BATON ROUGE — Soccer Buzz Magazine released its postseason regional awards late Friday evening and LSU was well-represented as five Tigers were honored by the publication for their outstanding performance during the 2007 season.
Sophomores Chelsea Potts and Malorie Rutledge have been named First-Team All-Central Region performers, while sophomores Michelle Makasini and Rachel Yepez have earned second-team honors and Taryne Boudreau has been named to the Central Region All-Freshman Team.
This comes just one week after Makasini, Potts, Rutledge and Yepez received all-region honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Both Makasini and Rutledge were named first-team all-region selections by the NSCAA, while Potts and Yepez were named NSCAA/adidas Third-Team All-Central Region performers. In what has already been a season of firsts for the program, this was the first time in history that LSU has had a student-athlete receive all-region honors from the NSCAA.
This also marks the second straight season that Potts and Makasini have earned all-region honors from Soccer Buzz Magazine as Potts was a third-team selection and each was a member of the Soccer Buzz Central Region All-Freshman Team in 2006.
In addition, head coach Brian Lee was runner-up for the Central Region Coach of the Year honor after leading the Tigers to their most successful season in the 13-year history of the program.
The Tigers (12-5-7) tied a team record for their most wins in a single season and captured their first ever SEC Western Division championship with a 5-2-4 mark in league play. They also earned their first ever berth into the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the second round before falling to national finalist Florida State on Nov. 18.
LSU will begin its preparation for the 2008 season on Feb. 16 as it opens the spring season with a trip to Raleigh, N.C., where it will take on national powers North Carolina and Duke in a double header. Game times have yet to be determined.
2007 Soccer Buzz All-Central Region Teams
First Team
F, Kristin Andrighetto, So., Missouri
F, Kelsey Carpenter, Sr., Texas
F, Nikki Marshall, So., Colorado
F, Ashlee Pistorius, Sr., Texas A&M
F, Kylee Rossi, Jr., Tennessee
M, Amy Berend, Sr., Texas A&M
M, Malorie Rutledge, So., LSU
M, Yolanda Odenyo, Jr., Oklahoma State
M, Vendula Strnadova, Fr., Memphis
D, Nicole Ketchum, So., Texas A&M
D, Stephanie Logterman, Jr., Texas
D, Kasey Moore, Jr., Texas
D, Chelsea Potts, So., LSU
GK, Jaimel Johnson, Jr., Tennessee
Second Team
F, Courtney Alexander, So., Southeast Missouri State
F, Niki Arlitt, Fr., Texas
F, Jami Tullius, Sr., UTEP
F, Rachel Yepez, So., LSU
M, Amber Gnatzig, So., Texas A&M
M, Michelle Makasini, So., LSU
M, Emiko Schwab, Jr., Memphis
M, Siera Strawser, So., Oklahoma State
D, Brittany Harrison, So., Texas Tech
D, Danielle Johnson, So., Ole Miss
D, Bridget Miller, So., Oklahoma State
D, Beth Martin, Sr., Rice
D, Michelle Wenino, Jr., Colorado
GK, Kristin Arnold, So., Texas A&M
Freshman Team
F, Niki Arlitt, Texas
F, Alysha Bonnick, Missouri
M, Taryne Boudreau, LSU
D, Tiffany Brown, Colorado College
D, Erica Campanelli, Texas
M, Kate Edwards, Rice
M, Tanya Emerson, Tennessee
M, Vanessa Hart, Southeast Missouri State
F, Katya Hessel, Missouri
F, Molly Kinsella, Vanderbilt
M, Annika Niemeier, Oklahoma State
M, Rachel Shipley, Texas A&M
F, Vendula Strnadova, Memphis
D, Kate Williams, Kansas
F, Janaye Woods, North Texas