Oct. 19, 2006

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio women's soccer team and Head Coach Stacy Strauss has announced the Ohio Women's Soccer All-Decade Team, in honor of the 10th season of women's soccer at Ohio University.

The team was voted on from Sept. 19 through Oct. 18 via on-line balloting and will be honored this Sunday at Chessa Field when the Bobcats take on Buffalo at 1:00 p.m. A total of 4,564 individual votes were cast for nominees in the on-line voting process.

"I have such great pride in Ohio Soccer, in our tradition and in our family of current and former players," Strauss said. "It's always a special event when alumni return to campus. But this weekend, as we recognize both the 10-year anniversary of the program and the All-Decade team, is truly unique."

The All-Decade Team consists of a total of 15 players: four forwards, five midfielders, four defenders, and two goal keepers. The forwards on the team are Mindy Boggs, Rachel Najjar, Christel Schiering, and Natalie Grein. Boggs, a Bobcat from 1997-2000, is second in Ohio history in career goals (33) and points (84) and is also fifth in career assists (18). She was an All-Great Lakes Region Third Team selection in 1998 and was an All-MAC First Team member in 1997 and 1998. Boggs was also the MAC Freshman of the Year in 1997 and won a MAC Championship the following season.

Najjar played forward for Ohio from 1999-2002 and is third in career goals (27) and points (73). Her 19 career assists is good for fourth in Ohio history while her 81 career games played is tied for third most in the Bobcat record books. Najjar won a MAC Championship in 2001 and was an All-MAC Second Team selection in 2002.

Schiering, a Bobcat forward from 2000-2003, also won a MAC title in 2001 and is the Bobcat record holder in points (104), goals (46) and starts (79). She is second all-time with 82 games played and 10th with 12 career assists. Schiering was an All-MAC Second Team selection in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Grein rounds out the forwards on the All-Decade team after playing for Ohio from 2001-2004. Grein won two MAC Championships in her time at Ohio in 2001 and 2004. She is tied for sixth in Bobcat history in games played (79), seventh in career goals (14) and ninth in points (36).

The midfielders on the All-Decade Team consist of Nicki Pendleton, Abby Leopold, Kendra Hornschemeier, Carolyn Valade, and Lindsey Vondrell. Pendleton, a Bobcat from 1998-2001, won two MAC titles with Ohio and is tied for second in Ohio history with 23 career assists. She is seventh in career points (47), eighth in goals (12) and tied for sixth in career starts (63). Pendleton earned First Team All-MAC honors in 2001 and second team accolades in 1998 and 1999.

Leopold played midfield from 1999-2002 and was an All-Great Lakes Region Second Team Selection in 2002. Her 23 career assists is good for a second-place tie in the Bobcat record books while her 55 career points is good for fifth. She is also sixth in goals with 16 and tied for sixth with 79 career games played. Leopold was named to the All-MAC First Team in 2002 and was a second team selection in 2001.

Hornschemeier, a midfielder from 2001-2004, is Ohio's all-time leader in career assists (31) and games played (83). Her 68 career starts is fourth all-time and her 41 career points is good for eighth in Bobcat history. Hornschemeier was a two-time MAC Champ and earned All-MAC First Team honors in 2003 and second team honors in 2004.

Valade, who is currently a volunteer coach for the Bobcats, played midfield for Ohio from 2000-2003. She is fifth all-time with 67 career starts and is tied for 10th all-time with nine career goals. Valade won a MAC title with the Bobcats in 2001.

Vondrell rounds out the midfielders after playing for Ohio from 2000-2003. She is tied for sixth in Bobcat history with 79 games played and was a MAC Champion in 2001.

The All-Decade Team defenders are made up of Jenn Wright, Crystal Reed, Larissa Najjar, and Erin McCoy. Wright played for Ohio from 2000-2003 and played in 81 career games, tied for third all-time. She made the second most starts in Ohio history with 74 and was a MAC Champ in 2001.

Reed, a Bobcat from 2001-2005, is third all-time with 72 career starts. She was a two-time MAC Champion and earned All-MAC First Team accolades in 2004 and second team honors in 2002.

Najjar, who is the only current Bobcat on the All-Decade Team but is sitting this season out with injury, began her Bobcat career in 2003. She was a First Team All-MAC selection in 2004 and was named to the MAC Freshman Team in 2003.

McCoy finalizes the Bobcat defenders on the All-Decade Team. She was a MAC Champion in 1998 and was an All-MAC Second Team selection in 1997.

The two goal keepers to earn the nod on the All-Decade Team are Vanessa Dennis and Michelle Meglaughlin. Dennis was a Bobcat from 1998-2001 and earned two MAC Championships in that time. She is first in Bobcat history in starts for a keeper (61), saves (284), shutouts in a season (11), and is second in career shutouts (18). She was an All-Great Lakes Region Second Team and an All-MAC Second Team selection in 1998.

Meglaughlin, a Bobcat keeper from 2001-2004, also earned two MAC titles in her playing days. She is the Bobcat leader in career shutouts (19) and is second in games played for a goalie (55), starts (53) and saves (212). She was an All-MAC First Team selection in 2004 and also earned All-Great Lakes Region Third Team honors in 2004.

"Each of these former players has represented all that is right with college athletics and, specifically, Ohio Athletics," Strauss said. "In doing so they have won championships and deserve every honor and recognition."

The Ohio Women's Soccer All-Decade Team will be honored, along with all returning alumni, prior to Ohio's 1:00 p.m. contest against Buffalo this Sunday at Chessa Field. Admission for all home soccer games is free.