Katy Tafler named Daktronics Division II Women’s Soccer Midwest Region Player of the Year

This release courtesy of Mike Anderson of Northern Kentucky University

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Grand Valley State places six on All-Midwest Region teams

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Grand Valley State's Katy Tafler led a group of six Lakers named to the 2008 Daktronics Division II Women's Soccer Midwest Region teams. Tafler was also selected for the third consecutive season as the Midwest Region Player of the Year.

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The team is voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America(CoSIDA).

Tafler, a senior from Mississauga, Ontario, is a two-time Division II Player of the Year and three-time first-team All-American. Tafler stands third all-time in career goals with 111 and fourth in points with 262, both career records at GVSU. Tafler also claims single-season records for goals (36) and points (85). This season, Tafler leads the top-ranked Lakers with 17 goals, 12 assists and 46 points.

Tafler is joined on the All-Midwest Region first team by three of her fellow Lakers: Forward Ashley Elsass (Powell, Ohio), defender Natalja Stanski (Tecumseh, Ontario) and goalkeeper Kristina Nasturzio (Mississauga, Ontario). Wisconsin-Parkside placed two players on the first team: Forward Meredith Novak (Batavia, Ill.) and midfielder Lauki'i Cheng (Kailua, Hawaii).

First-team All-Midwest Region selections are eligible to be named to the 2008 Daktronics Division II Women's Soccer All-America team, to be announced on Dec. 2.

First Team

F - Katy Tafler, Sr., Grand Valley State (Mississauga, Ontario)
F - Meredith Novak, Jr., UW-Parkside (Batavia, Ill.)
F - Ashley Elsass, Sr., Grand Valley State (Powell, Ohio)
M - Becky Fleming, Jr., Quincy (St. Louis, Mo.)
M - Brandi Doss, Jr., Northern Kentucky (Harrison, Ohio)
M - Lauki'i Cheng, Fr., UW-Parkside (Kailua, Hawaii)
D - Natalja Stanski, Jr., Grand Valley State (Tecumseh, Ontario)
D - Alli Opfer, Sr., Indianapolis (Herndon, Va.)
D - Sara Jones, So., Findlay (Eastlake, Ohio)
D - Chloe Moushey, Sr., Drury (Madison, Wis.)
GK - Kristina Nasturzio, Sr., Grand Valley State (Mississauga, Ontario)

Midwest Region Player of the Year: Katy Tafler, F, Grand Valley State

Second Team

F - Lisa Schwarz, Sr., Rockhurst (Chesterfield, Mo.)
F - Jenna Boyko, Jr., Quincy (St. Charles, Mo.)
F - Amanda Reese, Jr., Indianapolis (Ft. Wayne, Ind.)
M - Meaghan Robinson, Sr., Grand Valley State (Woodstock, Ontario)
M - Kristen Eible, So., Grand Valley State (Dewitt, Mich.)
M - Brittany Nakatani, Fr., Bellarmine (Shelbyville, Ky.)
D - Kirsten White, Jr., Tiffin (Woodstock, Ontario)
D - Elise Schmuelling, Fr., Northern Kentucky (Cincinnati, Ohio)
D - Cristina Fugedy, So., Bellarmine (Marietta, Ga.)
D - Amie Noll, Jr., Northern Kentucky (Edgewood, Ky.)
GK - Alyssa Miller, Jr., Rockhurst (Omaha, Neb.)