HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana freshman forward
Maiya Cooper was named the Freshman of the Year and Lady Lion head coach Blake Hornbuckle was selected the Coach of the Year, as the Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced the 2009 LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Soccer Teams on Sunday.
Cooper, a Hawthorne, Calif. native, was joined on the first team by junior midfielder
Natalie Santana and sophomore goalkeeper
Lacey Bockhaus. Four other Lady Lions – senior midfielder
Candice Wallace, senior defender
Dana Mayer, sophomore defender
Kyle MacIntosh and freshman forward
Karly Dagys – earned honorable mention All-Louisiana honors.
“The recognition is well-deserved for all of our student-athletes, particularly our first team selections Maiya, Natalie and Lacey,” Hornbuckle commented. “It’s a testament to the immediate impact that Maiya had in her first season that she was named the state’s freshman of the year. As far as the Coach of the Year honors are concerned, I’m honored and very fortunate to be surrounded by good people in our progam.”
Hornbuckle was honored by the LSWA after leading the Lady Lions to its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 win over Texas State in the Southland Conference Tournament final. The 12th-year head coach was named the state’s coach of the year for the fourth time. Under his direction, the Lady Lions led the Southland with 56 goals, 57 assists, 13 goals allowed and 13 shutouts, setting or matching league single-season records in each of the latter three categories.
Cooper is the fourth Lady Lion to earn LSWA Freshman of the Year honors and the first since Cory Cochrane in 2000. In her first collegiate season, Cooper led the Lady Lions with 14 goals scored – the most-ever by a freshman in school history – and earned First Team All-Southland honors. Cooper, who had a streak of seven matches with at least one goal during the season, also earned All-Southland Tournament honors and scored the Lady Lions’ lone goal in its first round loss to No. 6 Florida State in the NCAA Tournament.
Cooper and fellow first team All-Louisiana selection Santana were the top two scorers for the high-powered Southeastern attack. Santana led the Southland Conference in assists for the second straight season, finishing with 10 to go with nine goals. The first team All-Southland Conference selection finished her junior season ranked among the school’s career leaders in goals (18, 9th), assists (20, 3rd), points (56, 7th) and game-winning goals (6, 5th). The Cypress, Calif. native earned her second All-Louisiana honor, as she earned honorable mention honors last season.
Bockhaus completed the Lady Lions first team contingent. A first team All-Southland Conference selection, the San Leandro, Calif. native set a single-season league record with 12 shutouts while posting a school-record low 0.64 goals against average. Bockhaus was named the Southland Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player after posting two shutouts and making several key saves in postseason wins over Stephen F. Austin and Texas State. An honorable mention selection in 2008, Bockhaus is making her second All-Louisiana appearance.
All three of the Southland Conference Tournament champions’ team captains – Wallace, Mayer and earned All-Louisiana notice. A first team All-Southland Conference pick, Wallace was among the team’s top scorers with six goals and nine points. The Guelph, Ont. native scored the game-winning penalty kick in Southeastern’s shootout victory over Stephen F. Austin in the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals. Wallace, who finished ranked among the school’s career leaders in goals (20, 6th), assists (23, 2nd), points (63, 5th), game-winning goals (6, 5th) and matches played (77, 9th), was named an honorable mention All-Louisiana selection for the second straight season.
Mayer and Macintosh, along with All-Southland Conference juniors
Nicole Brannigan and
Brittany Prieto, helped Southeastern set league single-season records for fewest goals allowed and shutouts. A first team All-Southland Conference pick, Mayer made a seamless transition to the backfield after starring as an outside midfielder in her first three seasons. A three-time ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VI selection and a 4.0 student, the Toronto, Ont. native earned her first All-Louisiana selection.
Macintosh is also making her first appearance on the All-Louisiana team. A second team All-Southland Conference selection, the St. Catherines, Ont. native was a force all season in the back, particularly in the Southland Conference Tournament, as she earned All-Southland Tournament honors after keying the two postseason shutouts.
Rounding out the Lady Lion honorees is Dagys, who paired with Cooper to give Southeastern a youthful and dangerous duo of freshman forward. An honorable mention All-Southland choice, the Oakville, Ont. native had eight goals and four assists in her debut campaign. Dagys clinched the Lady Lions’ tournament title with a goal in the final minute that placed her on the Southland Conference All-Tournament team.
The 2009 LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Soccer Teams were selected by the state’s sports information directors.
2009 LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Soccer Team
First Team
Malorie Rutledge – LSU – MF – Sr. – Sharpsburg, Ga.
Melissa Clarke – LSU – MF – Sr. – Norcross, Ga.
Natalie Santana – Southeastern La. – MF – Jr. – Cypress, Calif.
Maiya Cooper – Southeastern La. – F – Fr. – Hawthorne, Calif.
Katie Valdez – Centenary – F – So. – Houston, Texas
Alana Clark – McNeese State – MF – Jr. – Tuscon, Ariz.
Carlie Banks – LSU – F – Fr. – Peachtree City, Ga.
Rachel King – Louisiana Tech – F/MF – So. – O’Fallon, Mo.
Chelsea Potts – LSU – D – Sr. – Aurora, Ill.
Kiva Gresham – Louisiana Tech – MF/D – Jr. – Albuquerque, N.M.
Lacey Bockhaus – Southeastern La. – GK – So. – San Leandro, Calif.
Player of the Year: Malorie Rutledge, LSU
Newcomer of the Year: Allysha Chapman, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Maiya Cooper, Southeastern Louisiana
Coach of the Year: Blake Hornbuckle, Southeastern Louisiana
Honorable Mention: Karly Dagys, Southeastern La.; Chelsea Gibbs, Northwestern State;
Dana Mayer, Southeastern La.; Kaity Mattson, Nicholls;
Candice Wallace, Southeastern La.; Chelsea Brozgold, Northwestern State; Keisha Brown, Nicholls; Cayla Chatman, Louisiana-Lafayette; Raydan Phillips, Louisiana-Monroe;
Kyle MacIntosh, Southeastern La.; Carolyn Noble, Nicholls; Alyssa Chapman, LSU; Allison Rucinski, Centenary; Mo Isom, LSU; D’Nae Capron, Southern