Following another successful season and a sweep of the top California Collegiate Athletic Association honors (including Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Most Valuable Player, First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention), the UCSD women’s soccer team collected a handful of honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and adidas.
Guardian
Senior forward and co-captain Kristin Jones added yet another award to her collection when the NSCAA and adidas selected her to the Second Team Division II All-America for the second consecutive year.
Jones received this distinction for her outstanding season, in which she led UCSD offensively with 10 goals, 12 assists in 21 games. In addition, she led the CCAA in points per game, assists per game and assists. For the 2003 season alone, Jones received CCAA Most Valuable Player of the Year, All-CCAA First Team Honors and Second Team All-America.
Jones scored two key goals against top-ranked (and then-undefeated) Metro State of Denver, Colo., in the NCAA quarterfinals to help advance the Tritons to the Final Four. She also assisted in the lone Triton goal scored by freshman midfielder Megan Dickey in the Final Four double-overtime loss to Franklin Pierce.
In addition, Jones was named to the NSCAA/adidas Division II All-West Region First Team with senior midfielder and co-captain Megan Mendoza and senior defender Molly Carlson. Mendoza, a 2003 All-CCAA Second Team honoree, tallied four goals and five assists for the Tritons while also serving as co-captain of the squad. She also contributed a key goal in UCSD’s penalty shootout victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals.
“”Mendoza proved herself to be the best midfielder in Division II her freshman and sophomore year,”” UCSD head coach Brian McManus said. “”Unfortunately, she tore her ACL her junior year and again [this year], but she deserves [the honors].””
Carlson, a vital part of the impenetrable Triton defense, started every game this season and garnered a 2003 All-CCAA Second Team honor at the end of the regular season. McManus was especially pleased to see his defender earn the First Team award, noting that defenders are often overlooked.
“”Teams come in and look at Molly [Carlson] and think that she’s slow but I’ve never seen anybody get past her,”” McManus said.
CCAA Freshman of the Year and All-CCAA First Team Kelly Cochran was named to the NSCAA/adidas Division II All-West Region Second Team for her notable play in the regular season and playoffs. The midfielder has proven herself to be a clutch player for UCSD, kicking in three game-winning goals along with eight goals and six assists, second only to Jones in scoring.
McManus, 2003 CCAA Coach of the Year, was named the NSCAA/adidas Division II Far West Region Women’s Coach of the Year for guiding the Tritons to an 18-3-1 record including the fourth consecutive CCAA South Division and Tournament championship.
“”It’s good to receive the award. But, when you’ve got a good team, the coach is going to look good. I’m losing nine starters so we’ll see,”” McManus said. “”I may have to take a sabbatical and let the assistant coaches handle things,”” he joked.
Although McManus is aware that many of his key players are graduating, he is confident that players such as Cochran and Dickey will help to fill in the gap, including the other underclassmen.
“”I’m looking also to Lindsey Treankler, Andrea Rivas and Kristina De La Rossa to step up next season. They’ve been patiently waiting,”” he said.
