Five NWU Athletes Named All-GPAC in Soccer

Three members of the Nebraska Wesleyan University men’s soccer team and two members of the women’s soccer team were named to the 2009 Great Plains Athletic Conference Soccer All-Conference Team that was announced Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Senior goalkeeper Josh Miller and junior midfielder Brad Fullerton were named to the All-GPAC Second-Team, while senior defender Jess Pieper received All-GPAC honorable mention recognition. Miller, from Rapid City, S.D., received All-GPAC honors for the fourth straight season. A star goalkeeper, Miller has allowed just 16 goals all season, equaling a goal’s against average of just 0.85 goals per game to rank second in the GPAC. Miller has recorded a conference-leading seven shutouts, adding to his career total of 24 which ranks third all-time at NWU. He earned First-Team All-GPAC in 2007 and 2008 and was honorable mention All-GPAC in 2006. Miller also was the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2007.

Fullerton, a Lincoln East H.S. graduate, was named All-GPAC Second-Team for the second straight year. He was the Prairie Wolves’ leading scorer with 19 points while having seven goals and five assists to tie for fourth in the GPAC. Fullerton now has 14 career goals in two seasons.

Pieper, a Lincoln Southeast H.S. grad, received his third straight All-GPAC recognition as the anchor of the NWU defense. He was named to the All-GPAC First-Team for the past two seasons and has played in 65 total matches during his career at NWU.

A.J. Dingledine from Hastings was the GPAC Offensive Player of the Year, while Derek Prinz from Hastings College and Derek Otten from Mount Marty were co-defensive players of the year. Chris Kranjc from Hastings was the GPAC Coach-of-the-Year.

On the women’s side, Juniors Jamie Essink and Alison Frohn were both honorable mention All-GPAC selections. Essink, a Lincoln Northeast H.S. graduate, has now played in 51 career games and has earned three letters for the Prairie Wolves. This was her second straight time on the All-GPAC honorable mention list. The junior defender started all 18 games for the Prairie Wolves and was second on the team with six points. She scored three goals on the season, including two game-winning goals.

Frohn led the team in scoring for the second straight season. The junior forward and Lincoln Southeast H.S. graduate had seven goals and three assists to lead NWU with 10 points and now has 19 career goals in three seasons. She started all 18 games for the Prairie Wolves and had one game-winning goal.

Kate DuMez from Dordt College was the GPAC Player-of-the-Year for the second straight year and Danielle Richardson from Dakota Wesleyan University and Allison Kotschwar from Hastings College were the Co-Defensive Players-of-the-Year. L. Dale Roden from Dakota Wesleyan Univ. was the GPAC Coach-of-the-Year NWU men finished the 2009 season with a 7-7-4 record and a 4-6-2 record in the GPAC while the women finished the season with a 5-10-3 record and a 1-8-3 record in the GPAC.