Four PBC Women's Soccer Players Named All-American

Four Peach Belt Conference women’s soccer players have been named All-Americans as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and Daktronics have both released their teams. Armstrong Atlantic State’s Kristin Burton was named a first-team All-American by both organizations and is the only PBC player to be placed on the first team. Columbus State’s Gina Goforth was named second-team by the NSCAA while GCSU’s Mary Rob Plunkett and North Georgia’s Casey Smith were named third team.

Armstrong Atlantic’s Morgan Mitchell was also named an honorable mention by Daktronics.

The four All-Americans is the most the Peach Belt has had since five were named in 2004.

Burton is the three-time PBC Player of the Year and all-time leading goal scorer in Peach Belt Conference history. The Ocala, Fla., native currently ranks second in NCAA Division II in points per game (3.30) and third in goals per game (1.348) while setting an AASU single-season record by tallying 31 goals in 2009.

Burton's 95 career goals rank seventh all-time in NCAA Division II history, with her 225 points also ranking seventh all-time.

A third-team All-American honoree in 2008 by Daktronics and CoSIDA, Burton has earned All-American honors now in all four of her years as a Pirate, including three-time ESPN: The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.

Burton was not the only Pirate to be recognized by Daktronics as freshman midfielder Morgan Mitchell earned Honorable Mention All-America honors. The Lilburn, Ga., native tallied 12 goals and seven assists in her freshman campaign for the Pirates.

Gina 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.

Mary Rob Plunkett becomes the first GCSU fall sports player to be named an All-American. Plunkett was named All-PBC First Team at the end of the regular season, adding first team All-Southeast Region nods from both the Daktronics and NSCAA award programs. She finished her junior campaign with an amazing 0.59 GAA and .896 save percentage. She made 86 saves and posted five shutouts. Her save percentage ranks fourth in the nation, while the GAA puts her 16th.

Casey Smith was named the PBC Defensive Player of the Week on four different occasions this season for North Georgia, more than any other player in the league as the junior was second in the conference with nine assists, and second in the PBC in assists per game at 0.53.

Smith played in all 17 games for the Lady Saints, starting 16 of those and logging 1316 minutes of action. She had six goals and nine assists for 21 points, while recording one game-winning goal. The Stockbridge, Ga., native had 25 shots, with 14 shots on goal for a .560 shots on goal percentage.

The NSCAA All-America teams are selected by Division II head coaches while the Daktronics team is selected by Sports Information Directors. Full teams are listed below.

2009 NSCAA Women's NCAA Division II All-America Team
First Team
Pos., Player, Class, School, Hometown
K, Jamie Gillis, Sr., Massachusetts-Lowell, Billerica, Mass.
D, Kelly Guerin, Jr., College of St. Rose, Sutton, Mass.
D, Katie Whiting*, Jr., College of St. Rose, Holden, Mass.
D, Kim Abbott, Sr., St. Edward's, Missouri City, Texas
D, Lisa Bradley, Jr., UC San Diego, Martinez, Calif.
M, Amanda Deck*, Jr., College of St. Rose, Cicero, N.Y.
M, Erin Mruz, So., Grand Valley State, Gurnee, Ill.
M, Jenna Boyko, Sr., Quincy, St. Charles, Mo.
F, Kristin Burton*, Sr., Armstrong Atlantic State, Ocala, Fla.
F, Irie Dennis , Sr., Grand Valley State, New Albany, Ohio
F, Shakira Duncan, Jr., West Florida, Kingston, Jamaica
F, Becca Mays*, Sr., Metro State, San Antonio, Texas

Second Team
K, Lyndsie Bernardini, Fr., West Chester, Elmer, N.J.
D, Alli Miller, Sr., Central Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
D, Abby Schuhmann, So., Bellarmine, Louisville, Ky.
D, Kathleen Strazzere, Sr., Massachusetts-Lowell, Wilmington, Mass.
M, Megan Beal, Sr., Davis and Elkins, Pilesgrove, N.J.
M, Marcela Franco, Sr., West Florida, Sao Paulo, Brazil
M, Courtney Turner*, Jr., Tusculum, Cocoa Beach, Fla.
F, Kayla Mitchell, Sr., Colorado School of Mines, Ontario, Ore.
F, Jessica Murphy, So., Cal State Dominguez Hills, Torrance, Calif.
F, Jocelyn Charette, Sr., Seattle Pacific, Lakewood, Wash.
F, Gabriela Demoner***, Sr., Franklin Pierce, Vitoria, Brazil
F, Gina Goforth, Sr., Columbus State, Fayetteville, Ga.

Third Team
K, Mary Rob Plunkett, Jr., Georgia College, Augusta, Ga.
D, Shameka Gordon*, Sr., West Florida, Old Harbour, Jamaica
D, Casey Smith, Jr., North Georgia, Stockbridge, Ga.
D, Meagan Thomas, Jr., Rollins, Porte Vedra, Fla.
M, Brittany Godin, So., College of St. Rose, Rochester, N.Y.
M, Morgan Gruenenfelder, Jr., Carson-Newman, Sweetwater, Tenn.
M, Jamie MacArthur, Sr., Fort Lewis, Albuquerque, N.M.
M, Katie Reuck, Sr., Truman State, Jacksonville, Ill.
F, Shaneka Gordon*, Sr., West Florida, Old Harbour, Jamaica
F, Gabrielle Gramprey*, Sr., Merrimack, Brockton, Mass.
F, Angelika Johansson**, Jr., Franklin Pierce, Falkenberg, Sweden
F, Sarah Oswald*, Jr., West Chester, Macungie, Pa.
* indicates prior selection

