Laura Heyboer Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year
11/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 5, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's soccer freshman Laura Heyboer was voted the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year it was announced Wednesday (Nov. 5) by the conference office. Heyboer's Freshman of the Year accolade was a unanimous selection. The Hudsonville native becomes the first Spartan to earn conference Freshman of the Year and the first to win conference Player of the Year honors since Karen Winslow in 1994.
"We are very happy for Laura, it is certainly a well-deserved honor," said MSU head coach Tom Saxton. "She had one of the best offensive seasons in conference history and it's great the coaches recognized her outstanding play."
Heyboer, also the only unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection, currently leads the NCAA in points, with 47, and is tied for second in goals with 19. She has led the conference in both categories in each week of the season and is the first freshman to win Offensive Player of the Year since the award's inception in 2004.
Junior Lauren Sinacola joins Heyboer on All-Big Ten First Team. Sinacola, a Rochester Hills native, leads the conference in assists with 10. Heyboer and Sinacola are the first Spartans to gain first-team conference honors since Emma Harris in 2005.
The team's second leading scorer, Lauren Hill, as well as sophomore Cara Freeman were named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Hill ranks second in the Big Ten in points (33) and goals (12). Freeman, who made the team as a midfielder, has eight goals and four assists this season.
"We're very pleased for the excellent contributions from these players from all over our lineup," said Saxton. "For Lauren Hill, Cara Freeman and Lauren Sinacola to receive these awards, it provides further evidence of our team's balanced offensive attack."
Katelin Chaklos, along with Heyboer, were selected to the conference All-Freshman team. Chaklos, a Novi native, has started all 20 games this season in the Spartan defense.
"Katelin is one of the best young backs in the conference and it is good to see her get recognized," Saxton said.
Senior Kristi Timar was a conference Sportsmanship Award Honoree and is now eligible for the Big Ten Sportsmanship award which honors one female and one male student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.
The Michigan State women's soccer team will take on Illinois in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday (Nov. 6) at 8 p.m.
