INDIANAPOLIS – Quincy University senior forward Mackenzie Rief, senior defender Allison Birke and head coach Dave Musso, as well as Maryville University freshman forward Alex Johnson have earned major postseason honors for the 2017 Great Lakes Valley Conference Women's Soccer season, it was announced by the league office Thursday evening. Rief was voted by the league coaches as GLVC Offensive Player of the Year, classmate Birke was named Defensive Player of the Year and mentor Musso garnered Coach of the Year from his peers, while the Saints Johnson was picked Freshman of the Year. Along with these award winners, a total of 33 standouts were named to the 2017 All-Conference Teams. The annual awards were presented Thursday at a reception on the eve of the GLVC Championship Tournament.
With her selection, Rief becomes the fifth Hawk to be named Offensive Player of the Year and first since 2013. Rief earned the league’s top offensive honor after registering Conference-best marks in seven of nine offensive categories for GLVC-only games, including shots (77), shots per game (5.50), points (21), points per game (1.50), goals (nine), goals per game (0.64) and game-winning goals (7). The Wentzille, Missouri, native also notched three assists on the year. The senior was honored as Offensive Player of the Week two consecutive weeks on Oct. 16 and 23. Additionally, Rief was the only unanimous pick on the All-GLVC First Team.
Birke is Quincy’s fifth Defensive Player of the Year after leading the backline, starting all 18 games this season and playing in all but six minutes of action for a total of 1663 minutes. This is the third time Quincy has earned both the Offensive and Defensive awards in the same year (2006, 2013). She also added one assist on the first goal against Drury Sept. 17 in a 2-1 home win. The O’Fallon, Missouri, product helped the Hawks hold opponents to 10 goals, 193 shots with only 97 on goal, and just 58 corners. She also assisted the defensive unit in preventing any goals during overtime periods. Birke also collected All-GLVC First Team laurels for her efforts.
Musso picked up his fourth GLVC Coach of the Year laurel in 2017 and this makes it the third year for Quincy earning each of the major Offensive, Defensive and Coaching merits (2006, 2013). His first distinction came in 2006 followed by back-to-back nods in 2012 and 2013. The 12-year veteran led Quincy to a 16-2 overall record with a near-perfect 13-1 league mark. Those winning numbers helped the Hawks rise to fifth in the most recent Division II United Soccer Coaches Top-25 Poll and second in the NCAA Midwest Region Rankings. The No. 5 ranking is Quincy’s highest since it came in at No. 3 in October 2015.
Johnson’s GLVC Freshman of the Year recognition gives Maryville its first-ever major postseason award in the sport. Statistically, she finished tied for second in league-only games with 13 points and 0.93 points per game. The newcomer also was second with six goals in GLVC games and 0.43 goals per game. Overall this season, the native of Nixa, Missouri, has played in 17 games and added one assist and two game-winning goals. She was integral in the Saints most successful campaign since joining the league in 2008, recording a 9-5-3 overall record and 7-4-3 in the loop to earn their first berth to the GLVC Championship Tournament as the No. 3 seed. Johnson was also named GLVC Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 11 and 25 and is the only freshman to collect First Team All-GLVC plaudits.
Thirty other women's soccer stars earned recognition from the GLVC coaches, as three 11-member All-Conference teams were also released on Thursday.
Of the 33 All-Conference selections, Quincy University led the way with seven representatives and also had the most on the First Team (five), while McKendree followed close behind with six. Bellarmine and Southern Indiana were next with four apiece, and Truman State garnered three honorees. Earning two honorees was Maryville, Indianapolis and William Jewell, while Drury, Rockhurst and Missouri-St. Louis all had one player recognized.
Joining teammates Rief and Birke on the First Team were three Hawks representatives in senior Natalie Quisenberry, junior Cassidy Foley and senior Katie Heiligenstein. Johnson’s teammate junior midfielder Allison Verville also joined the top-11. Making the list from Bellarmine was senior goalkeeper Taylor Smith and last year’s Offensive Player of the Year Sydnee Carroll of McKendree. Rounding out the 11-player First Team is a pair of Truman State Bulldogs in senior midfielder Allison Lockett and junior defender Laura Ney.
The league also recognized 16 GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honorees and one Team award winner: Bellarmine. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These individuals must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced at the end of the academic year.
A complete list of the three All-Conference Teams and major postseason award winners follows below.
2017 GLVC WOMEN’S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS & POSTSEASON HONORS
GLVC Offensive Player of the Year
Mackenzie Rief, F, Sr., QU
GLVC Defensive Player of the Year
Allison Birke, B, Sr., QU
GLVC Freshman of the Year
Alex Johnson, F, Fr., MU
GLVC Coach of the Year
Dave Musso, QU
FIRST TEAM
Taylor Smith, GK, Sr., BU
Allison Verville, MF, Jr., MU
Alex Johnson, F, Fr., MU
Sydnee Carroll, F, Jr., MCK
Mackenzie Rief, F, Sr., QU#
Allison Birke, B, Sr., QU
Natalie Quisenberry, B, Sr., QU
Cassidy Foley, F, Jr., QU
Katie Heiligenstein, MF, Sr., QU
Allison Lockett, MF, Sr., TSU
Laura Ney, B, Jr., TSU
#Unanimous Selection
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SECOND TEAM
Kelsey Lober, B, Sr., BU
Kerri Morris, F, Sr., DU
Michele Govern, MF, Jr., UINDY
Sydnie Markowski, B, Jr., MCK
Zoe Brochu, GK, So., MCK
Jane Skaggs, MF, Jr., MCK
Liz Kaiser, MF, Gr., MCK
Kaley Nieters, F, Sr., RU
Haley Rheinlander, F, Sr., USI
Carlie Scales, MF, Sr., USI
Madelyne Juenger, B, Fr., USI
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THIRD TEAM
Polly Marino, B, Jr., BU
Samantha Ferry, MF, Fr., BU
Ashleigh Lewis, F, Jr., UINDY
Emily Mosier, B, Sr., UMSL
Grace Neidhardt, F, Fr., MCK
Megan Swanson, GK, Sr., QU
Bailey Greubel, B, Sr., QU
Marie Auton, B, So., USI
Megan Oostendorp, MF, Sr., TSU
Alyson Galler, F, Jr., WJC
Aspen Hawkins, MF, Sr., WJC
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2017 GLVC WOMEN’S SOCCER JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD NOMINEES
Erika Joldrichsen, BU
Taylor Vaughn, DU
Madisyn Coudriet, UIS
Michele Govern, UINDY
Jennifer Meyer, LEWIS
Kaley Ruff, MU
Kate Bixby, MCK
Jessica Haller, S&T
Emily Mosier, UMSL
Maddy Kuhlenberg, QU
Mia Zanaboni, RU
Carlie Scales, USI
Laura Ney, TSU
Sarah Dobrowolski, UWP
Emma Staebell, WJC
2017 GLVC WOMEN’S SOCCER JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD
Bellarmine