Nov. 1, 2007
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Three women's soccer players have been selected for academic honors as Penn State is off to another outstanding season. Senior Aubrey Aden-Buie (Allentown, Pa.) and redshirt-junior Zoe Bouchelle (Cockeysville, Md.) were named first team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District, while sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) earned second team honors as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America Thursday.
A double major in psychology and English, Aden-Buie has been one of Penn State's top scoring threats throughout her career, particularly over the past two years. The striker has nine goals and two assists this year for the Nittany Lions and has netted four game-winning goals. In addition to receiving third- team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American honors last year, Aden-Buie was an All-Big Ten selection last year and was also the Offensive MVP of the Big Ten Tournament. She currently has a 3.75 grade point average and is enrolled in Penn State's Schreyer Honors College.
A midfielder, Bouchelle has played solidly all fall for the Nittany Lions, but has stepped it up even more during the Big Ten schedule. All of Bouchelle's points have come in the conference season, including a six-point weekend vs. Michigan and Michigan State that garnered her national honors from Soccer America and Soccer Buzz in addition to Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week accolades. Enrolled in Penn State's Schreyer Honors College, Bouchelle is an economics major with a 3.87 grade point average.
Sophomore preseason All-American Naeher has not disappointed in her second year as PSU's starter, compiling a .892 save percentage, which is seventh nationally, and a .553 goals against average, good enough for 17th in the country. The top goalkeeper in the conference, Naeher has tallied eight shutouts and limited Nittany Lion opponents to only 11 goals this season. She currently has a 3.39 in kinesiology.
No. 7 Penn State is 14-3-1 on the year with one regular season game remaining. The nine-time defending Big Ten champions can make it 10 in a row with a victory at Ohio State tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET. At 8-1-0 in the league, Penn State has a narrow 24 to 22 point lead on Purdue, who is 7-1-1 in conference after suffering their first Big Ten loss to the Nittany Lions last weekend at Jeffrey Field. The Big Ten Tournament in St. Paul, Minn., next week will be next up for PSU after their match-up in Columbus.
--NITTANY LIONS--