CLEVELAND (November 5) -- Eastern Michigan University's Sarah Willis, a junior
goalkeeper from Milan, Mich., has been named the Mid-American Conference's
Player of the Year by a vote of the league's head coaches. Danielle
Berkemeier, a freshman forward from Hamilton, Ohio was also honored as the
league's Freshman of the Year. In addition to these specialty awards, Scott
Hall from Eastern Michigan was named the MAC Coach of theYear.
Eastern Michigan, the regular-season champion and number one seed in the
MAC tournament, highlights the list with three first-team selections and
three second-team selections. Miami, who finshed tied for second in the
conference and has the highest-scoring offense in the MAC, had two players
honored on both the first and second teams.
During the regular season, Willis had ten shutouts in 16 matches and led
the conference with a 0.47 goals against average. She was also the leader
of the top-ranked defense in the conference with an overall goals against
average of 0.50.
Berkmeier has been a constant at the top of the MAC offensive statistics
all season. She led the top-ranked offense in the conference and finished
as the top scorer in the league with 37 points. She also finished tied for
first in goals with 13 on the season to go along with her nine assists.
Hall, who is in his first season at Eastern Michigan, led the Eagles to
their first-ever MAC championship this season after they were picked to
finish third in the pre-season poll. Eastern Michigan finished it's
conference schedule with only one loss and only two losses overall.
Joining Willis and Berkmeier on the first team are Paula Listrani and
Linnaea Dinallo of Buffalo, Amanda Kulikowsi and Tracy Deeter of Eastern
Michigan, Shaedyn Cousino of Miami, Renay DiNicolo of Northern Illinois,
Katie Markey of Western Michigan ,Kjersten Kuhlman of Central Michigan and Lori Spitler of
Ohio.
The members of the MAC second-team are: Tania Orlow, Kate Lewis and Marie
Vandenberg of Eastern Michigan, Elizabeth Pfeffer and Jaime Adams of
Buffalo, Lidsay Jayjack of Marsahll, Andrea Cunningham and Tonja Weimer of
Miami, Danielle Cournaya of Northern Illinois and Odia Jahurally of Toledo.
Eastern Michigan is hosting the MAC tournament November 5-7 in Ypsilanti,
Mich. The semifinal matches begin at noon and 2 p.m. with the championship
match on Sunday starting at noon. The winner of the MAC tournament
automatically qualifies for the NCAA Tournament.