RHIT’s Annmarie Stanley Named HCAC Women’s Soccer MVP

GREENWOOD, IN - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Annmarie Stanley (Warrenville, Ill./Rosary) has been named the 2009 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women's soccer Most Valuable Player. The junior forward helped guide the Engineers to the school's second HCAC championship and earn the top seed in the conference tournament.  Stanley joins Jennifer Gordon (2007) and Jessica Farmer (2003) as Rose-Hulman women's soccer players to earn league Player of the Year accolades. 

Stanley was a leader for the Engineer squad all season long and totaled 11 points for the Rose-Hulman offense.  The junior led the team with seven assists this season and added two goals during the campaign.  She also earned a spot on the ESPN the Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-District team for the second straight season for her efforts.  

The HCAC has also announced the 2009 Freshman of the Year.  Hanover's Kaitlin McCulloch (Florence, Ky./Boone Co.) earned the award for her efforts during her first season as a Panther.  McCullough helped anchor a Hanover defense that allowed only nine goals during regular season play, posted 11 shutouts, and held its opponents to a 0.52 goals against average.  The freshman netted one goal during her first season, helping the Panthers to a 7-1 conference record and a share of the conference championship. 

Hanover head coach Jim Watts has been named the 2009 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.  Watts led the Panthers to a 13-5-1 overall record and a 7-1 record in conference play, claiming a share of their third conference championship.  Hanover fell to Transylvania in the conference tournament championship, missing a berth to the NCAA tournament.  This is coach Watts' first Coach of the Year honor. 

Joining Stanley and McCulloch on the All-HCAC team are Bluffton University's Kourtney Lewis (So., Arlington, Ohio), Franklin College's Abbie Goss (Fr., Martinsville, Ind.), Hanover College's Christa Hurak (Fr., Lexington, Ky.), Olivia Selm (So., Zionsville, Ind.), Kelly McRoberts (Fr., Louisville, Ky.), and Abbey Schmahl (So., Aurora, Ind.), Manchester College's Paige Koomler (Sr., Ft. Wayne, Ind.), Mount St. Joseph's Andrea Caldwell (So., Cincinnati, Ohio), Jessica Pykosz (Fr., Milford, Ohio), and Laurie Neumann (Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio), Rose-Hulman's Molly Richardson (Jr., Orange Park, Fla.) and Eli Baca (Jr., Santa Fe, N.M.), and Transylvania University's Katie Kelly (Sr., Lexington, Ky.), Kate McKelway (Sr., Lexington, Ky.), and Cori Hickman (Jr., Newark, Ohio). 

Second-team All-HCAC selections are listed below. 

Most Valuable Player: Annmarie Stanley, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 

Freshman of the Year: Kaitlin McCulloch, Hanover College 

Coach of the Year: Jim Watts, Hanover College 

All-HCAC

Second Team All-HCAC