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Being named to the first team of an all-conference team is old hat for the vast majority of the 11 players so honored by the Big Eight Conference.
Nine of the players named to this year's top squad by conference coaches have previously earned similar honors.
Leading the way are two unanimous choices: Senior forward Alex Melin of WIAA Division 1 state champion Verona and senior defender Abby Beinlich of conference champion Madison Memorial.
Melin – the Gatorade state player of the year – was a unanimous first-team All-Southern Badger Conference pick in 2007 and '08, but missed her junior season because of a torn ACL in her knee. The Iowa recruit had 37 goals and 29 assists this season, unofficially leading the state with 103 points. Beinlich made the first team for the third straight season, anchoring a Spartans backline that yielded just 12 goals on the season.
Verona junior defender Abby Juzwik, a UW-Green Bay recruit, was a first-team All-Big Eight choice for the second straight year, and claimed the same honor in the Southern Badger in 2008. The Wildcats gave up only two goals in conference play, both in a 2-1 overtime loss to Memorial that determined the Big Eight title.
Memorial junior defender Dana Robertson – a UNC-Charlotte recruit – and junior goalkeeper Katy Pilarzyk made the top team for the second consecutive season, as did Middleton senior midfielder Erin Flynn and Madison La Follette's high-scoring junior forward Morgan La Plant.
LaPlant's classmate, defender Elise Olson, returned to the first team – the Illinois State recruit was on the first team as a freshman in 2008, then was a second-teamer last spring. Verona junior midfielder Rachel Cropp also was named to the first team; she was a first-team All-Southern Badger selection in 2008 and joined Olson on the second team of the Big Eight team last year.
The two first-time honorees were sophomores: Verona forward Lindsey Holmes (24-29-77) and Memorial midfielder McKenna Meuer (15-10-40), the Spartans' leading scorer.
First team
Goalkeeper: Katy Pilarzyk, jr., Madison Memorial.
Defenders: Abby Beinlich, sr., Madison Memorial (unanimous); Abby Juzwik, jr., Verona; Dana Roberston, jr., Madison Memorial; Elise Olson, jr., Madison La Follette.
Midfielders: McKenna Meuer, so., Madison Memorial; Rachel Cropp, jr., Verona; Erin Flynn, sr., Middleton.
Forwards: Alex Melin, sr., Verona (unanimous); Morgan LaPlant, jr., Madison La Follette; Lindsey Holmes, so., Verona.
Second team
Goalkeeper: Alex Vial, sr., Madison La Follette.
Defenders: Hannah Wiesner, sr., Madison West; Grace Schield, sr., Middleton; Claire Melin, so., Verona; Maeve Crowley-Waack, so., Madison East; Samantha Glowacki, jr., Janesville Craig.
Midfielders: Amanda Millard, sr., Madison La Follette; Izzi Speer, sr., Madison West; Maya Dorje, jr., Madison Memorial.
Forwards: Ingrid Greene, jr., Madison Memorial; Sara Otto, sr. Middleton; Sydney Temple, sr., Madison La Follette.
Honorable mention
Goalkeeper: Lindsey Dolan, jr., Middleton; Remington Viney, so., Sun Prairie; Leah Harari, sr., Madison West; Amanda Hamilton, jr., Janesville Craig.
Defenders: Clair Stollfus, sr., Sun Prairie; Jenna Harrington, jr., Madison La Follette; Savannah Shepler, jr., Janesville Parker; Jenna Hopkins, sr., Beloit; Anna Naden, jr., Middleton.
Midfielders: Ashley Overley, jr., Janesville Craig; Allie Stone, sr., Verona; Dana Baldwin, so., Sun Prairie; Megan Slavish, sr., Beloit; Katy Matystrand, sr., Madison East.
Forwards: Hannah Rather, Madison Memorial; Katrina Rozzell, so., Madison East; Jennifer Mahoney, sr., Madison West; Chelsea Sheedy, jr., Janesville Craig; Carli Kopatz, sr., Middleton.
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