USL News Release

Friday, July 25, 2008

TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced Friday the statistical award winners for the 2008 W-League season and the All-Conference Teams, honoring 33 of the top players in the league as voted on by team coaches and general managers.

The Atlanta Silverbacks’ Sarah Steinmann finished as the Scoring and Goal Scoring Champion for the season with a league-leading 40 points and 19 goals, a breakout performance for the sixth-year W-League veteran. The numbers were triple what she posted last season when she notched only six goals in a season in which she played the fewest games (eight) in her career. They were twice what she registered in her best season, an eight-goal campaign in 2006. Steinmann originally began her W-League career with the Charlotte Lady Eagles in 2003-04 before moving to Atlanta. She had 25 goals in her previous five seasons in the league.

Laura Del Rio of the FC Indiana Lionesses finished as the W-League Assist Leader with nine on the season. Combined with her 13 goals on the season, Del Rio also finished second in the league in points with 35.

In goal, it was Pali Blues netminder Valerie Henderson winning the GAA Champion award with the league’s lowest goals against average of 0.142. Henderson posted shutouts in six of her seven games played, allowing just one goal on the year.

Among the W-League All-Conference selections were several players who have received the honor several times. Charlotte’s Tina Murphy and Seattle’s Michelle French are both being recognized for the fourth time in their careers (both in 2004, 2006 and 2007) while Tiffeny Milbrett was selected for the third straight year.

Being honored for a second time are Chicago’s Jen Buczkowski (2006), Jersey’s Fanta Cooper (2004), Washington’s Lori Lindsey (2007) and Pali trio Kendall Fletcher (2004), Amy LePeilbet (2005) and Jill Oakes (2007).

W-LEAGUE ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
Central Conference
G	Erin Kane	Chicago Gaels
D	Ashley Kennedy	Ottawa Fury
D	Marie-Eve Nault	FC Indiana Lionesses
D	Cindy Walsh	Laval Comets
M	Jen Buczkowski	Chicago Gaels
M	Chelsea Cline	Minnesota Lightning
M	Alicia Donaldson	Toronto Lady Lynx
M	Julianne Sitch	FC Indiana Lionesses
F	Brittany Bisnott	Toronto Lady Lynx
F	Laura Del Rio	FC Indiana Lionesses
F	Shay Powell	Ottawa Fury
Eastern Conference
G	Mallori Lofton-Malachi	Tampa Bay Hellenic
D	Fanta Cooper	Jersey Sky Blue
D	Therese Luckner	Boston Renegades
D	Sue Weber	Long Island Rough Riders
M	Stacey Bishop	Tampa Bay Hellenic
M	Lori Lindsey	Washington Freedom
M	Tina Murphy	Charlotte Lady Eagles
M	Lyndsey Patterson	Atlanta Silverbacks
F	Sarah Steinmann	Atlanta Silverbacks
F	Fortuna Velaj	Connecticut Passion
F	Christie Welsh	Washington Freedom
Western Conference
G	Valerie Henderson	Pali Blues
D	Kendall Fletcher	Pali Blues
D	Amy LePeilbet	Pali Blues
D	Afton Sauer	Real Colorado Cougars
D	Katrin Schmidt	Vancouver Whitecaps
M	Michelle French	Seattle Sounders
M	Katie Hooker	Real Colorado Cougars
M	Jill Oakes	Pali Blues
F	Danesha Adams	Pali Blues
F	Katie Erikkson	Fort Collins Force
F	Tiffeny Milbrett	Vancouver Whitecaps

Also announced were the players who received the most votes for each team not represented among the All-Conference selections. They were:

Central Conference: Jessica Rostedt (Cleveland), Shaylin Mannino (Michigan), Jennifer Gaylor (Kalamazoo), Shannon Lynn (Fort Wayne), Irie Dennis (West Michigan), Brittany Kinmond (Rochester), Chelsea Spencer (Hamilton), Kacey Busque (Western Mass), Treena Ferguson (London), Patty Spielman (Vermont).
Eastern Conference: Mercy Akide (Hampton Roads), Jane Alukonis (Carolina R), Nikki Krysik (Richmond), Hailey Beam (Carolina D), Shannon Aitken (Bradenton), Marisa Kanela (West Virginia), Kelly Hammond (Northern Virginia), Gemma Davison (New York), Robyn Jones (New Jersey), Nicky Davies (Fredericksburg).
Western Conference: Brittany Massro (Los Angeles), Casey Moore (Ventura County).