Soccer's Ridley And Wood Earn Postseason Accolades
November 05, 2009 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State senior midfielder Megan Ridley (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) has been named Second Team All-Mid-American Conference while freshman goalkeeper Nicole Wood (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) was named to the MAC All-Freshmen team, the league announced Thursday.
Ridley, a team tri-captain, earns her second career postseason honor after being named First Team All-MAC last year. She becomes just the fifth player in Ball State history to earn All-MAC honors twice in a career, joining former Cardinals Emily Rein, Angie Heyer, Vandi Ogden and Dee Nocero with multiple awards.
"Megan had a stellar career at Ball State," head coach Michael Lovett said. "It is only fitting that she was recognized this year to cap her career as she helped us so much offensively."
Ridley finished the season with a team-high 13 points, as she scored a team-best five goals and handed out three assists. She finished her career ninth all-time in Ball State history in scoring with 30 points, including 11 goals which ranks seventh all-time in program annals.
Wood becomes the seventh Cardinal all-time to earn MAC All-Freshmen honors and the first since the 2007 season. She took over the BSU goalkeeping position early in the year and made 14 starts and logged 1,205 minutes between the posts. Wood finished second in the MAC with 87 saves, which is third most in a single season in Ball State history. She posted two shutouts on the season as she blanked Buffalo and Bowling Green in MAC play.
"Nicole had a great freshman year in goal," Lovett said. "She made a lot of big saves and helped us compete every game in conference play."
MAC champion Central Michigan placed five players on the All-MAC first team, including defensive player of the year Shay Mannino. CMU head coach Tom Anagnost earned coach of the year accolades, while Eastern Michigan's Ashley Rodrigues was named offensive player of the year.
2009 All-MAC Women's Soccer First Team
MF - Val Prause, Central Michigan
MF - Stephanie Martin, Central Michigan
MF - Katie Lozar, Eastern Michigan
MF - Jodie Zwingelberg, Miami
F - Chelsi Abbot, Central Michigan
F - Ashley Rodrigues, Eastern Michigan
F - Ali Leak, Toledo
D - Liesel Toth, Central Michigan
D - Julie Kaim, Eastern Michigan
D - Brooke Livingston, Miami
GK - Shay Mannino, Central Michigan
2009 All-MAC Women's Soccer Second Team
MF - Jordan Baranowski, Akron
MF - Megan Ridley, Ball State
MF - Kelsey Pichel, Ohio
MF - Nikki Rivera, Western Michigan
F - Stephanie Velez, Buffalo
F - Chelsea Detrick, Eastern Michigan
F - Allie Berkey, Miami
D - Samantha Bland, Bowling Green
D - Bailey Brandon, Central Michigan
D - Katie Marsh, Eastern Michigan
GK - Krista Pace, Miami
2009 Freshman All-MAC Women's Soccer Team
MF - Ashley Hughes, Akron
MF - Jess Kodiak, Miami
F - Katie Wise, Akron
F -- Keely Chandler, Bowling Green
F - Stephanie Velez, Buffalo
F - Laura Twidle, Central Michigan
F - Autumn Hawkins, Central Michigan
F -- Anina Cicerone, Western Michigan
D - Lauren Eberts, Northern Illinois
D - Bailey Brandon, Central Michigan
D - Bethany Allport, Central Michigan
D - Kathryn Slaughter, Central Michigan
D -- Jessica Thomas, Eastern Michigan
GK - Nicole Wood, Ball State
Freshman of the Year: Bailey Brandon, Central Michigan
Offensive Player of the Year: Ashley Rodrigues, Eastern Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Shay Mannino, Central Michigan
Coach of the Year: Tom Anagnost, Central Michigan
