Welch Earns Third Straight MVP at CWPA Awards Banquet
4/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Welch has now won the Western Division MVP in each season from 2005-07 after being named CWPA Rookie of the Year in 2004. Welch has also been named to the All-Western Division first team in all four of her seasons as a Wolverine. Welch -- the U-M program career leader in points, goals and steals -- has posted 118 points on 79 goals and 39 assists this season, breaking her previous single-season school record of 102 (75 g, 27 a) set in 2006. Welch currently ranks tied for 10th in the nation in goal scoring with Hyrne -- a fellow first team All-Western Division member.
Hyrne has also scored 79 times this season, while adding 32 helpers for 111 points. Her point total is the second-highest in a season in program history. Hyrne earned her second CWPA Player of the Week award of the year this past week following her two second-overtime scores that won Michigan its sixth straight division title in an 8-6 overtime triumph over Indiana. Hyrne's first team honor improves upon her 2006 second team award from last season.
Davis wins her second consecutive first team All-Western Division honor thanks to career highs in saves (219), assists (34) and steals (53) this season. Her assist and steal totals also both shatter the school records for assists and steals in a season by a goalkeeper, both of which were set by Davis in 2006. She currently ranks 19th in the nation in blocks.
Robertson has had a stellar start to her career as a Wolverine, tallying 64 points (27 g, 37 a) to rank fifth on the squad in points. Her assist total is the highest by any rookie in program history. She has also been a queen of thievery as she has posted a single-season school record in steals with 92. Her 92 thefts are 38 more than the previous single-season record of 54, set by Megan Hausmann in 2006.
The Wolverines look to win their third Eastern Championship crown to earn the CWPA bid to the National Championship held in Los Alamitos, Calif., from May 11-13. Michigan will face Bucknell at Noon EDT Saturday afternoon (April 28) in the first round of the Eastern Championship at Princeton's DeNunzio Pool, marking the fourth time in the past five years U-M has opened up against the Bison. A Wolverine win over Bucknell will place them against the winner of Princeton and Maryland at 8:30 p.m., while a loss will put Michigan in a 5:30 p.m. contest against the loser of the Tigers and Terrapins.
2007 CWPA All-Conference Awards
WESTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
Kat Bucceri, Gannon
Kristen Davis, Michigan
Julie Hyrne, Michigan
Melissa Soria, Indiana
Christine Somera, Mercyhurst
Shana Welch, Michigan
Brooke Zimmerman, Indiana
WESTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
Erika Brunner, Slippery Rock
Katie Carson, Indiana
Annie Greenhill, Gannon
Carrie Willison, Mercyhurst
Leah Robertson, Michigan
Kristen Zernicke, Indiana
WESTERN DIVISION MVP
Shana Welch, Michigan
CWPA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Kirtsen Hudson, Hartwick
WESTERN DIVISION COACH OF THE YEAR
Don Sherman, Gannon
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On tonight's banquet ... "This season's honors were awarded to the correct players; teams that are here and teams that are not here were both recognized. The Gannon coach deserved Coach of the Year after the outstanding job he did. Shana (Welch), from her Rookie of the Year to her three straight first team honors, has done a great job performing well in every phase, but especially within the East coast. Her winning MVP again recognizes her ability to maintain her high level of play for all four years. Julie (Hyrne) has come on this season and played outstanding and was well-deserving of first team honors. Kristen (Davis) showed up strong last weekend and proved she is the best goalie in the division. Leah (Robertson) has played great as a freshman. It is a big jump from high school to college water polo. For a freshman, I am very proud of how well she has played. Other girls on our team could very easily have been recognized as well. When there are only seven positions on each of the first and second teams, it is hard to recognize every deserving girl and the reason why these four girls were recognized was because their teammates performed well enough to put them in the position to win these awards. At this point, it is now about the team playing well and building off the division championship into this weekend's Eastern Championship."
Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423
