Six Wolverines Recognized at Annual Awards Banquet
1/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Jan. 30, 2016
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team held its annual postseason banquet on Saturday (Jan. 30) at the Junge Family Champions Center, where head coach Greg Ryan and the Wolverine coaching staff handed out several team awards.
Six student-athletes received team awards, highlighted by Offensive MVP junior/sophomore Ani Sarkisian and Defensive MVP senior captain Christina Murillo. Sarkisian finished tied for the team lead in points with 17, on seven goals and three assists, including a hat trick against Illinois (Oct. 11). She has started all 41 games in her career and was selected to the All-Big Ten first team this season. Murillo rejoined the Wolverines for the 2015 season after taking the 2014-15 academic year off to train with the Mexican National Team and compete in the FIFA Women's World Cup. She anchored Michigan's back line and took all set pieces for U-M, while also leading the team with seven assists. The team captain earned All-Big Ten first team and All-Great Lakes Region second team honors, and was also selected to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
Senior captain Corrine Harris was the recipient of the Wolverine Award, which is presented to U-M's most intense competitor. During her four seasons in a Maize and Blue uniform, Harris' presence was felt all over the pitch. She missed just one game in her Michigan career, playing in 87 games with 66 starts, including all 21 in 2015. She finished the season with three goals and two assists, giving her a total of 22 career assists, which rank fourth all-time at Michigan. Harris was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Five first team for the second straight season, as well as the All-Big Ten and All-Great Lakes Region first team.
The team's Most Improved Player Award was awarded to junior defender Melissa Kreutz, who played in 17 games this season with two starts. After seeing time in three games in her first two seasons on defense, Kreutz's work in the offseason allowed her to contribute on both ends of the field, seeing time as both a defender and forward in 2015.
U-M's Rookie of the Year was presented to freshman Abby Kastroll, who finished tied for third on the team in points with 12, contributing four goals and four assists. Kastroll was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Oct. 6, after scoring the game-winning-goal on the road at Maryland and adding the assist on U-M's goal in a 1-1 tie at Rutgers.
Senior Maddie Clarfield was presented with the Lloyd Carr Award, given to the player who best represents Michigan ideals and possess the most team-oriented attitude. As one of four captains this season, she was a vital vocal leader for the team as a whole, as well as among U-M's three-person goalie group.
Michigan reached the 12-win mark for the fourth straight season in 2015. The Wolverines finished the season with a 12-7-2 overall record, including a 6-3-2 record in Big Ten Conference play. U-M continued to enjoy success on its home field, going 9-1 at U-M Soccer Stadium to give the Wolverines a 40-4-3 record in home matches over the past four seasons. The Maize and Blue finished fifth in the Big Ten regular-season standings and earned the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, where it advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2012.
The program would like to thank its seven seniors -- Clarfield, Cassie Collins, Lulu Haidar, Harris, Murillo, Christina Ordonez and Sydney Raguse -- for their dedication to success over the past four years and wish them all the best in the future!
Communications Contact: Whitney Dixon
