Jan. 28, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - To celebrate a year that resulted in a Big Ten Tournament championship and an unprecedented 11th-straight Big Ten title, the women's soccer team gathered at the annual awards banquet Saturday afternoon.
Seniors Kaleen Adami, Zoe Bouchelle, Allie Daus and Jessie Davis were individually honored for their years of service and dedication to the team.
Freshman forward Meghan Gill took home most improved honors after outstanding Big Ten performances earned her recognition on the second team. She netted game-winners against Indiana, Northwestern and then-No. 21 Minnesota while also tallying an assist in an overtime battle with Iowa.
Receiving the Defensive MVP award for the second straight year was senior Jessie Davis. The team captain anchored a defense that piloted the Nittany Lions to another historic year. She was a First Team All-Big Ten performer and was an NSCAA Second Team All-Great Lakes Region selection. An excellent student as well, she went on to become the eighth Nittany Lion to be named an NSCAA Scholar All-American.
Sophomore sensation Danielle Toney received the Offensive MVP award one year after being dubbed most improved. A well-rounded striker, she accumulated 10 goals and seven assists for 27 points on the year. She was an asset in the Big Ten Tournament scoring a goal in each game helping the Nittany Lions to their fifth championship title. For her efforts she was named to the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region third team.
All-American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was named team MVP for the second time. Naeher accumulated a .796 save percentage en route to an 11-4 record with nine shutouts. She collected a season-high nine saves in the Big Ten Tournament championship game against then-No. 21 Minnesota earning her Tournament Defensive MVP honors. She went on to earn her second-straight NSCAA First Team All-America nod.
For her success both on and off the field, senior midfielder Zoe Bouchelle was honored with the Rodney Swineford Memorial Award. A two-time NSCAA First Team All-Great Lakes selection, Bouchelle was a force on both sides of the ball. Throughout the year, she neutralized scoring threats on defense and made big plays happen on offense. Her most memorable performance came in the Big Ten Tournament when she assisted both goals in a 2-1 win over Iowa and added another in a 1-0 victory over Michigan State propelling the Nittany Lions to the championship game. An excellent student, she earned her second ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America accolade as well as NSCAA Scholar All-American recognition.
The banquet was a celebration of the past, present and future as four new Nittany Lions were introduced to the boosters and administration. Rachel Lamarre, Lexi Marton, Christine Nairn and Alexa Thompson joined the team this semester and will suit up this spring. The first competition slated for Feb. 28 in Holuba Hall against West Virginia at 7:30 p.m. and Bucknell at 9 p.m.
For more information on Penn State women's soccer, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.