Four Wolverines Net All-Big Ten Recognition
10/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- With just two days remaining until the start of the 2016 Big Ten Tournament, four members of the University of Michigan women's soccer team received All-Big Ten honors on Friday (Oct. 28). Seniors Nicky Waldeck and Anna Soccorsi, senior/junior Ani Sarkisian and sophomore Reilly Martin were each voted to the All-Big Ten second team.
Waldeck earned her second career All-Big Ten honor, as she was voted to the first team in 2014. The Chicago native is tied with Sarkisian for second on the team in points, recording 17 points on seven goals and three assists so far this season. She helped Michigan upset No. 19 Rutgers earlier this season when she tallied her second career hat trick, becoming the third player in program history to record two career hat tricks.
Soccorsi, a defender from Yardley, Pennsylvania, has anchored Michigan's defense at center back for the last three seasons. In 2016, she has started 16 of 17 games and helped the Wolverines hold their opponents to 19 total goals while U-M has scored 31. Soccorsi's impact is hard to quantify in statistics, but her presence is crucial to Michigan's success, as her speed and one-on-one defending ability allow her to mark the opposing team's top players while also leading the back line and covering for teammates all over the park.
Sarkisian has been recognized by the Big Ten in each season in maize and blue. In her first season, in 2014, she was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, while in 2015 she was a member of the All-Big Ten first team. This season, she is tied with Waldeck for second on the team in points with 17 on six goals and five assists. The midfielder from Cresskill, New Jersey, has recorded three game-winning goals this season, including at Indiana (Oct. 26) to help U-M secure fourth place in the Big Ten standings.
Martin, who was a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season, has continued to improve and lead U-M's offensive efforts. This season, she leads Michigan with 21 points on seven goals and seven assists, more than doubling her point production from her freshman season. Her seven assists rank tied for second in the Big Ten, while she is tied for fifth in the conference with 21 points (1.24 ppg). The Carmel, Indiana, native was also recently voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Five Team.
In addition to Michigan's four All-Big Ten honors, senior Jessica Heifetz was also recognized by the conference, being named U-M's Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree. A 2016 team captain, Heifetz has started all 17 games at holding midfield and tallied one goal this season for the Wolverines.
The Wolverines (10-4-3, 6-3-2 Big Ten) finished fourth in the Big Ten regular-season standings and earned the right to host fifth-seed Wisconsin (8-4-7, 5-2-4 Big Ten) in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Sunday (Oct. 30) at 4 p.m. at U-M Soccer Stadium.
2016 Big Ten Women's Soccer Awards
Coach of the Year: Stefanie Golan, Minnesota
Forward of the Year: Simone Kolander, Sr., Minnesota
Midfielder of the Year: Rose Lavelle, Sr., Wisconsin
Defender of the Year: Rashida Beal, Sr., Minnesota
Goalkeeper of the Year: Lauren Clem, Jr., Northwestern
Freshman of the Year: Nicole Whitley, Rutgers
All-Big Ten First Team
F - Simone Kolander, Minnesota
F - Jaycie Johnson, Nebraska
F - Frannie Crouse, Penn State
M - Josee Stiever, Minnesota
M - Nickolette Driesse, Penn State
M - Rose Lavelle, Wisconsin
D - Rashida Beal, Minnesota
D - Kayla Sharples, Northwestern
D - Elizabeth Ball, Penn State
D - Erin Smith, Rutgers
GK - Lauren Clem, Northwestern
All-Big Ten Second Team
F - Reilly Martin, Michigan
F - Nicky Waldeck, Michigan
F - Lindsay Agnew, Ohio State
F - Nichelle Prince, Ohio State
F - Madison Tiernan, Rutgers
M - Ani Sarkisian, Michigan
M - Caroline Flynn, Nebraska
M - Marisa Viggiano, Northwestern
M - Nikki Walts, Ohio State
D - Anna Soccorsi, Michigan
D - Sydney Miramontez, Nebraska
D - Morgan Wolcott, Ohio State
GK - Tarah Hobbs, Minnesota
All-Big Ten Third Team
F - Megan Schafer, Penn State
M - Nandi Mehta, Northwestern
M - Haley Hanson, Nebraska
M - Charlotte Williams, Penn State
M - Nicole Whitley, Rutgers
D - Hope D'Addario, Illinois
D - Marissa Borschke, Indiana
D - Maddie Gaffney, Minnesota
D - Kassidy Gorman, Northwestern
GK - Caitlyn Clem, Wisconsin
Big Ten All-Freshman Team*
F - Macy Miller, Indiana
F - Meg Brandt, Nebraska
F - Maddy Lucas, Northwestern
F - Taylor Aylmer, Rutgers
F - Dani Rhodes, Wisconsin
M - Natalie Winters, Iowa
M - Laura Freigang, Penn State
M - Nicole Whitley, Rutgers
M - Allie Winterfield, Wisconsin
D - Nikki Albrecht, Minnesota
D - Sinclaire Miramontez, Nebraska
D - Amanda Visco, Rutgers
GK - Amanda Dennis, Penn State
* Additional honorees due to ties
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Jenna Miller, Illinois
Kylie Kirk, Indiana
Morgan Kemerling, Iowa
Hope Gouterman, Maryland
Jessica Heifetz, Michigan
Kaitlyn Collin, Michigan State
Emily Peterson, Minnesota
Amanda McClanahan, Nebraska
Nandi Mehta, Northwestern
Lindsay Agnew, Ohio State
Isabelle Clauss, Penn State
Megan Kaser, Purdue
Tori Prager, Rutgers
Chloe Knudston, Wisconsin
Communications Contact: Whitney Vojtkofsky
