jackie Pecjak Kent State Sr. Euclid, Ohio
GK Ashleigh Woods Marshall Jr. Penfield, N.Y.
Second team All-MAC
POS. NAME SCHOOL Yr. HOMETOWN
MF Trisha Roberts Eastern Michigan So. Trenton, Mich.
MF Jenn Frey Kent State So. Cincinnati, Ohio
MF Katie Ruzinsky Western Michigan So. Shelby Township, Mich.
F Lauren Caminati Kent State Sr. Solon, Ohio
F Christel Schiering@ Ohio Sr. Cincinnati, Ohio
F Tiffany Horvath Ohio Fr. Strongsville, Ohio
D Naomi Cummings Akron Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio
D Michelle Dineen Ball State Sr. Monroe, Ohio
D Abi Morrell Eastern Michigan Sr. Canton, Mich.
D Michelle Palazzolo& Western Michigan Jr. Sterling Heights, Mich.
GK Alicia Fernandez Kent State Fr. Columbus, Ohio
*2002 All-MAC first-team selection
#2001 All-MAC first-team selection
& 2002 All-MAC second-team selection
@2001 All-MAC second team selection
2003 MAC WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
POS. NAME SCHOOL HOMETOWN
MF Amy Holst Ball State Shawnee Mission, Kan.
MF Jacquie Lacek Central Michigan Rochester, N.Y.
MF Shannon McIntyr Eastern Michigan Woodhaven, Mich.
MF Aimee Prevallet Miami Fairfax Station, Va.
MF Nichole Williams Toledo Pickerington, Ohio
MF Amy Letzgus Western Michigan Royal Oak, Mich.
F Cyndi Mullins Eastern Michigan Gahanna, Ohio
F Tiffany Horvath Ohio Strongsville, Ohio
D Sarah Maxwell Ball State Kalamazoo, Mich.
D Britt Laing Kent State Brampton, Ontario
D Larissa Najjar Ohio Columbus, Ohio
D Chantel Robinson Western Michigan Midland, Mich.
GK Alicia Fernandez Kent State Columbus, Ohio
