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NSCAA All-American, All-Regional Teams Feature Six CSU Players
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America has released
the final post-season polls for the 2009 season and Columbus State
is well represented in all areas. The 16-3-3 team finishes
ranked 11th nationally, in a poll where the Lady Cougars previously
placed 18th, and six CSU players appear on the Division II
All-American and All-Southeast Region teams.
Senior forward Gina Goforth is named 2nd Team All-American as well
as 1st Team All-Southeast Region. Goforth's senior season
produced a team-high 13 goals and 29 points, earning her Peach Belt
Conference Player of the Week honors, a place on the 1st Team
All-PBC and a Daktronics 1st Team All-Southeast Region
selection. The goals scored this season bring Goforth's
career total to 48, fifth all-time in the PBC.
Also appearing on the NSCAA regional 1st team is junior defender
Laurel McKenzie, who received a PBC Defender of the Week award and
was also named 1st Team All-PBC, and whose defensive prowess
contributed to the team's ten shutouts on the season.
NSCAA 2nd Team All-Region accolades go to junior midfielder Jill
Walthall, junior forward Stephanie Parrish and freshman defender
Kayla Brown. Walthall scored six times in 2009 for the Lady
Cougars, including a goal in the final three seconds of first-half
play that put CSU on the board against Carson-Newman in the
Southeast Regional third round. The team captain and midfield
anchor will be difficult to replace in 2010, as she moves on to
Georgia Tech on a 3-2 program after completing her lower-level
courses at CSU this year. Parrish comes second on the CSU
soccer team in goals and points with 10 and 29, respectively, hot
on the heels of teammate Goforth. Her pairs of goals in three
late-season games helped the team to secure their fifth straight
PBC regular season title. Brown was invaluable on all areas of the
field, donning multiple hats especially late in the season and
contributing a goal and four assists in her first year with the
Lady Cougars. Her speed and tenacity frequently reclaimed the
ball for CSU's offense; the newcomer was a major factor in the
team's 14-game lossless streak this season and aptly earned PBC
Defensive Player of the Week honors twice.
Senior goalkeeper Kelly Nimmo earned the right to guard for the
NSCAA 3rd Team All-Region. The starter made the most of her
final season at CSU after playing understudy to former Lady Cougar
Monica Sanchez for three years. Nimmo posted a 16-2-2 record
and allowed only 10 goals with 61 saves in 2009 for a save
percentage of .859. Her performance in the CSU net was good
enough for two PBC Goalkeeper of the Week awards, 2nd Team All-PBC
and Daktronics 2nd Team All-Southeast Region.
For complete listings of NSCAA's Division II women's soccer
national rankings, All-American and All-Southeast Region teams,
follow the links below:
2009 National Rankings
2009 All-American Teams
2009 All-Southeast Region Teams
