Three MIAC Soccer Players Earn NSCAA All-American honors

12/15/09 – St. Paul, Minn. — Three Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) women’s soccer student-athletes have been named to the 2009 National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Division III All-America Team. Macalester’s Maddie Mette was a second team honoree and Concordia’s Sam Johnson and St. Thomas’ Kirsten Moran were third team selections.

Macalester College senior defender Maddie Mette (Burnsville, Minn.) led the Scots to a 14-6-2 record and to the second round of the NCAA championship playoffs. Mette was a four-year starter for the Scots and started all 79 Macalester matches since the start of the ’06 campaign. She led a veteran defense which allowed just 22 goals in 22 games, and also had a goal and three assists. Mette received All-MIAC honors as a junior and senior after picking up honorable mention all-conference honors as a first-year and sophomore. During her four seasons leading the Macalester defense, the Scots gave up less than a goal per game while posting 35 shutouts in 79 games.

Concordia College junior forward Sam Johnson (Fargo, N.D./North) becomes the first player in the history of the program to earn All-American honors. Johnson, who was also named an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American, helped the Cobbers win the MIAC regular season championship and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. She finished the year with 22 goals and three assists for 47 points, the second most in school history. Johnson was also named to the NSCAA All-Region Team for the third straight season and now has 94 career points. She was named the MIAC MVP and led the league in goals, points and  game-winning goals. She also posted a remarkable streak of scoring at least one goal in 11 consecutive games during the season.

University of St. Thomas senior midfielder Kirsten Moran (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) is a two-time All-MIAC honoree and scored seven goals and 10 assists in 40 games over two seasons with the Tommies. She helped St. Thomas go 27-7-6, make two NCAA playoff appearances, win the 2008 conference championship, and take second in 2009. Moran is the first All-American for Tommie soccer since Tessie Thompson won back-to-back honors in 2001 and 2002.