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Lady Cougars Earn NCCAA East Region Honors
written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - Six members of the Mount Vernon Nazarene University women’s soccer team and their head coach were recently honored when the National Christian College Athletic Association East Region Team was announced on Tuesday.


Catherine Hess	Krysti Wilson	Allison Linak


Allie Warnemunde	Jessi Gates	Kristy Brandolini

Catherine Hess, a senior forward from Hillsboro, Ohio, highlighted the list as she was named the NCCAA East Region Player of the Year. The former Hillsboro High School star leads the Lady Cougars with 22 goals and 15 assists for 59 total points. Hess has scored at least one point in 18 of the team’s 21 matches this season.

Joining Hess on the NCCAA East Region Team were Krysti Wilson, Allison Linak, Allie Warnemunde, Jessi Gates, and Kristy Brandolini.

Wilson, a sophomore goalkeeper from Sunbury, Ohio, has posted a 1.27 goals against average so far this season. The former Big Walnut High School product has allowed just 24 goals in 20 matches with seven shutouts and a school-record 127 saves.

Linak, a sophomore midfielder from Westerville, Ohio, has started all 21 matches for MVNU and leads the team in minutes played (1,773). The former Worthington Christian High School standout also ranks third in both goals (6) and assists (7).

Warnemunde, a sophomore midfielder from West Chester, Ohio, has started 17 of the 20 matches she has played in this season. The former Lakota East High School graduate is tied for third on the team in goals (6), and she has also tallied two assists.

Gates, a junior defender from Richmond, Ohio, has started all 20 matches in which she has played and has registered one assist. The former Edison High School product has helped anchor the Lady Cougars’ back line that has recorded nine shutouts on the year.

Brandolini, a freshman forward from Twinsburg, Ohio, has started all 21 matches in her first collegiate season. The former Twinsburg High School star is second on the team with 17 goals and 12 assists for 46 total points.

Photo of Coach Meade MVNU head coach Jonathan Meade was also selected as the NCCAA East Region Coach of the Year as he has guided the Lady Cougars to a 17-4-0 overall record so far. The team, which won 14 straight matches at one point during the season, will look to defend their NCCAA national title at the NCCAA National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida, later this week. MVNU, the top seed, will take on eighth-seeded Asbury (Ky.) College at 7:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals on Friday.