Heyboer Earns All-America Honors
12/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Dec. 9, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Three Spartans were honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) this week, as announced Monday (Dec. 6). For the third time, Laura Heyboer was named an NSCAA/Performance Subaru Women's Division I All-American. In the All-Great Lakes District, Heyboer (Hudsonville, Mich.) was awarded First Team recognition, while Jill Flietstra (Hudsonville, Mich.) received Second Team honors and Cara Freeman (New Lenox, Ill.) earned Third Team accolades.
"We are all very proud of the individual recognition our players received from the NSCAA," said head coach Tom Saxton. "Laura's third consecutive appearance on the All-America Team is an incredible accomplishment, especially after battling back from such a severe injury. Jill and Cara's recognition is also well-deserved. All three played very important roles for us both on and off the field."
Heyboer received her third consecutive NSCAA All-America honor, and is the only three-time All-America on the 2010 team. The forward tied Michigan State's all-time scoring record only halfway through her junior season. With a pair of goals against Oakland (Oct. 14), Heyboer is tied with Michele Wise (1986-86) atop the career goal-scoring chart. She also sits in second place behind Lauren Hill for career game-winners with 13 scored. Heyboer's 10-2-22 scoring line as a junior finished tied for 21st in points in a single season at MSU; she is also tied for second (51 points in 2008) and 23rd (21 points in 2009) in the single-seasons records.
"It feels really good when others see how much effort I, and my teammates, have put in," said Heyboer. "To be recognized like this is such an honor."
Jill Flietstra earns her first All-Region accolade. Prior to a season-ending injury suffered on Oct. 24 against Minnesota, Flietstra spent her junior season on the top of every statistical category. In 17 games played, the keeper notched a .885 save percentage and a GAA of 0.64, which moved her into first place in the MSU annals for career GAA (.74). With nine wins in the 2010 season, Flietstra is now tied for sixth with Erin O'Connell (1992-1995) in career wins. The junior stopped 85 attempts this year, which gave her 161 all-time, good for eighth in the Spartan recordbook. Flietstra also sits in third in career shutouts (18), after tallying 11 shutouts this year.
Cara Freeman was named an NSCAA All-District Third Team for the first time. This summer the forward was put on Big Ten's preseason "Players to Watch" list. Since then, the senior tri-captain has started all but one game this season and has given the Spartans one assist and 18 shots, seven of which were on goal.
