Nov. 5, 2002
MOBILE, Ala. - The University of Denver women's soccer team was rewarded for their unprecedented season with eight conference awards, including a league-high six first team honors, during the Sun Belt Conference championship awards banquet. The festivities were held on Tuesday (Nov. 5) night at the Airport Plaza Hotel in Mobile, Ala., the site of the 2002 Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Championship Tournament.
Senior Katie Antongiovanni (Bakersfield, Calif.), Erica Izard (Fort Collins, Colo.), Angie Portincaso (Littleton, Colo.) and Kristin Warren (Littleton, Colo.) and juniors Jamie Norwood (Littleton, Colo.) and Mychael Movius (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) were named to the first team. Senior Kerri Weaver (Littleton, Colo.) and junior Jenni Harris (Littleton, Colo.) received second team honors. Head coach Jeff Hooker was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season after leading the Pioneers to the best regular season record in school history (14-1-2).
Antongiovanni earned the honors for the second straight year leading the Pioneers in scoring. She posted a team-high 25 points, which included a team-best 11 goals. Izard, the league's top keeper for the second straight year, allowed just two goals in eight conference matches, posted a league best GAA of 0.27 and was named conference player of the week on Nov. 5. She recorded six shutouts against conference opponents and currently has a scoreless streak of 562:58 in progress.
Portincaso anchored Denver's defense, which shutdown opponent's offensive attack and recorded 11 shutouts on the season. Warren earned first-team plaudits for the third straight year with her dominating performance at the midfield position. She ended the regular season second on the team in scoring with 18 points (seven goals, four assists) and propelled the Pioneers to 14 wins this season. Norwood, the league's best defender playing forward, recorded two goals, led the team with 12 assists and received national honors four times this season as a member of the national team of the week by Soccer Buzz (Sept. 26) and Soccer America (Sept. 11, 25; Oct. 16). Movius earned her second first team honor in three years with her determined performance on the front line. She ended the regular season tied for fifth on the team in scoring with 12 points (three goals, six assists) and tallied three game-winners.
Weaver and Harris earned second team honors for their significant contributions this season. Weaver contributed 14 points to Denver's attack (five goals, four assists) and provided the Pioneers with an additional weapon up front. Harris tallied 12 points on the year (five goals, two assists) and offered Denver strength and size on the front line.
North Texas forward Marilyn Marin was named Sun Belt player of the year, Arkansas-Little Rock goalkeeper Marsha Stewart picked up Freshman of the Year honors and Middle Tennessee midfielder Christina Mascaro was named Newcomer of the Year. The league's nine head coaches voted on the awards.
The No. 1 seed Pioneers will face No. 8 seed Arkansas State this Wednesday, November 6 in a first-round match-up at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. mountain time. Denver defeated the Lady Indians 2-1 on the road this season and holds a 3-0-0 all-time series record against ASU.
