Northwestern University Athletics
Guiney, Greene Earn All-Big Ten Honors
11/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 8, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Big Ten announced its all-conference teams in women's soccer Friday morning, and a pair of Northwestern players were honored. Senior midfielder Aileen Guiney (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) was a first-team selection at midfield, while junior defender Molly Greene (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) was a second-team honoree at defense.
"I think their selections were great decisions on the part of the Big Ten coaches," said NU head coach Jenny Haigh. "They certainly had seasons worthy of All-Big Ten recognition, and it's good to see them recognized for that."
Guiney is a senior, but she still has a year of eligibility remaining due to an injury that forced her to miss her freshman season. The midfielder led the Wildcats in scoring in 2002 with three goals and nine assists for 15 points, and the nine assists tied her with Kristen Palmer for second on NU's all-time single-season list. All three of Guiney's goals came in Big Ten play this year, and she also set a Wildcat school record with five assists and 11 points in conference action.
"Aileen was very visible this year," said Haigh. "I'm sure she ended up on every other team's scouting report as a player to be aware of. Aileen really worked hard during the offseason to make herself a better player, and it is impressive that she has improved at the rate she has."
Greene -- a first-team All-Big Ten pick in 2001 -- anchored a Northwestern defense that allowed fewer than two goals per match in 2002, coming off the field only against Penn State when she suffered an injury that required stitches. In addition to her skills manning the backfield, Greene managed to get forward this season to score the first two goals of her collegiate career and add an assist.
"Molly is one of those players who, if we take her off the field, we're a different team," said Haigh. "She is the glue for us, especially in the back. She could have very easily been a first-team pick like she was last year, but she is in a great group of players from this conference."
Northwestern finished the season with a 4-9-5 overall record and went 2-6-2 in the conference, failing to qualify for the eight-team Big Ten Tournament. That event is taking place this weekend at Michigan State University.
Click here for a complete listing of the All-Big Ten Women's Soccer Teams.
