BATON ROUGE — The LSU soccer team announced its 2001-02 annual awards on Friday, as the Tigers’ coaching staff held an extravagant end-of-the-season banquet on the fifth floor of the Athletic Administration Building.
For the second-consecutive season, head coach George Fotopoulos and his coaching staff have awarded the Tigers for their hard work and dedication by presenting seven prestigious honors to members of the LSU soccer team. These seven awards include Most Valuable Player, Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, Freshman of the Year, Academic Achievement, Strength and Conditioning and the Coaches Award.
Leigh McGovern, the Tigers’ native of Shreveport, garnered the team MVP honor on Friday for her outstanding work ethic and play on the field during the 2001 season. McGovern anchored the Tigers’ defense last year and was one of only three LSU players to start in all 18 games of the season.
By accumulating a team-high eight goals and 18 points during the 2001 season, LSU’s Artie Brown earned the Offensive MVP honor on Friday. The award adds to an already esteemed amount of accolades that Brown received during her brilliant freshman season, as she was named to the All-Southeastern Conference’s Second Team and notched the Louisiana Freshman of the Year laurel.
LSU’s Ashley Mitnick received the Defensive MVP award at the end-of-the-season bash on Friday. As a junior, the Tigers’ native of Milburn, Ga., started in all 18 games and scored four goals and added six assists. She led LSU’s defensive attack during the year and was named to the All-SEC Second Team for the second-straight season.
The Tigers’ Freshman of the Year Award went to Danielle Keath this season for her valuable play at the midfield position in 2001. Keath, a native of Melbourne, Fla., started in every contest as a freshman and scored one goal to go along with two assists during the year. She made positive strides throughout the season and proves to be a valuable asset for the Tigers in the future.
Chelsea Agar garnered the Strength and Conditioning Award on Friday, while Melissa Barbay earned the esteemed Coaches Award. Barbay, the LSU Soccer team’s manager and information assistant has been a vital part of the program since arriving on campus in 1997. She has spent the past six years as the heart and soul of the LSU Soccer program and her jersey was officially retired on Friday evening.
“We’re going to miss Melissa dearly,” Fotopoulos said. “She’s meant so much to this program over the years and she’s the glue that holds everything together. I can honestly say that she is the backbone of the program and she epitomizes everything that we want LSU soccer to stand for.”
The LSU soccer team will open its 2002 season on Aug. 31, as the Tigers travel to Nacogdoches, Texas, for a non-conference contest against Stephen F. Austin at 1 p.m.