SEWARD, Neb. – After claiming the GPAC regular-season title, the Concordia University women’s soccer program nearly landed an entire starting 11 on the list of Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska women’s soccer selections. Nine Bulldogs appeared on the news outlet’s squad announced on Saturday (Dec. 23). The highlight choices from Concordia were Chelsea Bright, Lindsey Carley and Maria Deeter. The Omaha World-Herald considered all players from Nebraska NAIA and NCAA Division II and III programs.
Bright, Carley and Deeter were also named to the first team of the GPAC and of the United Soccer Coaches NAIA Plains Region team. Carley reeled in GPAC Defensive Player of the Year accolades while Deeter was a NAIA Scholar-Athlete and one of the coaches’ association’s Scholar All-Americans. Honorable mention All-Nebraska choices from Concordia were Sami Birmingham, Tori Cera, Jeannelle Condame, Lauren Martin, Leah Shohat and Esther Soenksen. Among the 2017 honorees, Birmingham, Condame, Deeter and Soenksen are repeat All-Nebraska award winners.
GPAC Coach of the Year Greg Henson guided the Bulldogs to the program’s first-ever conference regular-season title this past fall. Concordia went an unbeaten 9-0-1 in GPAC regular-season play and advanced to the conference postseason championship game for the fourth-consecutive year.
NAIA/NCAA Division II and III All-Nebraska Women’s Soccer Team
F Heidi Bartsch, Sr., Hastings
F Breanna Bembenek, Fr., York
F *PT Perez, So., Midland
F Nayeli Rodriguez, So., Midland
F Christina Stasi, Jr., Wayne St.
M Maria Deeter, Jr., Concordia
M Marley Farrell, So., Midland
M Janine Lahey, Jr., Hastings
M Elli McMeekin, So., St. Mary
D Chelsea Bright, Fr., Concordia
D Kristin Hanson, Sr., Bellevue
D Alaina Melanson, So., Midland
D Laurie Potvin, Fr., Hastings
D Marika Van Brocklin, Sr., UNK
G Lindsey Carley, So., Concordia
G Rachel Thigpen, Fr., Midland
* — denotes honorary captain
Honorable mention
Bellevue: Maiwut Dar, Margie Garcia, Reyvin Hernandez, Kylee Mastromonaco, Laurence Rodier. Morgan Sheard, Madison Stumpf. Concordia: Sami Birmingham, Tori Cera, Jeannelle Condame, Lauren Martin, Leah Shohat, Esther Soenksen. Doane: Kelly Leukens, Bailey Sloup. Hastings: Courtney Doeschot, Lexi Harris, Kylie Stephens. Midland: Hannah Stewart, Courtney Tjards, Harlee Zancanelli. Nebraska Wesleyan: Jenna DeJonge, Natalie Graves, Raissa Souza. St. Mary: Madaline Angel, Anette Galaviz, Liza Martinez, Nicole Wenzl. UNK: Megan Cook, Ali Hirschman, Kelsie Ienn, Kaitlyn Pawloski, Tori Weber, Molly Willis. Wayne State: Brooke Buzzell, Rachel Grisham, Hannah Knight, Natalie Rech, Alexis Strothers. York: Amber Jimenez, Madison Kinney, Corinne McDonald, Hannah Wilke, Carmen Zavala.