After setting the Missouri Valley Conference career goals record, Illinois State junior Annie Wayland has been voted the leagues Most Valuable Player. Redbird coach Pete Kowall earned Valley Coach of the Year, senior Angie Roth was named Valley Defensive Player of the Year and Illinois State placedsix athletes on the all-conferece squad.
Wayland, a native of St. Peters, Mo, became the Valleys all-time leader in goals on Oct. 14 when she recorded her 46th career goal. Heading into tomorrows IronKids Bread/MVC Soccer Championship, Wayland is tied with former Evansville forward Krissy Meek for the Valley lead for most career points with 106. She leads the Redbirds and the league in goals with 16 and points with 34.
Two-time All-MVC first team selection Roth, who hails from St. Louis, Mo., has anchored the Redbird defense for the last four seasons. Led by Roth, this seasons defense has allowed an average of 5.67 shots per game for Valley opponents and 0.50 goals per league game.
Kowall, who previously was named MVC Coach of the Year in 1998, earned the distinction for the second time in his career after guiding the Redbirds to a 6-0 mark in league play and a overall mark of 13-4 during the regular season.
This is an award that is won by both the head coach and the assistant coaches, its a shared effort, Kowall said. Our players have to be talented and willing to enough to win. They have embraced the idea of team and playing for each other, which makes my job easier.
Wayland and Roth are joined on the All-Valley first team by junior Chrystal Johnston. A native of Milton, Ontario, Johnston has pitched in with four assists this season for the Birds. Illinois State and Evansville each placed three on the first team while Southwest Missouri State and Creighton had two representatives apiece.
Goalkeeper Lynley Hilligoss and defenders Robyn Brady and Melissa Colthrust were named to the All-MVC second team. In addition to her second-team selection, Brady was also a member of the all-freshman squad.
The top-seeded Redbirds face fifth-seeded Southwest Missouri State Friday at 5 p.m. in the semifinals of the IronKids Bread/MVC Soccer Championship at Sportport in Maryland Heights, Mo.
