HIGH POINT, NC – The Winthrop women's soccer team walked away with four all-conference awards at the annual Big South Conference banquet held at the Radisson Inn Hotel on Wednesday evening.
Seniors Chelsea White and Dimi Poulos, sophomore Tricia Vensel, and freshman Chelsea Tidwell were the four Eagles who received All-Conference accolades.
White and Poulos were named Second Team All-Conference, while Vensel took home Academic All-Conference honors, and Tidwell made the All-Freshman Team.
White, the all-time leading scorer at Winthrop, was selected to the Second Team for the third time in her career. Currently this season, she leads the team in shots with 33 while tallying a total of three points with one goal and one assist.
Poulos, the Eagles' all-time leader in saves, made the Second Team for the second time in her career after being named to the team during her freshman season in 2005. She currently ranks fourth in the conference in goals against average, save percentage and shutouts, fifth in saves, and seventh in saves per game. Poulos has snagged a total of 75 saves this season with four shutouts, a goals against average of 1.18, and a save percentage of .781.
Vensel, who holds a 3.578 GPA majoring in Integrated Marketing Communication, was appointed to the Academic All-Conference Team for the first time in her career. Her lone goal this season proved to be the game-winner in the 1-0 victory at Coastal Carolina on Oct. 17. It was the first home loss of the season for the Chanticleers.
Tidwell finished the regular season tied for first on the team in goals with four, second in points with nine, and also dished out one assist. She also led the team in game-winning goals with three. Her biggest game-winner came back on Sept. 5 when her goal in the 86th minute gave Winthrop a 1-0 victory against Navy. The victory snapped the Midshipmen's 11-game home unbeaten streak and was only their second loss in Annapolis since 2006. At the time, Navy was ranked 14th in the Mid-Atlantic Region according to Soccer Buzz Magazine.
The sixth-seeded Eagles will start their 2008 Big South Conference Tournament on Thursday at 11 a.m. as they open the event playing third-seed VMI at Vert Soccer Stadium. The Keydets blanked Winthrop 3-0 back on Oct. 1.
2008 Big South Conference Women's Soccer Honors
First Team All-Conference
Ashleigh Gunning, F, Coastal Carolina
Caitlyn Roan, D, Radford
Emily McColl, MF, Coastal Carolina
Emma Mattsson, F, Charleston Southern
Laura Eldridge, MF, High Point
Audrey Falconi, D, VMI
Olivia Moore, F, VMI
Rachel Lamb, D, Presbyterian
McKenzie Vergara, MF, Radford
Angie Harvey, MF, Gardner-Webb
Robyn Busha, MF/F, UNC Asheville
Amy Oberlin, MF, Liberty
Lisa Lubke, GK, Radford
Second Team All-Conference
Sarah McPartlan, D, Coastal Carolina
Brittany Bolick, D, Charleston Southern
Silvia Betancourt, F, Liberty
Caitlin Wesnesky, MF, Charleston Southern
Brianna Murphy, F, Charleston Southern
Renee Hitchcock, F, High Point
McKenna Stockhausen, MF/F, UNC Asheville
Maegan Hellberg, D, Coastal Carolina
Ashley Johnson, F, Radford
Anna Tupy, MF, Coastal Carolina
Chelsea White, F, Winthrop
Celine Ziobro, D, VMI (tie)
Sara Rager, F, High Point (tie)
Dimi Poulos, GK, Winthrop
All-Freshman Team
Olivia Moore, F, VMI
Lisa Lubke, GK, Radford
Taylor Ray, MF, High Point
Silvia Betancourt, F, Liberty
Casey Bolduc, D, Charleston Southern
Ashley Johnson, F, Radford
Marissa Terry, D, Coastal Carolina
Megan Tremblay, MF, Gardner-Webb
Chelsea Tidwell, MF, Winthrop
Mary Kate Tucker, D, UNC Asheville
Sarah Strand, MF, VMI
Academic All-Conference
Emma Mattsson, Sr., Charleston Southern
Emily McColl, Sr., Coastal Carolina
Angie Harvey, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Laura Eldridge, Jr., High Point
Amy Oberlin, Sr., Liberty
Rachel Lamb, Jr., Presbyterian
Jill Boyer, Jr., Radford
Juliana Duncan, Sr., UNC Asheville
Audrey Falconi, Jr., VMI
Tricia Vensel, So., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Ashleigh Gunning, MF, Coastal Carolina
Freshman of the Year
Olivia Moore, F, VMI
Coach of the Year
Bryan Williams, VMI
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Emily McColl, Sr., Coastal Carolina
