Dec. 15, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -
Two seniors from the University of North Carolina's NCAA championship women's soccer team, defender Whitney Engen and midfielder Tobin Heath, were named Monday as two of the four finalists for the women's soccer award as part of the annual Collegiate Women Sports Award sponsored by Honda. Balloting is being conducted this week and the winner will be announced Friday.
Engen and Heath are on the final ballot for the award along with UCLA senior forward Lauren Cheney and Stanford senior forward Kelley O'Hara. All four players competed in this year's College Cup won by the Tar Heels with a 1-0 victory over previously undefeated and untied Stanford.
The final four nominees for the award are selected by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Tar Heel players have won the award twice in the last three years. Forward Heather O'Reilly won the award in 2006 and forward Casey Nogueira captured the sward in 2008.
Here are the biographies of the four finalists for the 2009 award.
WHITNEY ENGEN--University of North Carolina...senior...central defender...named NCAA Women's College Cup MVP on Defense after helping team to third National Championship in past four years... Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year on team that allowed 12 goals and had 19 shutouts...first-team All-American and All-ACC...played in 105 games, starting 103, both third all-time at UNC...season five goals and 10 assists for 20 points, career 19 goals and 27 assists...played striker first two years...2008 Olympic Gold Medalist with Team USA...second-team CoSIDA All-Academic...3.6 GPA in Political Science.
TOBIN HEATH--University of North Carolina...senior...midfielder... led team to its second straight NCAA crown (three in her four years) and fourth straight Atlantic Coast Conference title...had assists on game-winning goals in NCAA semis and championship game...three-time NSCAA All-America (two first-team)...three-time first-team All-ACC...four-year starter with five goals and 10 assists this season, 19 goals and 32 assists for career...one of three MAC Hermann Trophy finalists, semifinalist third time...three-time All-Tournament Team at Women's College Cup...2008 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist...U.S. National Team 2008-09...majoring in communications.
|
|
 |
LAUREN CHENEY--UCLA...senior...forward...led team to NCAA College Cup semis all four years of her career...four-time first-team NSCAA All-American, first at UCLA...toppled school all-time records--points (173) and game-winning goals (28); tied for first all-time with 71 goals...46 points on 18 goals and 10 assists second on team for season...second all-time at UCLA in career assists with 31...repeats as one of three finalists for MAC Hermann Trophy, semi-finalist third time...three-time All-Tournament Team at Women's College Cup...four-time first-team All-Pac-10...2008 Olympic Gold Medalist with Team USA...Sociology major.
KELLEY O'HARA - Stanford University...senior...forward...led nation in goals (26) and points (65) taking team to best-ever record (25-1) and first appearance in NCAA Championship final...third on school all-time list with 13 season assists...Pac-10 Player of the Year...three-time All-America selection, first-team this season...named to first-team Academic All-America...chosen All-Tournament Team at NCAA Women's College Cup...one of three finalists for MAC Hermann award, two-time semifinalist and three-time watch list...second all-time at Stanford with 57 career goals and 146 points...GPA of 3.41 in science, technology and society major.
