The Mount Vernon Nazarene College men's and women's soccer teams were both recently honored by the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association when the OCSA released its yearly awards at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.
On the men's side, senior forward Josh Robson (Mansfield, OH; Madison H.S.) was chosen as the OCSA NAIA Player of the Year, while head coach Paul Furey was selected as the OCSA NAIA Coach of the Year. In addition, the Cougars were tabbed as the OCSA NAIA Team of the Year after posting a 16-7-1 overall record.
Robson headlined the OCSA All-Ohio NAIA First Team after finishing the year with a team-high 21 goals and 10 assists. Junior forward Preston Elifritz (Fletcher, OH; Miami East H.S.), senior midfielder Rick Collins (Pataskala, OH; Watkins Memorial H.S.), and senior defender Tim Lord (Mansfield, OH; Madison H.S.) were all selected to the OCSA All-Ohio NAIA Second Team. Elifritz scored a career-high 16 goals and tallied a school-record 17 assists, while Collins finished with six goals and eight assists. Lord anchored MVNC's defense that posted 10 shutouts, and he also dished out four assists.
On the women's side, senior forward Shelly Aldrich (Marion, OH; Marion Harding H.S.) and freshman forward Lisa Hinman (Syracuse, NY; Faith Heritage H.S.) earned OCSA All-Ohio NAIA First Team honors, while freshman defender Cheryl Balogh (Lima, OH; Elida H.S.) was a Second Team selection. Aldrich scored 16 goals and added a school-record 10 assists, while Hinman scored a school-record 20 goals to go along with five assists. Balogh recorded four assists and helped the Lady Cougars post nine shutouts in their first intercollegiate season.
Six members of the MVNC men's soccer team and five members of the MVNC women's soccer team earned OCSA Academic All-Ohio honors among NAIA players. Elifritz, Collins, Lord, and senior midfielder Chris Masone (Edinboro, PA; General McLane H.S.) were selected to the First Team for the Cougars, while sophomore midfielder Danny Lueking (West Chester, OH; Bishop Fenwick H.S.) and sophomore defender Casey Swanson (Mount Vernon, OH; Mount Vernon H.S.) earned Honorable Mention.
Senior midfielder Amy Seiffert (Lewis Center, OH; Olentangy H.S.) was the lone Lady Cougar on the OCSA Academic All-Ohio First Team, but junior midfielder Krista Reynolds (Gahanna, OH; Gahanna-Lincoln H.S.), junior defender Shauna Dickinson (Uxbridge, MA; Uxbridge H.S.), junior midfielder Sarah Kump (Elyria, OH; North Coast Christian H.S.), and sophomore midfielder Kelly Evans (Sunbury, OH; Big Walnut H.S.) joined her as Honorable Mention picks.
