Colorado University Athletics
SOCCER SWEEPS BIG 12 POSTSEASON HONOR
November 04, 2003 | Soccer
           DALLAS - When the fifth-ranked University of Colorado soccer team opens Big 12 Tournament play as the No. 1 seed on Thursday, they will do so with Big 12 Coach of the Year Bill Hempen, Player of the Year Fran Munnelly and Rookie of the Year Katie Griffin as the league office announced its annual postseason awards Tuesday.
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           It is just the second time in the history of the eight-year championship that one school has swept all three awards, first since the 1997 season, but first for sole possession as A&M shared coach of the year honors that year.
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           "The individual honors are great for our program," said Hempen. "The fact that we only had one player named to the first team shows that this season is not based around one player, but it's truly a team that plays very well together."
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           Just a year after orchestrating the biggest single-season turnaround in school and league history, Hempen has led the Buffs to a 15-2-1 overall record, 8-1-1 league slate, their first conference title and a No. 5 national ranking entering the postseason. It is his fourth career league coach of the year honor as he was the ACC Coach of the Year following the 1992, '94 and '97 seasons at Duke.
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For the second straight year, the league's player of the year was the rookie of the year the previous season, as Munnelly has followed in the steps of Texas' Kelly Wilson. Munnelly has 19 points on the season off six goals and seven assists and has four gamewinning scores.
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Katie Griffin is the third freshman in as many seasons to lead the Buffs in scoring as the first year player has a single season school record 10 goals, three assists and CU single season best 23 points and team-leading five gamewinners.
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           In addition to the individual awards, nine Buffs were named to three All-Big 12 teams. For the second straight year, Fran Munnelly was named to the league's first-team, while defenders Tricia Regan and Laura Munnelly and forward Katie Griffin were tabbed to the second team. Colorado dominated the all-newcomer team with Griffin, Munnelly, goalkeeper Jessica Keller (school record 14 wins, school record 9 shutouts and 0.51 gaa), midfielder Maddy Minnis (10 points) and forward Kathryn Grandinetti (single season school record nine assists) making the list.
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           It is also the first time in the history of Big 12 soccer that siblings have been named to the all-conference soccer teams.
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2003 ALL-BIG 12 CONFERENCE SOCCER TEAMS
First Team
GKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Meghan Miller, Kansas
GKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Kati Jo Spisak, Texas A&M
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Amanda Burke, Texas A&M
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jenna Cooper, Nebraska
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lauren Colwell, Oklahoma State
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Fran Munnelly, Colorado
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Kristen Strutz, Texas A&M
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Laura Probst, Texas A&M
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Caroline Smith, Kansas
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kelly McDonald, Texas
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kelly Wilson, Texas
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Second Team
GKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Kathrin Lehmann, Okalhoma State
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tricia Regan, Colorado
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Laura Munnelly, Colorado
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Holly Gault, Kansas
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Erin Young, Oklahoma
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Lauren McIver, Oklahoma
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Adriane Radtke, Oklahoma State
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Tiffany Bosher, Baylor
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Katie Griffin, Colorado
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Melissa Peabody, Missouri
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Emma Smith, Texas A&M
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All-Newcomer Team
GKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Kathrin Lehmann, Oklahoma State
GKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jessica Keller, Colorado
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Laura Munnelly, Colorado
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Linda Pierson, Texas A&M
DÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Holly Gault, Kansas
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Nikki Thaden, Texas
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Maddy Minnis, Colorado
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Adriane Radtke, Oklahoma State
MFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Carrie Schmit, Texas
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Katie Griffin, Colorado
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jessie Bruch, Nebraska
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kathryn Grandinetti, Colorado
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kate Kirwan, Iowa State
FÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kat Krambeer, Texas A&M
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Player of the Year   Fran Munnelly, Colorado
Rookie of the Year   Katie Griffin, Colorado
Coach of the Year   Bill Hempen, Colorado
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