Nov. 2, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio--For the first time since 2000, Northwestern earned a first-team All-Big Ten selection, as well as a second-team selection. Senior Amanda Care (Newtown, Pa./Pennsbury) is one of four first-team defensive selections and Alex Quinn (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) made the second team as a forward.

Last season, Care was a second team pick and was named as co-captain of the 2007 team, where she was one of three players to start in all 18 games. Care anchored the defense from the sweeper position for most of the season and led the Big Ten with three defensive saves on the year. Care scored three goals on 13 shots this season, which included the game-winning goal against Northeastern 23 seconds into overtime on Aug. 31. She also converted on both of her penalty shot attempts against Ball State and Indiana, both of which were the team's first goal of the game.

Quinn also started in all 18 games on the season and recorded a point in five of the first six games, while scoring five goals in the team's first five games. Quinn is one of two Wildcats to record a hat trick, which came against Central Michigan on Aug. 25, where all three goals came unassisted. Against Northeastern, Quinn scored the team's first goal and then recorded the assist in the overtime-winning goal. Quinn finished the season with the team lead in goals, assists, points, shots and shots on goal.

In addition to the pair of All-Big Ten selections, senior back Katie Charles was named NU's sportsmanship award honoree Thursday night, as well.

NU finished up the season on Thursday at the Big Ten Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

Complete selections to the All-Big Ten Teams follow:

2007 All-Big Ten Teams


First Team

Meredith Brown, Sr., midfield, IND
Haley Exner, Sr., goalkeeper, IND
Meghan Beamesderfer, So., defense, IOWA
Caroline Blaum, Jr., forward, IOWA
Roz Ellis, Jr., defense, IOWA
Lauren Pfeiffer, Jr., midfield, IOWA
LUCIA BELASSI, Sr., forward, MICH
Paige Laytos, So., forward, MICH
JEAMIE DEACON, So., midfield, MSU
Amanda Care, Sr., defense, NU
Linda Haussener, Jr., midfield, OSU
YESENIA LUCES, Sr., midfield, OSU
Jen Long, Jr., defense, PSU
Kiersten Wood, Sr., midfield, PSU








Second Team

Kadi Sickel, Sr., defense, IOWA
Paige Pickett, So., goalkeeper, MICH
Jillianne Whitfield, Sr., defense, MICH
Florentine Rijpma, So., midfield, MSU
Amy Schneider, Sr., defense, MSU
Alex Quinn, Jr., forward, NU
Michaela O'Malley, Sr., forward, OSU
Shaun Banta, Sr., forward, PSU
Allison Scola, Jr., midfield, PSU

* Additional honorees due to ties
# Fewer honorees due to additions on first team
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS

Players of the Year

OFFENSIVE CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Lucia Belassi, MICH and Yesenia Luces, OSU
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jen Long, PSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jantine Steinmetz, MSU
COACH OF THE YEAR: Nancy Cox, MICH

Sportsmanship Award Honorees 

Margie Stoll, Sr., IND
Lissa Munley, Jr., IOWA
Lucia Belassi, Sr., MICH
Rebecca Manning, Sr., MSU
Katie Charles, Sr., NU
Yesenia Luces, Sr., OSU
Mallory Weissen, Sr., PSU