Northwestern University Athletics
Two Women's Soccer Players Named All-Big Ten
11/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 9, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern's women's soccer team had two players named to this year's All-Big Ten teams. The All-Big Ten teams were announced Thursday night at the Big Ten Tournament banquet in West Lafayette, Ind.
Sophomore Molly Greene (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) was tabbed a first-team All-Big Ten defender. She is the first Northwestern player named to the first team since Kristen Palmer was honored in 1999. This season, she anchored a defense that surrendered just 20 goals, a school record. Overall, the Wildcats allowed just three teams, all nationally ranked, to score more than one goal in a match, and they ended the regular season with four consecutive shutouts, a streak that extended 393 minutes and 30 seconds.
Senior Katie Hertz (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) was named a second-team All-Big Ten midfielder. Hertz led the Wildcats in scoring, notching four goals--all on headballs--and two assists for 10 points. She scored the game-tying goal in the final minute against Minnesota (Oct. 12), the only goal in a 1-1 tie with Indiana (Sept. 21), and the first goal in 2-1 wins against both Utah State (Aug. 31) and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Oct. 14). Hertz concludes her career tied with Dionna Latimore for third on the school's all-time list for goals scored (19) and fourth on the all-time list for points (48).
"I am happy for both Molly and Katie, they deserve this honor," said head coach Jenny Haigh. "It is nice to see them recognized by the other coaches in the conference as being among the Big Ten's best players. Katie is a player I know every other team spends time trying to figure out how to shut down. And Molly is a force, she makes a real difference as the leader of our backfield."
The conference awards were also announced Thursday night. Penn State forward Christie Welsh was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year, while Ohio State forward Lisa Grubb was Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Coach of the Year honors were shared by Penn State's Paula Wilkins and Ohio State's Lori Walker.
Northwestern's season concluded Thursday at the Big Ten Tournament, where the eighth-seeded Wildcats lost to top-seeded Penn State, 3-0. NU finished with an 8-10-1 overall record, nearly tripling its win total from the 2000 season.
