BATON ROUGE — The postseason accolades continue to roll in for members of the LSU soccer team as four Tiger sophomores were named all-region selections by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America on Friday afternoon.
Midfielders Michelle Makasini and Malorie Rutledge have each earned NSCAA/adidas First-Team All-Central Region honors, while forward Rachel Yepez and defender Chelsea Potts have earned third-team selections for their outstanding performance in 2007.
In what has already been a season of firsts for the Tigers, this marks the first time in team history that LSU has had a student-athlete named to the NSCAA all-region team.
Makasini, Rutledge and Yepez have already been named honorable mention All-Americans by Top Drawer Soccer after leading the Tigers to their most successful season in program’s 13-year history. LSU won its first ever SEC Western Division championship en route to an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The trio led LSU’s offensive attack in 2007 with Yepez finishing the season as the team’s leading scorer with 14 goals and 31 points on the campaign. Makasini added nine goals and 21 points, while Rutledge scored four goals and record an LSU single-season record 12 assists of her own.
In addition to earning All-America honors, Makasini and Rutledge established themselves among the premier midfielders in the Southeastern Conference as they were named First-Team All-SEC performers in a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches. Potts earned Second-Team All-SEC honors for the second time in her career as one of the league’s top center backs.
There is still an opportunity for the Tigers to earn even more postseason recognition for their performance on the soccer pitch this fall as Soccer America and Soccer Buzz magazines have yet to announce their postseason awards.
2007 NSCAA/adidas Division I All-Central Region Team
First Team
GK, Kristin Arnold, So., Texas A&M
D, Stephanie Logterman, Jr., Texas
D, Nikki Marshall, So., Colorado
D, Kasey Moore, Jr., Texas
M, Amy Berend, Sr., Texas A&M
M, Jenna Billingsley, Sr., Denver
M, Michelle Makasini, So., LSU
M, Yolanda Odenyo, Sr., Oklahoma State
M, Malorie Rutledge, So., LSU
F, Emily Beans, So., Colorado College
F, Kelsey Carpenter, Jr., Texas
F, Ashlee Pistorius, Sr., Texas A&M
Second Team
GK, Dianna Pfenninger, Jr., Texas
D, Carley Phillips, Jr., SMU
D, Molly Uyenishi, Jr., Colorado College
D, Michelle Wenino, Jr., Colorado
M, Kimber Bailey, Sr., SMU
M, Emiko Schwab, Jr., Memphis
M, Vendula Stmadova, Fr., Memphis
F, Kristin Andrighetto, So., Missouri
F, Alysha Bonnick, Fr., Missouri
F, Kasey Langdon, So., Oklahoma State
F, Jami Tullius, Sr., Texas-El Paso
Third Team
GK, Geneva Sills, Jr., Colorado College
D, Mary Martin, Sr., Rice
D, Katelyn Ostendorf, So., Rice
D, Chelsea Potts, So., LSU
M, Maureen Redmond, Jr., Missouri
M, Sierra Strawser, So., Oklahoma State
M, Tameka Sumter, So., Texas-El Paso
F, Tiffany Brown, Fr., Colorado College
F, Michelle Collins, Fr., Missouri
F, Melissa Garey, Sr., Texas A&M
F, Rachel Yepez, So., LSU