NORMAL, Ill. - Three members of the Illinois State women's soccer team were named to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete team, which was announced by the conference office on Friday, Nov. 16. Senior forward Bethany Russ and sophomore midfielder Raquel Rattray were both first-team selections, while junior forward Mel Routledge received an honorable mention recognition.
Russ, a health education major with a 3.54 cumulative GPA, was one of the key offensive players for the Redbirds in 2007. She led the team with nine goals and was second with 20 points, which tied the total she had accumulated in her first three seasons. She recorded the fifth hat trick in program history in the fifth game of the season against Morehead State, which earned her the Brine MVC Offensive Player of the Week and the Prairie Farms MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards. Russ scored two goals, including the game-winner, in ISU's 3-2 double-overtime win over Drake in the State Farm MVC Championship semifinals. She was named to the all-tournament team for that performance. The Grayslake, Ill., native ended her career at ISU tied for second in career points (40) and third in career goals (16).
Rattray, a general studies student with a 3.80 cumulative GPA, was an All-Valley first team selection this season. She appeared in every game in the midfield, including 15 starts. The Evanston, Ill., native recorded one point on the year with an assist against Northern Iowa and contributed to a Redbird defense that held opponents to 0.93 goals per game and had seven shutouts.
Routledge is an elementary education major with a 3.37 cumulative GPA. The Calgary, Alberta, native was fourth on the team in goals (3), assists (2) and points (8), despite missing eight games with a leg injury. She received the first Brine MVC Offensive Player of the Week award of the season after leading the Redbirds to wins in their first two games with three goals and an assist.
There were 51 student-athletes nominated for the scholar-athlete team and 17 were selected; 12 to the first team and five honorable mention choices. Illinois State and Evansville each had three members to lead all teams. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, be a sophomore in academic standing and have participated in 75 percent of her team's games during the season.
