KCAC honors pour in for OU women's soccer team

WICHITA – The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference champion Ottawa University women’s soccer team had eight players named to the all-conference teams in a vote by the KCAC coaches.

Juniors Lizzie Wilkens and Whitney Bowen, sophomores Amanda Just, Christie Johnson, Samantha Mayfield and Lauren Peil, and freshmen Jo-anne Glynn and Sheridan Horner, were all named to the all-conference teams.

Ottawa coach Craig Shaw was named KCAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his career.

Wilkens, a defender from Davenport, Iowa, started all 18 games for the Lady Braves. She is a three-time All-KCAC selection and for the second year in a row earned first-team honors.

Wilkens was also named KCAC Defensive Player of the Year. She had a career-high two goals and spearheaded a defense that is ranked third in the NAIA in total shutouts (11) and fifth in shutouts per game (0.6).

Bowen, a forward from Dallas, Texas, earned first team All-KCAC for the third straight year. She led the KCAC in assists (7) and was second on the team in goals scored (9).

Bowen is second on the team in points with 25. She is 30th in the NAIA in game winning goals (4) and 40th in game winning goals per game (0.2).

Just, a midfielder from Andover, earned her second straight first team All-KCAC selection. She tied for third on the team in goals (7) and dished out four assists. Just was second third on the team in points scored with 18.  

She earned the OU women’s soccer program’s first ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection. Just was a second team District 7 selection.

Glynn, a forward from Lakewood, Colo., earned first team All-KCAC along with OU’s third straight KCAC Freshman of the Year selection. She led the Lady Braves in goals (12) and was tied for second on the team in assists (6).

Glynn is part of an offense that is ranked 26th in the NAIA in goals per game (3.1) and 38th in shots on goal per game (10.5).

Johnson, a defender from Highlands Ranch, Colo. earned second team All-KCAC for the second straight season. She started all 18 games in her sophomore season and now has started 38 straight contests for the Lady Braves. Johnson helped Ottawa led the KCAC in shutouts with 11.

Horner, a midfielder from Choctaw, Okla., was a second team All-KCAC selection. She played in all 18 games, starting five. Horner had four goals and tied for second on the team with six assists. She had one game winning goal for OU. Horner is part of an OU offense that led the KCAC in goals per game (3.1) and assists per game (2.6).

Peil, a goalkeeper from Haysville, earned second team All-KCAC. This is her second straight season of being named to the All-KCAC team. She is ranked 28th in the NAIA in Goals Against Average (GAA) (0.68) and holds the OU career shutout mark at 19. In conference play, the OU defense allowed only one goal.

Mayfield, a forward from Midlothian, Texas, earned honorable mention All-KCAC. This is her first selection to the team. She tallied seven goals and three assists on her way to 17 points for the Lady Braves. Mayfield played in all 18 contests, starting five.

 Shaw has an overall record of 36-19-3 and a KCAC record of 21-5-1 in his three years.

He has led the Lady Braves to three straight KCAC postseason tournaments, a Region IV Tournament and a second-place finish in the 2008 KCAC Tournament.

He has coached 19 All-KCAC selections, three KCAC Freshmen of the Year, on KCAC Goalkeeper of the Year, one KCAC Defender of the Year, one Region IV selection and three NAIA All-Americans.

Ottawa finished the regular season with a 14-4 record and a 9-0 record in the KCAC. The Lady Braves won their first KCAC title since the 2005 season. Ottawa has been receiving votes in the NAIA Women’s Soccer Top 25 Poll.

Ottawa received a bye in the first round of the KCAC Tournament and will play 7 p.m. Tuesday at home against the winner of Friends-Bethel tournament match.