Five Aggies Earn Soccer Buzz Accolades
Dec 21, 2005 | Soccer
December 21, 2005
The Texas A&M soccer team saw five members receive regional honors from Soccer Buzz this week, marking the 10th year Soccer Buzz has presented postseason accolades. Sixty-seven schools comprising the Central Region were eligible for the awards.
Sophomore forward Ashlee Pistorius and senior midfielder Laura Probst headed the Soccer Buzz All-Central Region first team while sophomore forward Melissa Garey was named to the second team and sophomore defender Paige Carmichael and senior goalkeeper Kati Jo Spisak earned third team accolades.
"Congratulations to our fine players,? commented A&M head coach G Guerrieri. ?I am very pleased that they've received this recognition because the Central Region is by far the largest of the six regions in America (67 D1 teams), which makes it especially impressive to have five players selected."
In 2005, the honorees helped the Aggies climb to the top of the Big 12 standings and bring home, to Aggieland, their second consecutive Big 12 regular season and tournament championship as well as the team?™s 11th consecutive trip to NCAA?™s and seventh Sweet 16 appearance.
Pistorius (Normal, Ill.), finds herself on the Soccer Buzz All-Central Region first-team for the second time in her two years of playing at Texas A&M. As a freshman, Pistorius was honored by Soccer Buzz as the Central Region Freshman of the Year. She was also named to the Soccer Buzz Freshman All-American first team and to the Soccer Buzz All-American third team. This season Pistorius has started all 24 matches at the forward position and was selected first-team All-Big 12 and was named the Big 12 Tournament Offensive MVP. Pistorius led the conference in total points (56) and goals scored (22). She was also a finalist for Soccer Buzz?™s 2005 National Player of the Year.
Probst (Arvada Colo.) ended her four-year playing career at Texas A&M as a first-team All-Big 12 selection. She contributed six goals and 11 assists in her 24 starts in 2005. Probst is fifth all-time as an Aggie career assist leader (33). She is a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection and was named to the 2005 CoSIDA Academic All-America District 6 first-team. In 2003, as a sophomore, Probst was named to the Soccer Buzz All-Central Region team.
After a quiet freshman season, Garey (Gonzalez, La.) came out firing in 2005, contributing 19 goals and earning a spot on the All-Big 12 first-team. Garey saw action in all 24 of the Aggies?™ games, starting 20 as a forward. She was third in the conference in total points (41) and her 19 goals was a second best. Garey was also honored during 2005 on the Soccer Buzz, Soccer America and Top Drawer Soccer National Teams of the Week.
Carmichael (Glendale, Ariz.) was a mainstay in the Aggie defense this season, starting 20 and playing in all 24 of the Aggies?™ matches. After sustaining a knee injury in the 2004 Big 12 Tournament, Carmichael returned with a fury in 2005 and was named the Big 12 Tournament Defensive MVP. During season play, Carmichael contributed a goal and an assist.
After being named as an All-American every season since coming to Texas A&M, Spisak (St. Louis, Mo.) continued to control the goal in 2005. She clocked just over 2,132 minutes in goal for the Aggies this season, only allowing 23 goals in 24 games, resulting in a 0.97 goals against average. In 2005, Spisak was named to the All-Big 12 first team and the Big 12 All-Tournament team. She has been listed on the Soccer Buzz All-Central Region team every season since her freshman year. In her four-year stint at A&M, Spisak has climbed to the top of the Aggie record books, holding the No. 1 spot for most career saves (24) and most minutes in goal (8559:18). She?™s second in career goals against average (0.97).
All-Regional teams were led with Texas A&M's five selections as the Aggies, Nebraska and Vanderbilt each had two first-team picks. Twenty schools had at least one player named to one of three all-regional teams. Buzz Awards, presented since 1996, were decided by a vote open to all Division 1 head coaches and Soccer Buzz staff.
First Team
Pos. Name School Yr.
F Kimber Bailey SMU So
F Shoko Mikami Memphis Jr
F Ashlee Pistorius Texas A&M So
F Brittany Timko Nebraska Jr
M Ali Christoph Tennessee Jr
M Fran Munnelly Colorado Sr
M Laura Probst Texas A&M Sr
M Chrissy Strini Mississippi So
D Sasha Andrews Nebraska Sr
D Holly Gault Kansas Jr
D Kasey Moore Texas Fr
D Kim Perkins Vanderbilt Jr
G Tyler Griffin Vanderbilt Jr
Second Team
Pos. Name School Yr.
F Melissa Garey Texas A&M So
F Maureen Hughes St Louis Jr
F Heather Hutyra North Texas So
F Caroline Smith Kansas Sr
M Susanne Collins SMU Jr
M Jennifer Hance Mississippi Fr
M Courtney Hulcer St Louis Jr
M Lauren McIver Oklahoma Sr
D Monica Buff Vanderbilt Jr
D Erin Droeger Rice Sr
D Jenny Jeffers Tennessee Jr
D Laura Munnelly Colorado Jr
G Joanna Haig Iowa State So
Third Team
Pos. Name School Yr.
F Genna Gorman Tennessee So
F Rebecca Rodriguez Middle Tenn St Jr
F Kylee Rossi Tennessee Fr
F Jami Tullius UTEP So
M Kelly Ferguson St Louis Sr
M Caitlin Kennedy Texas So
M Laura Mann Denver Jr
D Christine Breaux Mississippi Fr
D Paige Carmichael Texas A&M So
D Kate Hercules Missouri State Jr
D Yolanda Odenyo Oklahoma State Fr
D Lissa Waid Creighton Sr
G Kati Jo Spisak Texas A&M Sr
