Blue Knights selected to All American and All Region selections
The Dakota County Technical College Blue Knights soccer program presented team and national recognition awards at its Dec. 12 banquet held at the Best Western Yankee Square in Eagan.
Freshman Sheena Lien led the way earning Division I All-American (Honorable Mention) honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The NJCAA features more than 2,000 Division I women’s soccer players and recognizes 44 players in the All-American program.
Lien also was named to the Adidas All Central Region Team representing 15 players from the 13-state area. The 2002 Apple Valley High School graduate is additionally listed as an NJCAA All Region selection and was awarded the team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Lien is marketing major at DCTC.
Other DCTC players garnered national recognition when the NJCAA announced its All-Region Team selections for NJCAA Region XIII, which includes two-year colleges from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. A strong record (15-5-0) and national finish (15th) aided the first-year program’s strong representation in the region. Four DCTC players completed the season ranked in the top 50 statistically.
Summary of Seven Blue Knight All-Region players:
Mandy Stockton, a freshman goalkeeper from Hastings (Hastings H.S. 2002), ranked 19th in the nation (out of 105 teams) for NJCAA Division I goalkeepers. Her statistics are highlighted in 19 games and include 167 saves and 25 goals scored against, while facing 192 shots and earning a 1.316 goals-against average per game.
Breanne Wolters, a freshman fullback from Minneapolis (South H.S. 2001), started 19 of 20 games and played 1,634 minutes while anchoring a defense that yielded just 26 goals in 20 matches. Wolters is a Photography and Visual Arts Design major.
Rebecca Noonan, a freshman forward from Brooklyn Park (Robbinsdale Cooper H.S. 2002), led the team in scoring in the 20 games played punching in 19 goals and assisting on 14 other goals. Her 52 points ranked her 25th in the nation in scoring. As the team-leading scorer, Noonan was awarded the team’s Golden Boot Award. Noonan is an Exercise and Sport Science major.
Sheena Lien, a freshman midfielder from Apple Valley (Apple Valley H.S. 2002) completed the season ranked 39th nationally in scoring in 20 games played (nine goals, 24 assists for 42 points). Lien also was named to the Adidas All-Central Region Team (representing 13 states) and was named to the NJCAA All-American Team (Honorable Mention) for Division I. Lien also received the Blue Knights’ Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Currently pursuing a Marketing degree, Lien hopes to transfer to a NCAA institution following two seasons at DCTC.
Rachel Jones, a sophomore forward from Round Rock, Texas (Round Rock H.S. 2001) played in 15 games while being injured for five games. Jones still scored 12 goals and three assists earning her 27 points. Jones, a team captain and Exercise and Sport Science candidate, is set to transfer to either St. Cloud State, UM Duluth or the College of St. Catherine.
Melinda Lien, a sophomore midfielder from Apple Valley (Apple Valley H.S. 2000) and older sister of teammate Sheena, joined the Blue Knights three years after playing a freshman season for the University of North Dakota. Lien provided leadership and wisdom at the central back position of the team defense. Lien is now pursuing a Marketing degree at DCTC.
Hillary Keefer, a sophomore midfielder from Eagan (Eagan H.S. 2001) served as a team captain and anchored the central area of the field while also contributing on the scoreboard. Keefer finished the season ranked 42nd in the nation, scoring 14 goals, assisting on 10 for a total of 38 points. Keefer has completed her NJCAA eligibility after transferring from UM Duluth. Keefer is now pursuing a degree in Aviation Management from Inver Hills and Metro State University.
Other Blue Knight Team Awards:
The Rookie of the Year award was given to two freshmen. Heidi Timm of Springfield (Springfield H.S. 2003) and Rita Rosner of St. Paul (Como Park H.S. 2003) were recognized for their contributions as first-year players in college soccer. Both students are pursuing Associates in Science degrees in Exercise and Sport Science.
The Most Improved Player award was awarded to freshman fullback Kendahl Link of Farmington (Farmington H.S. 2003), a dental student and freshman midfielder Amanda Bill of Hastings (Hastings H.S. 2002), a candidate in the DCTC Nursing program.
The Blue Knight Award is the distinguished recognition of the one player who exhibits unlimited team commitment, effort and spirit. Inna Brutsky, a freshman from Rosemount (Eastview H.S. 1999), was the recipient of the first Blue Knight Award. Brutsky, a recently discharged US Army veteran, is a Real Estate major who works four part-time jobs in addition to participating in DCTC soccer.
For more information on the Blue Knights Soccer program, call Head Coach Cam Pagani at (952) 997-9577 or visit www.njcaa.org or www.nscaa.com.
