Nov. 14, 2006

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University defender Meghan Woodman was the only freshman named to the first team of the 2006 Daktronics Far West Region Women's Soccer All-Star selections announced today.

Selected to the second team was Vikings' midfielder Katie Weber.

Woodman, a redshirt freshman from Redmond, had a team-best eight assists; and Weber, a senior from Yakima (Eisenhower High School graduate), led the squad in goals with nine and points with 19. They both played key roles on a defense that allowed just 1.17 goals per game and registered eight shutouts.

Both Weber and Woodman were first-team all-GNAC picks, with Weber being a unanimous selection.

Western, which finished 14-5-1 and placed second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at 7-2-1, made the school's first NCAA Division II Far West Regional appearance, losing 4-0 in the semifinals to eventual champion UC San Diego.

The Vikings' 14 wins were the second highest in school history and the most since 1984. It was their first post-season appearance since 1996.

CSUDH's Rachele McDonald named 2006 Daktronics

Women's Soccer Far West Region Player of the Year

Senior forward's MVP honor headlines announcement of Daktronics All-Region soccer teams

Carson, CA - Cal State Dominguez Hills forward Rachele McDonald has been named the first-ever Daktronics Women's Soccer Far West Region Player of the Year, as voted upon by sports information directors from the California Collegiate Athletic Association, Great Northwest Athletic Conference and Pacific West Conference.

McDonald received seven of 17 1st-place votes as part of her 39 total points, and was followed in the regional player of the year voting by UC San Diego's Kelly Cochran (22 points), UCSD's Megan Dickey (21 points), and Seattle University's Ashley Porter (20 points), giving the CCAA the top three vote-getters in the program's first year of existence.

The Ventura native, who last month claimed her second CCAA MVP honor in three years, helped the Toros to an 11-8-1 overall and 10-5-1 CCAA record in 2006. The crafty forward led the CCAA in points with 34, tied for the league lead in assists with eight, and placed second with 13 goals, becoming just the second player to win the league's top award twice after Cal Poly Pomona's Ruth Van't Land first accomplished the feat in 1998 and 2000.

CCAA Champion UC San Diego, which fell in the last weekend's NCAA quarterfinals, placed three members on the 2006 Daktronics Far West Region's 1st-team in forward Kathy Sepulveda and midfielders Cochran and Dickey, while Seattle University, which fell in the NCAA's 1st round to Seattle Pacific, boasted two 1st-team selections in midfielder Porter and defender Ana Gutierrez, as did Seattle Pacific in forward Sarah Martinez and defender Carolyn Nason. Chico State defender Jennifer Hogans, SPU, Western Washington defender Meghan Woodman and Humboldt State keeper Staci Self rounded out the 11-person 2006 Daktronics Far West 1st-team, with WWU's Woodman being the only freshman to garner 1st-team honors.

Players selected to the 1st-team will be listed on the Daktronics All-American ballot. The All-American team will be announced on November 27th. The complete list of Far West region teams follows:

Daktronics Far West 1st team

F - Sarah Martinez, Seattle Pacific University, Jr.
*F - Rachele McDonald, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Sr.
F - Kathy Sepulveda, UC San Diego, Jr.
MF - Kelly Cochran, UC San Diego, Sr.
MF - Megan Dickey, UC San Diego, Sr.
MF - Ashley Porter, Seattle University, Jr.
D - Ana Gutierrez, Seattle University, Sr.
D - Jennifer Hogans, Chico State, Sr.
D - Carolyn Nason, Seattle Pacific, Sr.
D - Meghan Woodman, Western Washington, Fr.
GK - Staci Self, Humboldt State, Sr.
* - Daktronics Far West Region MVP

Daktronics Far West 2nd-team

F - Mary Carroll, Cal Poly Pomona, Fr.
F - Ali Lai, UC San Diego, Jr.
F - Leah Wymer, Seattle University, Jr.
MF - Kim Halloran, Humboldt State, Sr.
MF - Kara Hamby, Seattle Pacific, Jr.
MF - Katie Weber, Western Washington, Sr.
D - Sandy Lloyd, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Jr.
D - Sarah Norton, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Jr.
GK - Kari Gonzales, Chico State, Jr.