Kirstin Olson Captures 2nd Team All-SEC Honors
May 25, 2016 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State senior goalkeeper Kirstin Olson became the first State player since 1997 to capture all-conference honors in an announcement made Wednesday night at the SEC Tournament awards banquet in Athens, Ga.
Olson turned in a 2.27 GAA and a program career-high 291 saves during her career in Starkville. |
Olson was one of two goalkeepers to capture second team all-SEC honors after helping to pace a solid state defensive corp this season. Olson joins George netminder Nicole Williams and Florida goalie Jordan Kellgren on the all-conference teams.
In earning the honors, Olson becomes the first State player to be given such honors since former midfielder Meredith Riekert garnered the honors for the second-straight year at the conclusion of the 1997 season. She also becomes the first Mississippi State goalkeeper to be decorated with all-conference honors.
"Kirstin had a tremendous year for us this year and I am extremely proud and happy for her," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "She provided us with great leadership which ultimately helped our younger defenders get used to the rigors of the SEC. Her biggest assets were her distribution and ability to make the big save when needed, which she did on several occasions."
In her third and final season in the nets for the Bulldogs, Olson turned in perhaps her finest performance since joining Mississippi State via Southern Methodist University prior to the 1998 campaign. In a contest with Furman at the Umbro Challenge in Greenville, S.C., Olson tallied 10 saves to move into first place on State's all-time career saves list.
But, the best performances of her three-year career in Starkville came down the stretch for the Bulldogs when the Germantown, Tenn., native turned in key performances to help State move into its final conference game with a chance to secure its first-ever SEC Tournament berth. She iced down the Alabama offense in a 2-0 State victory in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on October 8 then collected spectacular saves in a 1-0 victory over Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn. on October 20. Both victories were firsts for Mississippi State in the series with the Crimson Tide and Lady Volunteers.
In the final SEC game of her career, Olson matched her own single-game record with 14 saves against Mississippi to finish with 51 saves in SEC games only. Her 1.55 goals against average inside the conference ranks as a program high for a Mississippi State goalkeeper.
Olson finishes her career at Mississippi State with a 2.27 GAA and a MSU career record 291 saves. She also captured academic all-conference accolades for the first time this season.
2000 SEC WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS
| FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC | |||
| Ginger Sellick? | JR? | F? | Auburn |
| Abby Wambach? | JR? | F? | Florida |
| Andi Sellers? | JR | F | Florida |
| Keri Boyce? | SO? | F? | Kentucky |
| Danielle Murphy? | SO? | M? | Florida |
| Jennifer Soileau? | SR | M? | Mississippi |
| Kelly Berrall? | SR? | M? | Tennessee |
| Keisha Bell? | JR? | D? | Florida |
| Stefanie Bertcher | SR | D | Georgia |
| Laurie Black? | SR? | D? | Vanderbilt |
| Nicole Williams? | SR? | GK? | Georgia |
| SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC | |||
| Elizabeth Ramsey? | SO | F | Kentucky |
| Rhian Wilkinson? | FR? | F? | Tennessee |
| Jen Talavera? | SO | F | Vanderbilt |
| Mandy Komar? | FR? | M? | Arkansas |
| Jessica Julin? | FR | M | South Carolina |
| Katie Stegall? | SR? | M? | Vanderbilt |
| Missy Keller? | SO? | D? | Alabama |
| Ashley Mitnick? | SO? | D? | LSU |
| Kristin Chapman? | SO? | D? | Mississippi |
| Lindaliz Arauz? | JR | D | Vanderbilt |
| Kirstin Olson? | SR? | GK? | Mississippi State |
| Jordan Kellgren? | SO? | GK? | Florida |
COACH OF THE YEAR
Becky Burleigh, Florida
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Abby Wambach, Florida
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Rhian Wilkinson, Tennessee
