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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12 members of the Missouri Southern women's soccer squad have been selected to the MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll, as announced by the league office. To be eligible for the MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must: 1) have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the nominating institution, 2) have at least two terms of attendance at the nominating institution (excluding summer session), 3) achieved at least sophomore athletic standing. Redshirts and those seeking medical hardship are not eligible. The Lions have made academic success a high priority under fourth-year coach Trevor Wachsman. Since Wachsman took the reigns in the 2003-04 season, the Lions have had 32 student-athletes selected to the MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. In alphabetical order, the 2006 Lion honorees are: Senior Jessica Buhman (Olathe, Kan.), junior Amy Davis (Fenton, Mo.), junior Erin Gfeller (Overland Park, Kan.), junior Lauren Kurelac (Blue Springs, Mo.), sophomore Nikki Llewellyn (O'Fallon, Mo.), sophomore Allison Schaugnessey (St. Louis, Mo.), sophomore Katelyn Sealy (Loveland, Colo.), sophomore Kelsey Thomas (Manhattan, Kan.), junior Ashley Turner (Columbia, Mo.), sophomore Megan Walker (Grapevine, Texas) and juniors Angie Westphal (Skiatook, Okla.) and Erin Whelan (Belleville, Ill). Buhman appears on the Academic Honor Roll for the third straight year and has maintained a 3.3 grade-point-average, with a major in nursing. Buhman finished her career as a four-year starter, starting every match in her four-year Lions career but two. She scored two goals and recorded one assist this season. This is the second consecutive Academic Honor Roll selection for Davis, who is a physical education major with a 3.8 GPA. Davis started all 20 matches this year for Southern and scored two goals, with two assists. Gfeller makes the Academic Honor Roll for the second straight year after finishing her career at Southern with a perfect 4.0 GPA in accounting. She ranks fifth all-time with 13 career goals as a three-year performer for the Lions. Despite only being listed a junior, Gfeller is scheduled to graduate in May. Kurelac has a 3.88 GPA as an elementary education major. This past season, Kurelac scored two goals and recorded two assists. She also provided the game-winning tally in the Lions' 5-0 win over Missouri Western (11-21-06). Llewellyn, an accounting major with a 3.9 GPA, led the Lions this season with six goals and five assists. Llewellyn was pivotal during the Lions' record-breaking 11 match unbeaten-streak by scoring a goal in five straight matches. Southern was 4-0-1 during Llewellyn's goal-scoring streak. Despite just finishing up her sophomore campaign, Llewellyn already ranks third all-time at Southern with 20 career goals. Schaugnessey is a undecided on a major while maintaining a 3.4 GPA. She appeared in all 20 matches this year, with two starting assignments. Schaugnessey recorded 17 shot-attempts, with seven on-goal. Sealy majors in political science and has a 3.1 GPA. She played in seven matches, with three shots and two shots-on-goal. Thomas and Turner both maintain perfect 4.0 GPA's with Thomas majoring in pre-nursing and Turner in biology. Both Thomas and Turner played terrific defense and were key factors in Southern posting nine shutouts on the season and holding the opposition scoreless for nearly 509 straight minutes that included five straight shutouts. Turner, also an Academic Honor Roll selection last year, also handed out one assist this season for the Lions. Walker is an undeclared major with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Walker participated in all 20 matches this year and scored two goals, both game-winning tallies for Southern. Westphal makes her second straight appearance on the Academic Honor Roll by achieving a 3.37 GPA in marketing. Westphal handed out two assists this year, while competing in all 20 contests for the Lions. Whelan is selected to the Academic Honor Roll for the second straight year after maintaining a 3.78 GPA in accounting. Whelan started all 20 matches for Southern and scored three goals, with one assist. Whelan had quite the flare for the dramatic as well, by hitting two game-winners in the final seconds for the Lions. She nailed the game-winning tally with just 28 seconds left in the second overtime in a 3-2 Lions' win over North Dakota (9-2-06), then won it for the Lions just 15 days later with a score from 40 yards out with only eight seconds remaining in the first overtime as Southern won 1-0 at Missouri Western (9-17-06). In addition the success off the field, MSSU enjoyed quite a successful 2006 campaign on the field as well. The Lions tied the school record for wins this season by finishing 11-4-5 overall and achieved their highest-ever conference finish by winding up all alone in second-place in the MIAA with a 9-2-3 conference record. Southern also made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Postseason Tournament and ended the season ranked No. 22 in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, the first time in school history the Lions have finished the year with a national ranking. .
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