Bearcat Women's Soccer Players Honored

By Sara Brooks, Assistant Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6219

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University womens soccer team finished their season with a 9-9-2 overall record and an 8-7-1 Northwest Conference record, good for third place in the NWC. For their efforts, five individuals received All-NWC honors for the Bearcats.

2009 All-NWC
Women's Soccer Team

Complete List

A total of 44 players received All-NWC recognition in voting by the NWC head coaches. Twelve athletes were selected for the First Team, with 12 players on the Second Team and 20 players on the Honorable Mention list.

Sophomore Stephanie Skelly (MF, Poulsbo, WA/North Kitsap HS) was named First Team All-NWC. Skelly scored six goals for a total of 12 points this season, as she led the Bearcats in both categories. She played in 20 games with 19 starts, and attempted 44 shots, including 19 shots on goal.

Three of Skelly's goals were game-winning goals. During one stretch in October, Skelly scored in four consecutive games.

Emily Wigington (Sr., D, Boulder, CO/Boulder HS) and Andrea Rowan (Fr., MF, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) were named Second Team All-NWC.

Wigington scored two goals during her final year as a Bearcat. Her goal against Pacific Lutheran University on Oct. 10 was the game-winning goal. In her career, she played in 44 games, including 37 starts.

Rowan finished the 2009 season with three goals and two assists for eight points. The freshman scored in her first career game against Northwest Christian on Sept. 1.

She started all 20 games and ranked third on the team with 1,706 minutes played. She took 18 shots, including 10 shots on goal.

Junior Alex Batzer (F, Medford, OR/North Medford HS) and sophomore Kimber Mattox (MF, Bend, OR/Cornell University) were named Honorable Mention All-NWC.

Batzer, who battled a series of injuries during the season, finished with three goals and one assist. She registered the game-winning goal against Pacific University on Oct. 10. In three seasons at WU, she has scored 12 goals and earned three assists.

Mattox, known for her endless energy on the field, finished the season with one goal and one assist. She played in 19 games with 18 starts for the Bearcats. Mattox has recorded four goals and two assists in her first two seasons with the Bearcats.

The University of Puget Sound finished first in the NWC with a 15-1 conference record. Puget Sound coach Randy Hanson was named NWC Coach of the Year. Two Puget Sound players, Janece Levien (F) and Kallie Wolfer (GK), were named Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively.