Women's Soccer Falcons Hand Out Awards for 2009 Season

Junior Alicia Almond picked up a pair of awards as the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team held its annual banquet on Saturday evening (Feb. 27) at the Sebo Athletic Center.

Almond and sophomores Leah Johnson and Alyssa Zuccaro received most valuable player awards, while Almond also won the Leslie Dawley "Fighting Falcon" award. Junior Katie Stephenson earned the Leah Eggleton "Hustle" award for the third time in as many years at BGSU, while senior Carolyn Nesline was named the team's most improved player. The "Fighting Falcon" award winner is selected by the coaching staff, while the other awards are the results of voting by the team members.

Almond (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay H.S.) earned the Falcons' MVP award in the midfield, and also picked up the "Fighting Falcon" award. The latter award is given to a team member who, through words and actions, most accurately reflects the program's philosophy of 'Today I gave all that I have, for everything I left behind is gone forever.' It was renamed to honor former Falcon Leslie Dawley, who entered BGSU in the fall of 2002 and played with the team during that '02 season before passing away in November of that year. Almond was one of four Falcons to start all 20 matches in 2009, and scored three points on the season. She had a goal in the Miami game, and picked up an assist on the game-winning goal against Youngstown State. Almond was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Third Team, and also earned Academic All-MAC Team honors. She has played in 47 career matches, and has seven points as a Falcon.

Johnson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South H.S.) was named the Falcons' MVP on defense. She, like Almond, was one of four BGSU players to start all 20 matches in 2009. Johnson had five points on the year, on a goal and three assists. She tied for second on the team in assists. Johnson, who led the Falcons in minutes played, was on the pitch for 1,787 of the 1,860 total minutes on the year. Her lone goal of the year came in the win at Detroit, and she set career standards for assists (two) and points (four) in that win. Johnson also had an assist in the YSU match. She was named to the Academic All-MAC Team. Johnson has played in 40 matches -- starting all 40 -- during her first two seasons, scoring a total of eight points in that time.

Zuccaro (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor H.S.) was named the team's Offensive MVP for the second time in as many years with the Falcons. She was third on the team in scoring in 2009, with seven points. Zuccaro tied for third on the team with two goals, and was deadlocked for second in assists, with three. She paced the team in shot attempts (38) and shots on goal (17) last fall. Zuccaro had a three-point game against Indiana State, contributing to both goals with a goal and an assist in the Falcons' 2-1 win. She also scored in the team's 1-1 tie at Northern Illinois, and had assists at UDM and Western Michigan. Through two seasons, Zuccaro has 18 career points on seven goals and four assists. She has played in 41 of BG's 42 games in that time, making 37 starts.

Stephenson (Lexington, Ohio/Lexington H.S.) earned the Leah Eggleton "Hustle" award, given to the player who shows a consistent enthusiasm for the game and a tremendous work ethic, both at practices and during games. The award is named after former Falcon Eggleton, a three-time winner, but Stephenson now has won the award three times as well. Stephenson played in all 20 matches, making 12 starts, in 2009. She scored three points on the year, with a goal in the win at UDM, and an assist on the winning score in the YSU contest. Stephenson started the first four games of the year, as well as the last eight contests of the season. She joined Almond on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team, earning a spot on that squad for the second consecutive year. Stephenson also earned Academic All-MAC Team honors for the second-straight fall. She has played in 63 of BGSU's 64 matches in her first three seasons, and has 16 career points on five goals and six assists.

Nesline (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington H.S.) was named the Falcons' Most Improved Player in 2009. She played in 15 matches, making one start, and saw action in nine of the Falcons' 11 MAC games. Her lone starting assignment came in the final game of the season, against arch-rival Toledo, and she tied her season high with 47 minutes played in that contest. Nesline earned three letters for the Falcons after playing her first collegiate season at Butler University. She played in 37 career matches at BGSU, with totals of four points on a goal and two assists.

In addition to handing out the individual awards, head coach Andy Richards and assistants Scott Gloden, Tiffany Hansen and Brianne Eisenhard thanked the team's seniors for their contributions to the program.

The six seniors -- Samantha Bland, Jen Czapka, Kaitlyn Kobe, Colleen Kordan, Stacey Lucas and Nesline -- each had a chance to speak, and were introduced by an underclass player. The senior class helped the Falcons to a record of 24-12-3 at Cochrane Field during their four seasons.

BGSU WOMEN'S SOCCER - 2009 AWARDS
* MVP - DEFENSE: Leah Johnson
* MVP - MIDFIELD: Alicia Almond
* MVP - OFFENSE: Alyssa Zuccaro
* MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Carolyn Nesline
* LEAH EGGLETON "HUSTLE" AWARD: Katie Stephenson
* LESLIE DAWLEY "FIGHTING FALCON" AWARD: Alicia Almond

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