Nov. 8, 2007

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Samford University soccer team had seven players earn All-Ohio Valley Conference honors Thursday as the league office released its annual postseason awards on the eve of the 2007 OVC Tournament to be held at Southeast Missouri.

Samford's Heather Birdsell and Amber Cress both received First-Team All-OVC accolades Thursday. The first-team honor was the second of Cress' young collegiate career, while Birdsell became only the second player in OVC history to be named a first-team performer in all four years of her career.

Eastern Illinois' Beth Liesen, currently the Panthers' assistant coach, was the first player to accomplish the feat (2000-03).

Cress, Samford's speedy forward from Zionsville, Ind., is a sophomore this season and led the Bulldogs with eight assists.

Samford had two players earn Second-Team All-OVC honors as goalkeeper Cayley Winters and defender Cindy Spiker received the awards. Winters, who was named to the all-newcomer team as a freshman in 2005, received her first Second-Team accolade this season after recording a miniscule 0.77 goals-against average.

Spiker, the Bulldogs' 5-foot-4 sophomore from Birmingham, anchored the team's defense this season and received the first All-OVC honors of her young career. Samford limited the opposition to 14 goals and outscored its opponents by a total of 41-14.

Three Bulldogs were awarded with All-Newcomer Team honors Thursday as Lauren Cook, Colette Nammour and Hilary Samuels were each named to the 11-member squad.

Cook, a freshman from Conyers, Ga., leads Samford with nine goals scored this year, and is only two goals shy of tying the school's single-season record. Samuels has played in all 18 matches as a true freshman and has tallied five goals and three assists.

Nammour, a native of Spring, Texas, has also played in all of Samford's 18 matches this season, and has helped solidify the Bulldogs' stout defense. She also recorded an assist from her position on the back line this season.

Southeast Missouri, the OVC's regular-season champion, swept the annual yearly honors Thursday. Forward Courtney Alexander was named the offensive player of the game, while Lindsay Pickering earned the goalkeeper of the year award and Ashley Runion was named the freshman of the year.

Southeast Missouri's head coach Heather Nelson was tabbed as the league's coach of the year.

Samford will begin its quest for a second OVC Tournament championship in three years Friday as the second-seeded Bulldogs square off against the sixth-seeded Eastern Illinois Panthers at 4 p.m.

This weekend's four-team OVC Tournament semifinal is being hosted by Southeast Missouri State University at Houck Stadium (10,000). The winner of the two-day event will receive an automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

2007 All-Ohio Valley Conference Teams
(As selected by the coaches and sports information directors)

FIRST TEAM
Player, School, Yr., Pos., Hometown
Lindsay Pickering, Southeast Missouri, Sr., GK, St. Charles, Mo.
Kathleen Hayes, Eastern Illinois, Sr., D. Park Ridge, Ill.
Michelle McAlarnen, Tennessee Tech, Sr., D, Silver Spring, Md.
Courtney Moore, Jacksonville State, Sr., D, San Antonio, Texas
Rebekah Clay, Murray State, Jr., MF, Bloomington, Ill.
Heather Birdsell, Samford, Sr., MF, Plano, Texas
Margie Schaeffler, Southeast Missouri, Sr., MF, St. Louis, Mo.
Amber Cress, Samford, So., F, Zionsville, Ind.
Rebekah Kendall, Morehead State, Sr., F, Sissonville, W.Va.
Courtney Alexander, Southeast Missouri, So., F, Liberty, Mo.
Katie Behrens, UT Martin, Sr., F, Sioux Falls, S.D.

2007 OVC Offensive Player of the Year: Courtney Alexander, Southeast Missouri
2007 OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Lindsay Pickering, Southeast Missouri
2007 OVC Freshman of the Year: Ashley Runion, Southeast Missouri
2007 Brine OVC Coach of the Year: Heather Nelson, Southeast Missouri

SECOND TEAM
Player, School, Yr., Pos., Hometown
Cayley Winters, Samford, Jr., GK, Littleton, Colo.
Jamie Price, UT Martin, Sr., D, Germantown, Tenn.
Jessica Goshert, Eastern Kentucky, So., D, Indianapolis, Ind.
Cindy Spiker, Samford, So., D, Birmingham, Ala.
Katrina Meyer, Murray State, Sr., D, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Kellie Floyd, Eastern Illinois, Sr., MF, Chatham, Ill.
Vanessa Hart, Southeast Missouri, Fr., MF, Dubbo, Australia
Carly Muller, Eastern Kentucky, Fr., MF, Westerville, Ohio
Ashley Beck, Austin Peay, Jr., F, Clarksville, Tenn.
Ashley Runion, Southeast Missouri, Fr., F, St. Peters, Mo.
Michelle Steinhaus, Eastern Illinois, Sr., F, Lemont, Ill.

ALL-NEWCOMER
Player, School, Yr., Pos., Hometown
Ashley Runion, Southeast Missouri, Fr., F, St. Peters, Mo.
Lauren Cook, Samford, Fr., F, Conyers, Ga.
Tara Isbell, Murray State, Fr., GK, Mayfield, Ky.
Caitlyn Eisenhour, Eastern Illinois, Fr., MF, Barrington, Ill.
Vanessa Hart, Southeast Missouri, Fr., MF, Dubbo, Australia
Colette Nammour, Samford, Fr., D, Spring, Texas
Erin Adams, Morehead State, Fr., F Beaver Dam, Ky.
Michelle Thorstad, Austin Peay, Fr., D, Mundelein, Ill.
Hilary Samuels, Samford, Fr., MF, Carrolton, Texas
Carly Muller, Eastern Kentucky, Fr., MF, Westerville, Ohio
Taren Brown, Tennessee Tech, Fr.,.D, Hendersonville, Tenn.