2009 Daktronics NCAA Division II Women's Soccer All-America First Team
Pos. Name School Class Ht. Hometown
GK Lyndsie Bernardini West Chester Fr. 5-10 Elmer, N.J.
F Kristin Burton*** Armstrong Atlantic State Sr. 5-8 Ocala, Fla.
F Shakira Duncan# West Florida Jr. 5-5 Kingston, Jamaica
F Shaneka Gordon* West Florida Sr. 5-7 Old Harbour, Jamaica
F Kayla Mitchell Colorado Mines Sr. 5-3 Ontario, Ore.
MF Gabriela Demoner** Franklin Pierce Sr. 5-6 Vitoria, Brazil
MF Elizabeth Hawes Lenoir-Rhyne Fr. 5-7 Valdese, N.C.
MF Marcelo Franco* West Florida Sr. 5-5 Sao Paulo, Brazil
MF Dernelle Mascall West Florida Sr. 5-8 Basse Terre, Trinidad
D Megan Brown Grand Valley State So. 5-6 Jenison, Mich.
D Shameka Gordon* West Florida Sr. 5-5 Old Harbour, Jamaica
D Courtney Ryan Metropolitan State So. 5-3 Chula Vista, Calif.
D Natalja Stanski* Grand Valley State Sr. 5-8 Tecumseh, Ontario
# 2009 Daktronics Player of the Year

2009 Daktronics NCAA Division II Women's Soccer All-America Second Team
Pos. Name School Class Ht. Hometown
GK Courtney Jones** West Florida Sr. 5-7 Panama City, Fla.
F Angelika Johansson* Franklin Pierce Jr. 5-4 Falkenberg, Sweden
F Becca Mays*** Metropolitan State Sr. 5-8 San Antonio, Texas
F Chloe Roberts North Alabama Fr. 5-5 Plymouth, England
F Lauren Strudivant Winona State Jr. 5-4 Eagan, Minn.
MF Nikki Brown North Alabama Fr. 5-9 Bognor Regis, England
MF Clare Dahmen Minnesota-Duluth Sr. 5-5 Hopkins, Minn.
MF Lindsay McHorse West Texas A&M So. 5-4 Georgetown, Texas
MF Margaret Porter Dominican (N.Y.) Jr. 5-3 Neptune, N.J.
D Jenna Arnold West Chester Jr. 5-7 Winslow, N.J.
D Kelly Guerin St. Rose Jr. 5-8 Sutton, Mass.
D Kaley Morris West Florida Sr. 5-6 Gulf Breeze, Fla.

2009 Daktronics NCAA Division II Women's Soccer All-America Third Team
Pos. Name School Class Ht. Hometown
GK Hannah Bengtson Minnesota-Duluth Jr. 5-11 Lino Lakes, Minn.
F Nicole Baier Nebraska-Omaha Fr. 5-8 Omaha, Neb.
F Kara Houston Wheeling Jesuit Jr. 5-5 Washington, Pa.
F Liz Franco Cal. State-Los Angeles Jr. 5-8 Oceanside, Calif.
F Kelly Lyons Georgian Court So. 5-6 Jackson, N.J.
MF Jamie MacArthur Fort Lewis Sr. 5-5 Albuquerque, N.M.
MF Erin Mruz Grand Valley State So. 5-6 Gurnee, Ill.
MF Vickie Rich Lees-McRae So. 5-2 Arlington Heights, Ill.
MF Emma Woolley Bridgeport Sr. 5-4 Sheffield, England
D Kathryn Gosztyla Metropolitan State Sr. 5-7 Orangevale, Calif.
D Alli Miller Central Oklahoma Sr. 5-1 Norman, Okla.
D Cindi Nickels West Chester Jr. 5-9 Baltimore, Md.
D Rachel Smith*** Franklin Pierce Sr. 5-9 Chichester, N.H.
* first team selection from 2008
** second team selection from 2008
*** third team selection from 2008

2009 Daktronics NCAA Div. II Women's Soccer All-America Honorable Mention
Pos. Name School Class Ht. Hometown
GK Jamie Gillis Massachusetts-Lowell Sr. 5-9 North Billerica, Mass.
GK Kelly Skehan West Texas A&M Jr. 5-7 Klein, Texas
F Jenna Boyko Quincy Sr. 5-6 St. Charles, Mo.
F Jocelyn Charette Seattle Pacific Sr. 5-10 Lakewood, Wash.
F Irie Dennis Grand Valley State Sr. 5-5 New Albany, Ohio
F Hannah Dozier Texas-Permian Basin So. 5-6 Midland, Texas
F Laura Leber Minnesota State-Mankato Jr. 5-3 Council Bluffs, Iowa
MF Amanda Matthews Cal. State-Los Angeles Sr. 5-2 San Jose, Calif.
MF Morgan Mitchell Armstrong Atlantic State Fr. 5-9 Lilburn, Ga
MF Meredith Novak Wisconsin-Parkside Sr. 5-5 Batavia, Ill.
MF Gina Paletta Minnesota State-Mankato Sr. 5-7 Omaha, Neb.
D Lindsay Catton Sonoma State Sr. 5-8 Rohnert Park, Calif.
D Melissa Morris Carson-Newman Jr. 5-5 Sweetwater, Tenn.
D Caitlin Mullady C.W. Post Sr. 5-4 Hauppauge, N.Y.
D Paige Peel Cal. State-Dominguez Hills So. 5-7 Bakersfield, Calif.
D Taylor Sawyer Seattle Pacific Fr. 5-5 Gig Harbor, Wash.