December 14, 2006
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206

IWU Names O’Brien as Women’s Soccer “Most Valuable”

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Senior midfielder Lyndsay O’Brien has been chosen as the “Most Valuable Player” for the 2006 Illinois Wesleyan women’s soccer team.

O’Brien (Peoria, Notre Dame HS), who was a first team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selection, finished with eight goals and three assists for 19 points.
She finished her career as IWU’s all-time leader in assists with 28 and is sixth with 74 career points.

In other team awards, sophomore midfielder Carly Calkins (Oak Forest, Marian Catholic HS) was chosen as the team’s “Most Improved Player.”
Calkins scored one goal and added an assist this season for IWU, who finished with a 10-5-4 overall mark and was 4-1-2 in the CCIW.

Second team all-CCIW selection Caroline Leighton (Bloomington, Normal Community HS) led IWU in scoring with 23 points and netted a team-best 10 goals. After two seasons she ranks No. 14 in career scoring (41 points) and No. 12 with 18 goals.

Senior goalkeeper Emily Castner (Elgin, Larkin HS) finished her career as the school’s all-time leader with 28 shutouts. In 79 games, she had a career goals-against average of 0.99.
This fall Castner made 62 saves and allowed 0.80 goals per game with nine shutouts for the Titans, who were ranked as high as No. 24 in the Division III national poll during the season.

All-Central Region

O’Brien was also named to the second team of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America all-Central Region team while sophomore defender Tina Rodriguez (Simi Valley, Calif., Royal HS) was a third team honoree.

Letterwinners

Head coach David Barrett awarded 19 letters to women's soccer players, including 14 to players who will return next season. The letterwinners are, with hometowns and high schools:

SENIORS – Emily Castner (Elgin, Larkin HS), Ashley Goergen (Geneva HS), Lyndsay O’Brien (Peoria, Notre Dame HS), Eileen Ouska (Skokie, Niles West HS), Amy Slott (Oswego HS).

JUNIORS - Meghan Rynne (Oak Forest, Marian Catholic HS).

SOPHOMORES – Sarah Alley (Zionsville, Ind. HS), Carly Calkins (Park Ridge, Maine South HS), Caroline Leighton (Bloomington, Normal Community HS), Erin Murray (Park Ridge, Maine South HS), Carissa Nemmers (Dubuque, Iowa, Hempstead HS), Tina Rodriguez (Simi Valley, Calif., Royal HS).

FRESHMEN – Erin Kugler (Peoria, Notre Dame HS), Emily Marcheschi (Hinsdale, Nazareth Academy), Alexa Nosek (Geneva, Benet Academy), Elizabeth Sinclair (Peoria, Richwoods HS), Christine Szukalla (Mt. Prospect, Prospect HS), Beth Talentowski (LaGrange, Lyons Township HS), Patty Troxell (Lakewood, Crystal Lake Central HS).