The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Women's Soccer Team Holds Annual Postseason Awards Banquet
2/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The banquet, held in the Green and Gold Room in Bartow Arena, has occurred every season since the program's inception in 1996 and was hosted by the Blazers' coaching staff. Members of the UAB athletic department, family, and friends gathered to celebrate the most successful season in school history. Several different awards were given out and the team received its rings for winning the 2004 Marriott Conference USA Tournament, as the Blazers defeated Saint Louis, 2-1, on Nov. 3, 2004 to earn their first berth in the NCAA Tournament in school history. Opening remarks were made by UAB president Dr. Carol Garrison.
"It's always a wonderful experience to get everyone together to share the highlights of the season, especially this year with the second Conference USA Championship and our first trip to the NCAA Tournament," said UAB head coach Paul Harbin. "To have the president of the university, Dr. Garrison, open the banquet with her remarks made the banquet all the more special. We are very lucky to have a president who strongly supports women's athletics and whose daughter competed as a college athlete."
The team MVP award, voted on by the entire team and coaching staff, was given to senior forward Tara Kidwell. The native of Leesburg, Va., was named the C-USA Offensive MVP and was recently named an honorable-mention All-American by Soccerbuzz magazine. Kidwell finished her career as the school leader in both goals and points. She scored 15 goals and tallied eight assists in 2004. Kidwell also scored nine goals in conference play and recorded three hat tricks during the season. Kidwell was twice named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week during the season and notched three hat tricks during the season.
She was named to the NSCAA Southeast Regional Team last month, making the first team, and also made the Soccer Buzz All-Southeast Region squad. She joins teammate and fellow senior Jenny Rynders as the only three-time team MVPs in UAB history. Rynders was named the team MVP from 2001-03, while Kidwell earned MVP honors for the third-straight season. Former Blazers Jenny and Vanessa Woodward were each named team MVP twice.
The Coaches Award, selected by the staff, was given to the player which best exemplifies what a UAB soccer player is about on and off the field, and that honor went to seniors Jana Brauer and Briana McCarty. Brauer played in all 23 games and tied for third on the squad with five assists. She finished her career as a four-year letterwinner. McCarty, one of the most decorated players in school history, added to her long list of athletic and academic honors with the latest award. McCarty has now garnered nine individual accolades this past season alone.
The final award handed out was the Most Improved Player, which was voted on by both the team and coaching staff. Senior Jessica Barr, freshman Sally Palmer, and sophomore Laura Richards all shared the honor. Barr saw action in 20 games and scored three goals while recording four assists. She scored the game-winning goal in a crucial 2-1 win over C-USA foe Memphis on Oct. 17 in Birmingham and then notched a pair of goals in an 8-0 shutout over of Houston in conference play on Oct. 24.
Palmer, named to the C-USA all-freshman team, scored two goals and added five assists. She started 13 games while seeing action in 18. Richards tied for fifth on the team in goals scored with four and finished third in assists with five.
"It was a fun year. As a team and staff we set our sights on winning a second C-USA Championship and getting to the NCAA Tournament. Although we were certainly disappointed to lose just short of the Sweet Sixteen, it was gratifying to get a win against an experienced tournament team in our first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. That success has allowed us to set the bar even higher for future years," said Harbin.
The Blazers defeated Wake Forest, 2-0, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Tennessee, 1-0, in a heartbreaker in Knoxville, Tenn. UAB finished a school-best 16-6-1 as the Blazers set a school record for wins in a season. The Blazers registered eight shutouts this past season, the second most for a single season in school history.
2004 UAB WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM HONORS
Coaches Award: Jana Brauer and Briana McCarty
Most Improved Player: Jessica Barr, Sally Palmer, and Laura Richards
Most Valuable Player: Tara Kidwell
