Nov. 19, 2001
New York, N.Y. - A trio of Broncos have been listed as finalists for national women's soccer awards presented by Soccer Buzz. The duo of Aly Wagner and Danielle Slaton have added their impressive list of awards this season by being named finalists for the website's National Player of the Year Award, while Leslie Osborne has been named a finalist for Freshman of the Year honors.
The final winners will be announced in December after a vote open to all 278 Division 1 women's soccer coaches and the Soccer Buzz staff.
Of the twelve National Player of the Year finalists, six are repeaters from the 2000 finalist list, including 3-time finalists Christie Welsh (Jr, F) of Penn State and Abby Wambach (Sr, F) of Florida. The four other repeaters from last year are Jena Kluegel (Sr, M), North Carolina, Christine Latham (Jr. F), Nebraska, Lauren Orlandos (Jr, D), Portland, and Laura Schott (Jr, F), California.
Receiving their first nomination as finalists are Danielle Borgman (Sr, D), North Carolina, Aleisha Cramer (So, M), BYU, Lori Lindsey (Sr, M), Virginia, Mary-Frances Monroe (Sr, F), UCLA, Danielle Slaton (Sr, D), Santa Clara, and Aly Wagner (Jr, M), Santa Clara.
Florida, North Carolina and Santa Clara are the only schools to have a Buzz Player of the Year finalist each of the last four years. With two 2001 finalists, UNC continues its streak of having multiple nominees each of those years. BYU, UCLA and Virginia have a player among the Soccer Buzz finalists for the first time in their history.
Notre Dame's Anne Makinen was named the 2000 Soccer Buzz Player of the Year. Other past winners include Mandy Clemens, Santa Clara (1999), Danielle Fotopoulos, Florida (1998), Robin Confer, North Carolina (1997), and Debbie Keller, North Carolina (1996).
In addition, twelve rookies were named as finalists for the 2001 Soccer Buzz Freshman of the Year. North Carolina was the only school to have a freshman nominated for the top honor for the second consecutive year. North Carolina, Portland, Santa Clara and Virginia had finalists for both major awards from Soccer Buzz. The top rookies were scoring machines as seven of the finalists were forwards. The Freshman award finalists are:
Candace Chapman, Notre Dame, D
Sue Flamini, Tennessee, M
Lindsay Gusick, Virginia, F
Linsey Johnson, Texas A&M, F
Megan Kakadelas, Southern California, M
Carli Lloyd, Rutgers, M
Casey McCluskey, Duke, F
Anne Morrell, North Carolina, F
Leslie Osborne, Santa Clara, F
Megan Rivera, Auburn, G
Christine Sinclair, Portland, F
Kelly Wilson, Texas, F
Last year's Soccer Buzz Freshman of the Year was Marcie Ward of Stanford. Other past winners include Christie Welsh, Penn State (1999), Mary-Frances Monroe, Connecticut (1998), Anne Makinen, Notre Dame (1997), and Laurie Schwoy, North Carolina (1996).
For a complete list of 2001 nominations, please visit Soccer Buzz or go directly to soccerbuzz.com