University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Hilary McKay and Michele Cornish Honored by Big South - UNC Asheville Bulldogs Official Athletics Site
01.01.1970 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 2, 2005
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - UNC Asheville forward Hilary McKay and Bulldogs' head coach Michele Cornish have been voted the 2005 Big South women's soccer Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively, by the League's head coaches and sports information directors, it was announced Wednesday evening at the League's annual awards banquet at Winthrop University.
McKay helped the Bulldogs to their second-straight Big South regular-season title with a 6-2-0 Conference record and No. 1 seed in this week's Conference Tournament. She scored a League-high 17 goals and 40 points, ranking in the top 10 nationally in goals per game (6th - 1.06) and points per game (7th - 2.50). McKay posted seven multi-goal games this season and a five-game goal scoring streak. In Conference action, she had a hand in 11 of UNCA's 17 goals with seven scores and four assists. McKay, who also was a unanimous First-team All-Conference selection, received 12 first-place votes and 26 points in the voting, finishing ahead of Monroe (three first-place votes and 13 points).
Cornish receives her second Coach of the Year honor after leading the Bulldogs to the No. 1 seed in the Conference tournament for the second-straight year, as the Bulldogs are the first back-to-back Big South regular-season champion since Elon in 2000 and 2001. UNCA, which was picked to finish second in the preseason poll, is looking for its first Tournament title since 1995. Cornish tallied nine first-place votes and 21 points, finishing ahead of Coastal Carolina head coach Karrie Miller (three first-place votes and 13 points) and VMI mentor Bryan Williams (four first-place votes and 11 points).
"I'm so happy for Hilary to be honored as Player of the Year," commented Cornish. "She really deserves this award. Hilary has had a great season from start to finish.
"I appreciate being named Coach of the Year but the team deserves this honor," added Cornish. "We've had a great year and overcome adversity to accomplish a great deal."
The Bulldogs placed four players on the Big South Conference first team. They include defender Emily Langill, goalkeeper Mich Mattos, forward Robyn Busha and McKay. Langill was last year's Big South Player of the Year. She scored two goals and led a defense that posted seven shutouts and allowed just 16 goals on the season. Mattos was on the first team for the second straight year and registered six shutouts. She had a Big South Conference leading goals against average of 0.89. Busha, who just missed being Big South Rookie of the Year by one vote, was second on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 30 points.
Making second team all-conference was junior defender Sara Pahl. Pahl had one assist on the season and started in all 16 games for the Bulldogs. Junior midfielder Lauren Wingo earned a spot on the Big South All-Academic team for the second straight year.
The Bulldogs open the Big South Conference Tournament against eighth-seeded Winthrop on the Lady Eagles home field Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. UNCA edged Winthrop, 1-0 at Greenwood Field on Oct. 4. The match will be broadcast on www.uncabulldogs.com.
