The Big 12 Conference has announced its 14th annual All-Big 12 Soccer Teams, voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Bryan Blitz (Missouri) captured Coach of the Year honors. Morgan Marlborough (Nebraska) was honored as the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and was chosen as Rookie of the Year. Crystal Wagner (Missouri) was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Marlborough, a freshman from Lee’s Summit, Mo., currently leads the conference in points (49) and goals (21). Her goals per game (1.11) and points per game (2.58) rank second in the nation. She is the first freshman to receive a Player of the Year Award in the Big 12’s 14-year history. She was also selected as Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 15 and Oct. 20.
Senior defender Wagner helped Missouri to its first Big 12 regular-season title. The Houston, Texas native has aided the Tigers backline in six shutouts with just one loss in conference play. Wagner was honored as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 20. She is the first Mizzou player in school history to earn one of the Conference’s player of the year accolades.
Blitz led the Tigers to their first regular-season conference crown in program history, and the first in any sport at Missouri since 1997 (softball). MU claimed a No. 1 seed for the Big 12 Soccer Championship while compiling a 12-5-3 overall record and a 7-1-2 mark in Big 12 play. Blitz was previously honored as Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2007.
The Big 12 Soccer Championship opens quarterfinal action on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. Semifinal and championship matches continue on Friday, Nov. 6 and Sunday, Nov. 8, with a free live video stream of quarterfinals and semifinals available on Big12Sports.com. FSN is slated to broadcast the final game live at 1 p.m. (CT) on Sunday
2009 ALL-BIG 12 CONFERENCE SOCCER AWARDS (Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players)
Coach of the Year Bryan Blitz, Missouri
Offensive Player of the Year Morgan Marlborough, Nebraska, F, Fr.
Defensive Player of the Year Crystal Wagner, Missouri, D, Sr.
Rookie of the Year Morgan Marlborough, Nebraska, F, Fr.
ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM
GK
Adrianna Franch
Oklahoma State
Fr.
Salina, Kan.
D
Crystal Wagner
Missouri
Sr.
Houston, Texas
D
Carly Peetz
Nebraska
Sr.
Lincoln, Neb.
D
Melinda Mercado
Oklahoma State
So.
Sapulpa, Okla.
MF
Taylor Lytle
Texas Tech
So.
Las Cruces, New Mexico
MF
Rachel Shipley
Texas A&M
Jr.
Plano, Texas
MF
Annika Niemeier
Oklahoma State
Sr.
Wylie, Texas
F
Nikki Marshall
Colorado
Sr.
Mead, Colo.
F
Whitney Palmer
Oklahoma
Jr.
Plano, Texas
F
Morgan Marlborough
Nebraska
Fr.
Lee’s Summit, Mo.
F
Kristin Andrighetto
Missouri
Sr.
Pleasant Hill, Calif.
ALL-BIG 12 SECOND TEAM
GK
Tasha Dittamore
Missouri
Sr.
Granite City, Ill.
D
Amy Barczuk
Colorado
Fr.
Centennial, Colo.
D
Emily Peterson
Texas A&M
Sr.
Tulsa, Okla.
D
Estelle Johnson
Kansas
Sr.
Fort Collins, Colo.
MF
Monica Dolinsky
Kansas
Sr.
Carmel, Ind.
MF
Molly Thomas
Nebraska
So.
Omaha, Neb.
MF
Alyssa Mautz
Texas A&M
Jr.
O’Fallen, Mo.
F
Whitney Hooper
Texas A&M
Jr.
Houston, Texas
F
Kasey Langdon
Oklahoma State
Sr.
Wylie, Texas
F
Michelle Collins
Missouri
Sr.
Naperville, Ill.
F
Whitney Berry
Kansas
Fr.
Wichita, Kan.
BIG 12 ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM**
GK
Adrianna Franch
Oklahoma State
Fr.
Salina, Kan.
D
Amy Barczuk
Colorado
Fr.
Centennial, Colo.
D
Carson Michalowski
Oklahoma State
Fr.
Plano, Texas
D
Morgan Johnson
Texas Tech
Fr.
Arlington, Texas
D
Mary Grace Schmidt
Texas A&M
Fr.
Orange, Calif.
MF
Sophie Campise
Texas
Fr.
Dallas, Texas
MF
Tiffini Smith
Texas Tech
Fr.
Fort Worth, Texas
MF
Erin Bricker
Colorado
Fr.
Moraga, Calif.
F
Morgan Marlborough
Nebraska
Fr.
Lee’s Summit, Mo.
F
Dawn Ward
Texas Tech
Fr.
Midland, Texas
F
Whitney Berry
Kansas
Fr.
Wichita, Kan.
F
Hannah Higgins
Texas
Fr.
Flower Mound, Texas
**Ties in voting created additional newcomer team positions
