INDIANAPOLIS – Rockhurst University junior forward Stephanie Ostrander and freshman midfielder McKenna Leetch, McKendree University junior goalkeeper Zoe Brochu, Quincy University freshman Lauren Crane, and Truman State University head coach Mike Cannon have earned major postseason honors for the 2018 Great Lakes Valley Conference Women's Soccer season, it was announced by the league office Thursday evening. Ostrander was voted by the league coaches as GLVC Offensive Player of the Year, Brochu was named Defensive Player of the Year, Leetch and Crane were picked as co-Freshmen of the Year, and mentor Cannon garnered Coach of the Year from his peers. Along with these award winners, a total of 34 standouts were named to the 2018 All-Conference Teams, as voted on by the league coaches, while 14 were chosen as GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship nominees for the sport with Bellarmine selected as the team sportsmanship winner. The annual awards were presented Thursday at a reception on the eve of the GLVC Championship Tournament.

With her selection, Ostrander becomes just the second Hawk to be named Offensive Player of the Year and third major award winner, as Taylor Skala was chosen as the Freshman of the Year in 2011 and Offensive Player of the Year in 2014. Ostrander earned the league’s top offensive honor after registering Conference-best marks in 13 GLVC games with 10 goals and 24 points. In all 18 games played, the Rockhurst forward tallied a league-best 28 points, 1.56 points per game, 12 goals, 0.67 goals per game and four game-winning goals. She earned Player of the Week honors September 17 and is one of two players unanimously chosen to the All-GLVC First Team.

Brochu is McKendree’s first-ever Defensive Player of the Year and second major award winner after Sydnee Carroll collected Offensive laurels in 2016. In 1209 minutes of action through 13 GLVC contests, the junior registered a league-best eight shutouts and recorded four more overall to lead the loop with 12 during the regular season. Her goals against average (0.45) and save percentage (0.885) versus league foes were also both Conference highs, while the six goals allowed was a GLVC-low mark. In all 18 matches played, Brochu also led the GLVC in save percentage (.890), goals against average (0.43), and goals allowed (eight). She twice earned weekly honors with back-to-back selections Oct. 1 and 8, and becomes a First Team All-GLVC honoree.

Cannon was selected by his peers for the second time as GLVC Coach of the Year, picking up his first just two seasons ago in 2016. The 25-year veteran led his team to its second GLVC Regular Season title in three years with a share of the 2018 crown after going 13-3-1 overall and 9-3-1 in league action. He mentored four All-Conference selections this season, including two on the First Team in sophomore midfielder Hanna Burke and senior defender Laura Ney. Additionally, the Bulldogs are currently ranked eighth in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region rankings and snuck into the United Coaches Poll at No. 25 this week.

For the second time in league history, two newcomers were selected to share Freshman of the Year merits as Quincy forward Lauren Crane and Rockhurst midfielder McKenna Leetch earned the distinction. The first shared nod was in 2002 when Bellarmine’s Sarah Barton and former league member UW-Parkside’s Erica Kollatz were chosen. Crane was voted the Oct. 22 Offensive Player of the Week and tallied six goals in GLVC games to lead that class of players, while Leetch was close behind with five. Crane also had a league-best four assists and 16 points among freshmen, while Leetch dished out one helper and racked up 11 points in 13 games. Crane’s 18 points and 1.00 points per game through all 18 games of the regular season rank tied for second in the loop, while her four game-winning goals is tied for first. Leetch’s 15 points this season was good for ninth in the GLVC, while her goals (six, t-fifth) and goals per game (t-eighth, 0.33) are among the 10 most. The pair also earned All-GLVC plaudits, as Leetch nabbed a spot on the Second Team and Crane was a Third Team member.

Of the 34 All-Conference selections, Quincy led the way with six representatives, while Bellarmine followed with five. McKendree, Rockhurst and Truman followed close behind with four each. With three honorees apiece was Lewis, Maryville and Southern Indiana, while Indianapolis’ two rounded out the group.

Joining Ostrander, Brochu, Burke and Ney on the First Team were Bellarmine senior midfielder Audrey Van Der Elst and sophomore defender Alex Harber, and the other unanimous pick in Lewis junior forward Kailey Parnello. Maryville senior midfielder Allison Verville, along with McKendree senior midfielder Jane Skaggs, Quincy senior forward Abby Pulliam and Southern Indiana sophomore defender Madelyne Juenger round out the top 11.

The league also recognized 14 GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honorees and one Team award winner: Bellarmine. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These individuals must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced at the end of the academic year.
 
A complete list of the three All-Conference Teams and major postseason award winners follows below.
 
2018 GLVC WOMEN’S SOCCER ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS & POSTSEASON HONORS
 
2018 GLVC Offensive Player of the Year
Stephanie Ostrander, Jr., F, RU
 
2018 GLVC Defensive Player of the Year
Zoe Brochu, Jr., GK, MCK
 
2018 GLVC co-Freshmen of the Year
Lauren Crane, F, Fr., QU
McKenna Leetch, MF, Fr., RU
 
2018 GLVC Coach of the Year
Mike Cannon, TSU
 

FIRST TEAM Audrey Van Der Elst, Sr., MF, BU Alex Harber, So., D, BU Kailey Parnello, Jr., F, LEWIS # Allison Verville, Sr., MF, MU Zoe Brochu, Jr., GK, MCK Jane Skaggs, Sr., MF, MCK Abby Pulliam, Sr., F, QU Stephanie Ostrander, Jr., F, RU # Madelyne Juenger, So., D, USI Hanna Burke, So., MF, TSU Laura Ney, Sr., D, TSU     # Unanimous

SECOND TEAM Elyssa Francis, So., GK, BU Mallory Richardson, Jr., MF, LEWIS Alex Johnson, So., F, MU Stacie Muehling, So., D, MU Anna Hanger, Jr., D, MCK Sydnie Markowski, Sr., D, MCK Maddie Bauer, So., F, QU McKenna Leetch, Fr., MF, RU Jillian Leetch, So., MF, RU Maggie Winter, So., F, USI Maggie Beem, Jr., F, TSU

THIRD TEAM Erika Joldrichsen, Jr., D, BU Natalie Teo, So., F, BU Allie Mikos, Jr., D, LEWIS Stephanie Burdsall, Sr., F, UINDY Amanda Meyer, Jr., MF, UINDY Lauren Crane, Fr., F, QU Gabby Orlando, Sr., D, QU Mo Rooney, Jr., D, QU Alex Severino, Jr., MF, QU Maddie Dierkes, Sr., MF, RU Emily Hopkins, Sr., GK, USI Hanna Liljegren, Jr., MF, TSU   * Extra member due to tie