NEW ORLEANS - A pair of Middle Tennessee soccer players were named to the postseason all-league teams, as sophomore Shan Jones earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors and junior Vanessa Mueggler garnered Second Team All-Sun Belt accolades. Both awards, which were given out at the pre-Sun Belt Tournament banquet in Boca Raton Tuesday night, are the second in their respective careers.
"We are proud and excited for both Shan and Vanessa on their outstanding seasons," head coach Aston Rhoden said. "Both of them have worked hard helping our team get to where it is entering the conference tournament. We hope their contributions will continue through the conference tournament this week."
Jones was tabbed as a First Team All-Sun Belt pick for the second-straight year after finishing the regular season among the league's leaders with a team-high 11 goals and career-best 25 points. She had her best performance of the campaign August 23 when she tied the school record for goals in a game with four against Alabama A&M as part of the 11-1 MT rout.
Mueggler was chosen as a Second Team All-Sun Belt selection for the second-straight campaign after setting career highs with nine goals and 22 points. Her best outing of the year came October 16 at ULM when she tallied three goals for her first career hat trick as the Blue Raiders knocked off the Warhawks in Sun Belt action.
Middle Tennessee now has 36 all-conference honors in its 10 years as a member of the Sun Belt, including at least one each season since joining the league in 2000. Jones is the first player in school history to earn first team accolades more than once, while Mueggler is the sixth player to garner second team honors multiple times.
Thirteen active Blue Raider student-athletes were also recognized for their academic honors during the 2008-09 athletic year. Among players still with the MT soccer program on the Commissioner's List (3.5-4.0 GPA) were Charity Blair, Jenna Bowers, Jaimee Cooper, Emily Harris, Laura Lamberth, Sarah Beth Lee, Luisa Moscoso, Vanessa Mueggler, Elisabeth Sikes and Jen Threlkeld and those included on the Academic Honor Roll (3.0-3.49 GPA) were Jessica Heckman, Erynn Murray and Emily Snowdon.
The Blue Raiders open Sun Belt Tournament action at Noon Wednesday as the No. 5 seed after finishing the regular season with a 12-5-2 record. Middle Tennessee will face No. 4 seed North Texas in the quarterfinal round at the FAU Soccer Complex in Boca Raton, Fla.
First Team All-Sun Belt:
F-Shan Jones, Middle Tennessee
F-Christina Veasley, UALR
F-Kaitlin Bast, Denver
F-Mallory Outerbridge, Western Kentucky
M-Mariah Johnston, Denver
M-Kendell Juett, North Texas
M-Kellie Walker, Western Kentucky
D-Katrina Rose, FIU
D-Kelli Lunsford, North Texas
D-Rachel Friedman, Western Kentucky
GK-Libby Stout, Western Kentucky
Second Team All-Sun Belt:
F-Thaisa Moreno, FIU
F-Michelle Young, North Texas
F-Kaylyn Pratt, Western Kentucky
M-Vanessa Mueggler, Middle Tennessee
M-Bria Beardsley, Denver
M-Lizzy Carlson, Denver
M-Amy Jackson, FIU
D-Jessie Rogers, Denver
D-Raydan Phillips, ULM
D-Morgan Thomas, Western Kentucky
GK-Kaitlyn Savage, FIU
Player of the Year:
Kellie Walker, Western Kentucky
Freshman of the Year:
Kaitlyn Savage, FIU
Coach of the Year:
Thomas Chestnutt, FIU
Print this article
Share on Facebook
