STATE COLLEGE, Pa., December 6, 2001 - Junior Christie Welsh (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) was named the Missouri Athletic Club Women's Collegiate Soccer Player of the Year which was announced today. The award is the official Division I player of the year award of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Welsh, who also won the prestigious Hermann Trophy award, received 152 points I a balloting of NCAA Division I women's soccer coaches, finishing 33 points ahead of Abby Wambach of the University of Florida. Three points were awarded for a first-place vote, two points for second and one for third. She becomes the first player at Penn State to win the M.A.C. award.
"I am proud of the way we played as a team and the success we had this year," said Welsh. "I was glad to contribute to that. There are a lot of amazing players in the country who could have won this award. It's an awesome thing."
The junior forward is the most decorated player in Penn State women's soccer history. This year, she was named Big Ten Player of the Year for an unprecedented the third year in a row. Welsh has broken almost every offensive Big Ten and Penn State career record in just three years, including goals (69), assists (39), points (177) and game-winning goals (22). She also owns single-season Big Ten records with 27 goals (1999), 18 assists (2001, tie), 68 points (2001), 123 shots (2001) and nine game-winning goals (1999). In the 6-2 win over Michigan in October, she tied the Big Ten record collecting 10 points on the strength of four goals and two assists.
In 26 games this season, she has scored 25 goals and added 18 assists, helping Penn State reach its fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament quarterfinal.
Welsh led the Big Ten in scoring for the second-straight year while leading Penn State to its fourth-straight Big Ten regular season crown and third tournament title in four years. Penn State is also coming off its seventh-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
"She was responsible for over half of our goals," said co-Big Ten Coach of the Year and Penn State head coach Paula Wilkins. "She was always a threat, even when she wasn't shooting. She worked really hard in the off-season and the best news is that I am looking forward to having her on the team again next year."
The Big Ten's leader in every offensive category this season, Welsh ranked second in the nation at 2.79 points per game, third at 1.04 goals per game and seventh with 0.71 assists per game as of Nov. 25. She needs just one assist to join the NCAA's 40-goals, 40-assists club, a list which includes just 28 players all-time. Currently, Welsh is tied for 23rd in the NCAA in career goals.
Welsh is a three-time All-American and is also a finalist for the Soccer Buzz National Player of the Year award. In 1999, she was selected Soccer Buzz National Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Also a member of the U.S. National team, Welsh most recently traveled to Portugal to play in the Algarve Cup last March. On Tuesday, she became the first women's soccer player at Penn State and in the Big Ten to win the coveted Hermann Trophy, an award in which she was a runner-up in 2000.
Welsh and Luchi Gonzalez of Southern Methodist, the winner of the men's M.A.C award, will receive the traditional crystal soccer ball trophy at a dinner at the Missouri Athletic Club on Friday, Jan. 11, 2002. The two will also be honored at the NSCAA convention later in January in Philadelphia.
Along with Welsh, senior Emily Oleksiuk (Willow Grove, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and sophomore Joanna Lohman (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) were also named NSCAA first team All-Americans.
Oleksiuk receives the award for the third time in her career. The NCAA's all-time leader for minutes played with 8,853 minutes, she leaves Penn State owning every school goalkeeping record, including 416 saves, 81 wins and 43.75 shutouts in 100-career games. She was also tabbed the Big Ten's top goalkeeper all four years when she earned first team all-conference honors four times. A four-time NSCAA first team All-Mid-Atlantic Region All-American, Oleksiuk was also named NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Defensive Player of the Year twice.
Lohman earned All-American accolades for the first time in her career. Second on the team in assists with 14, she broke Penn State's single-season sophomore record in that category. She was second in the Big Ten in assists and third in scoring with 32 points. Lohman is also a two-time first team All-Big Ten honoree and was named NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region All-American and All-Big Ten Tournament for the second time.
WOMEN'S AWARD:
1. Christie Welsh Penn State 152 points
2. Abby Wambach Florida 119 points
3. Jena Kluegel North Carolina 106 points
4. Aly Wagner Santa Clara 103 points
5. Danielle Borgman North Carolina 90 points